Exploring ExpressRoute Metro: Enhancing Connectivity to Azure
ExpressRoute Metro, currently in preview, is poised to revolutionize how businesses connect their on-premises networks to Azure workloads. Offering increased resiliency and availability, ExpressRoute Metro is a high-resiliency configuration designed to provide multi-site redundancy.
Understanding ExpressRoute
ExpressRoute facilitates private connections between on-premises networks and Azure workloads through designated peering locations, typically colocation facilities housing Microsoft Enterprise Edge (MSEE) devices. With ExpressRoute, two types of connections can be established:
- ExpressRoute Circuit: Utilizes logical connections made through a pair of physical links provided by ExpressRoute partners.
- ExpressRoute Direct: A dedicated and private connection eliminating the need for partner provider involvement.
Introducing ExpressRoute Metro
ExpressRoute Metro takes redundancy to the next level by offering dual-homed connections to two distinct ExpressRoute peering locations within the same city. This setup significantly enhances availability and resilience for connectivity from on-premises environments to Azure resources.
Key Features
- Dual-Homed Connections: Provides connections to two distinct ExpressRoute peering locations within the same city.
- Increased Availability: Offers higher availability and resiliency for ExpressRoute circuits.
- Seamless Connectivity: Ensures seamless connectivity from on-premises environments to Azure resources.
ExpressRoute Metro Locations
ExpressRoute Metro is currently available in several metropolitan areas including Amsterdam, Singapore, and Zurich. Each metro location offers diverse peering locations and service providers, allowing businesses to choose the setup that best suits their needs.
ExpressRoute Metro Locations
| Metro Location | Peering Locations | Location Address | Zone | Local Azure Region | ER Direct | Service Provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam Metro | Amsterdam Amsterdam2 |
Equinix AM5 Digital Reality AMS8 |
1 | West Europe | ✓ | Megaport Equinix1 Colt1 Console Connect1 Digital Reality1 |
| Singapore Metro | Singapore Singapore2 |
Equinix SG1 Global Switch Tai Seng |
2 | Southeast Asia | ✓ | Megaport1 Equinix1 Console Connect1 |
| Zurich Metro | Zurich Zurich2 |
Interxion ZUR2 Equinix ZH5 |
1 | Switzerland North | ✓ | Colt1 Digital Reality1 |
Note: The naming convention for Metro sites will utilize City and City2 to denote the two unique peering locations within the same metropolitan region. As an illustration, Amsterdam and Amsterdam2 are indicative of the two separate peering locations within the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. In the Azure portal, these locations will be referred to as Amsterdam Metro.
Read More for the details.
Conclusion
ExpressRoute Metro represents a significant advancement in Azure connectivity, offering businesses enhanced resiliency, availability, and seamless integration. With its dual-homed connections and diverse peering locations, ExpressRoute Metro is set to become the go-to solution for organizations seeking robust and reliable connectivity to Azure resources.
Take advantage of the preview phase to explore ExpressRoute Metro and unlock new possibilities for your cloud infrastructure.