Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.nordlayer.com/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Setting up site-to-site on Microsoft Azure

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Note: If your device/service supports SHA256 and DH group 14, it is recommended to use these settings instead.

Creating Gateway Subnet

  1. In your Azure Management Portal, navigate to the Virtual networks

Microsoft Azure portal navigation menu with Virtual networks option highlighted

  1. Select the name of the Virtual Network to which you'd like to create a gateway

  2. Under the Settings section of your VNet page, select Subnets

Azure virtual network settings menu with Subnets option highlighted

  1. Select + Gateway subnet (the name of the subnet is filled in with the value "Gateway subnet" by default)

Azure virtual network subnets page showing default and gateway subnet configurations

  1. If needed, adjust the auto-filled Address range values to match your configuration requirements

In case this range is not automatically filled in:

  • Go to address space-> +Add
  • Select a random /27 bit mask subnet space (for example 10.1.255.0/27)

Azure add subnet dialog showing GatewaySubnet configuration with CIDR block settings

Creating Virtual Network Gateway

  1. On the left side of the portal page, select + and type Virtual Network Gateway in the Search line

Azure portal main navigation menu showing create resource and dashboard options

  1. Locate and select the Virtual network gateway

Azure create resource page with virtual network gateway search and service categories

  1. Select Create

Azure virtual network gateway creation page with service description and create button

  1. Fill in the fields with the following information:
  • Name: Your gateway name
  • Region/Location: Select the Virtual Network location\region where your resources are
  • Gateway type: Select VPN
  • VPN type: Select Route-based
  • SKU: Select the gateway SKU from the dropdown. The SKUs listed in the dropdown depend on the VPN you select

Azure virtual network gateway configuration form with VPN settings and subscription details

  • Virtual network: Select the Virtual network that contains the resources you want to reach via the tunnel

Select a Virtual network to open the Choose a virtual network page.
If you don't see your VNet, make sure the Location/Region field is pointing to the region in which your virtual network is located.

Azure virtual network selection field showing VNet-New as selected option

  • Gateway subnet address range: You will only see this setting if you did not previously create a gateway subnet for your virtual network. If you previously created a valid gateway subnet, this field will not appear
  • Public IP address: This specifies the public IP address object that's associated with the VPN gateway. The public IP address is dynamically assigned to this object when the VPN gateway is created
  • Enable active-active mode: Disabled
  • Configure BGP ASN: Disabled
  • Select Review+create to begin creating the VPN gateway

It can take up to 45 minutes for the task to be completed.

Azure VPN gateway configuration showing dynamic IP assignment with BGP disabled

Creating Local Network Gateway

  1. In the portal, select + Create a resource

Azure portal navigation showing favorites menu with all resources and app services

  1. In the search box type "Local network gateway"

Azure new resource page with local network gateway search and service categories

  1. Select Local network gateway, then select Create to open the Create local network gateway page

Azure local network gateway creation page with service description and create button

  1. Fill in the fields with the following information:
  • Name Your gateway name
  • IP address: This is the public IP address of the VPN device that you want Azure to connect to. Specify the IP of your NordLayer server with a dedicated IP
  • Address Space: 10.6.0.0/20 (make sure that the ranges you specify here do not overlap with ranges of other networks that you want to connect to)
  • Subscription: Verify that the correct subscription is showing
  • Resource Group: Select the resource group that you want to use. You can either create a new resource group or select one that you have already created
  • Location: Select a location that this object will be created in. You may want to select the location in which your Virtual Network resides, however it is not a requirement
  • SKU: Select the gateway SKU from the dropdown. The SKUs listed in the dropdown depend on the VPN you select
  1. Select Create at the bottom of the page to create the local network gateway

Azure local network gateway form with Site1 name and IP address configuration

Creating the IPSEC tunnel connection

  1. Open your virtual network gateway page

  2. On the sidebar, select All resources

Azure portal favorites menu with all resources selected and virtual networks option

  1. Select the Local network gateway you created. Once it opens, go to Settings, select Connections, and then +Add

Azure virtual network gateway connections page showing Teams connection with connected status

  1. Fill in the fields with the following information:
  • Name: Your connection name
  • Connection type : Select Site-to-site (IPSec)
  • Virtual network gateway: Since you are connecting from this gateway this value (the IP you received from Azure) is fixed
  • Local network gateway: The local network gateway (your NordLayer network address) which you have just created is the fixed value
  • Shared Key: the value here must match the value that you are using for your local on-premises VPN device
  • The remaining values for Subscription, Resource Group, and Location are fixed as well
  • Select OK to create your connection

Azure add connection dialog showing IPsec VPN setup with gateway and PSK fields

Verifying the VPN connection

  1. Go to the Azure Portal and select All Resources

Azure portal sidebar menu with all resources highlighted under favorites section

  1. Select the Virtual network gateway

Azure all resources page displaying virtual network gateway and public IP entries

  1. Go to Connections

Azure virtual network gateway settings menu with connections option highlighted

  1. Select the connection you created

Azure virtual network gateway connections page showing NordLayer IPsec connection as connected

  1. Please choose the connection that you recently established and then choose the configuration option.

  2. Select the Custom option within the IPsec/IKE policy settings and input the following values to match the values configured with NordLayer:

Encryption: AES256
Integrity/PRF: SHA256
DH Group: DHGroup14

IPsec Encryption: AES256
IPsec Integrity: SHA256
PFS Group: PFS14 (PFS2048)

IPsec SA lifetime in KiloBytes: 102400000
IPsec SA lifetime in seconds: 3600

  1. Under the Overview tab, make sure that the Status is Connected

Azure connection overview showing NordLayer VPN with connected status and data transfer metrics

Ending note:

In order to finalize the site-to-site tunnel, please create a setup in Sites tab of the NordLayer Control Panel.

  • Pre-shared key - you can generate it or we can provide it
  • Encryption  details (AES, SHA and DH group) - AES256, SHA256 and DH group 14 are recommended (also must support IKEv2)
  • Remote gateway/router public IP (must be reachable while connected to the server with a dedicated IP)
  • Remote subnet and mask (the subnet is used in your local network)

Note: In case you are experiencing different results, make sure that you have you carefully gone through all the steps. Having said that, in case the issue persists please feel free to contact our 24/7 customer support team.

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