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How to configure ExpressRoute Direct

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ExpressRoute Direct gives you the ability to directly connect to Microsoft's global network through peering locations strategically distributed across the world. For more information, see About ExpressRoute Direct.

Before you begin

Before using ExpressRoute Direct, you must first enroll your subscription. To enroll, run the following command using Azure PowerShell:

  1. Sign in to Azure and select the subscription you wish to enroll.

    Connect-AzAccount 

Select-AzSubscription -Subscription "<SubscriptionID or SubscriptionName>"

  2. Register your subscription using the following command:

    Register-AzProviderFeature -FeatureName AllowExpressRoutePorts -ProviderNamespace Microsoft.Network

Once enrolled, verify the Microsoft.Network resource provider is registered to your subscription. Registering a resource provider configures your subscription to work with the resource provider.

Create the resource

  1. Sign in to Azure and select the subscription. The ExpressRoute Direct resource and ExpressRoute circuits must be in the same subscription.

    Connect-AzAccount 

Select-AzSubscription -Subscription "<SubscriptionID or SubscriptionName>"

  2. Re-register your subscription to Microsoft.Network to access the expressrouteportslocation and expressrouteport APIs.

    Register-AzResourceProvider -ProviderNameSpace "Microsoft.Network"

  3. List all locations where ExpressRoute Direct is supported.

    Get-AzExpressRoutePortsLocation | format-list

    Example output

    Name                : Equinix-Ashburn-DC2
Id                  : /subscriptions/<subscriptionID>/providers/Microsoft.Network/expressRoutePortsLocations/Equinix-Ashburn-D
                     C2
ProvisioningState   : Succeeded
Address             : 21715 Filigree Court, DC2, Building F, Ashburn, VA 20147
Contact             : support@equinix.com
AvailableBandwidths : []

Name                : Equinix-Dallas-DA3
Id                  : /subscriptions/<subscriptionID>/providers/Microsoft.Network/expressRoutePortsLocations/Equinix-Dallas-DA
                     3
ProvisioningState   : Succeeded
Address             : 1950 N. Stemmons Freeway, Suite 1039A, DA3, Dallas, TX 75207
Contact             : support@equinix.com
AvailableBandwidths : []

Name                : Equinix-San-Jose-SV1
Id                  : /subscriptions/<subscriptionID>/providers/Microsoft.Network/expressRoutePortsLocations/Equinix-San-Jose-
                     SV1
ProvisioningState   : Succeeded
Address             : 11 Great Oaks Blvd, SV1, San Jose, CA 95119
Contact             : support@equinix.com
AvailableBandwidths : []

  4. Determine if a location listed in the previous step has available bandwidth.

    Get-AzExpressRoutePortsLocation -LocationName "Equinix-San-Jose-SV1" | format-list

    Example output

    Name                : Equinix-San-Jose-SV1
Id                  : /subscriptions/<subscriptionID>/providers/Microsoft.Network/expressRoutePortsLocations/Equinix-San-Jose-
                     SV1
ProvisioningState   : Succeeded
Address             : 11 Great Oaks Blvd, SV1, San Jose, CA 95119
Contact             : support@equinix.com
AvailableBandwidths : [
                       {
                         "OfferName": "100 Gbps",
                         "ValueInGbps": 100
                       }
                     ]

    Note

    If bandwidth is unavailable in the target location, open a support request in the Azure Portal and select the ExpressRoute Direct Support Topic.

  5. Create an ExpressRoute Direct resource based on the location in the previous step.

    ExpressRoute Direct supports both QinQ and Dot1Q encapsulation. If QinQ is selected, each ExpressRoute circuit is dynamically assigned an S-Tag and is unique throughout the ExpressRoute Direct resource. Each C-Tag on the circuit must be unique on the circuit, but not across the ExpressRoute Direct.

    If Dot1Q encapsulation is selected, you must manage uniqueness of the C-Tag (VLAN) across the entire ExpressRoute Direct resource.

    Important

    ExpressRoute Direct can only be one encapsulation type. Encapsulation cannot be changed after ExpressRoute Direct creation.

    $ERDirect = New-AzExpressRoutePort -Name $Name -ResourceGroupName $ResourceGroupName -PeeringLocation $PeeringLocationName -BandwidthInGbps 100.0 -Encapsulation QinQ | Dot1Q -Location $AzureRegion

    Note

    The Encapsulation attribute could also be set to Dot1Q.

    Example output:

    Name                       : Contoso-Direct
ResourceGroupName          : Contoso-Direct-rg
Location                   : westcentralus
Id                         : /subscriptions/<subscriptionID>/resourceGroups/Contoso-Direct-rg/providers/Microsoft.Network/exp
                            ressRoutePorts/Contoso-Direct
Etag                       : W/"<etagnumber> "
ResourceGuid               : <number>
ProvisioningState          : Succeeded
PeeringLocation            : Equinix-Seattle-SE2
BandwidthInGbps            : 100
ProvisionedBandwidthInGbps : 0
Encapsulation              : QinQ
Mtu                        : 1500
EtherType                  : 0x8100
AllocationDate             : Saturday, September 1, 2018
Links                      : [
                              {
                                "Name": "link1",
                                "Etag": "W/\"<etagnumber>\"",
                                "Id": "/subscriptions/<subscriptionID>/resourceGroups/Contoso-Direct-rg/providers/Microsoft.
                            Network/expressRoutePorts/Contoso-Direct/links/link1",
                                "RouterName": "tst-09xgmr-cis-1",
                                "InterfaceName": "HundredGigE2/2/2",
                                "PatchPanelId": "PPID",
                                "RackId": "RackID",
                                "ConnectorType": "SC",
                                "AdminState": "Disabled",
                                "ProvisioningState": "Succeeded"
                              },
                              {
                                "Name": "link2",
                                "Etag": "W/\"<etagnumber>\"",
                                "Id": "/subscriptions/<subscriptionID>/resourceGroups/Contoso-Direct-rg/providers/Microsoft.
                            Network/expressRoutePorts/Contoso-Direct/links/link2",
                                "RouterName": "tst-09xgmr-cis-2",
                                "InterfaceName": "HundredGigE2/2/2",
                                "PatchPanelId": "PPID",
                                "RackId": "RackID",
                                "ConnectorType": "SC",
                                "AdminState": "Disabled",
                                "ProvisioningState": "Succeeded"
                              }
                            ]
Circuits                   : []

Generate the Letter of Authorization (LOA)

Reference the recently created ExpressRoute Direct resource, input a customer name to write the LOA to and (optionally) define a file location to store the document. If a file path isn't referenced, the document downloads to the current directory.

Azure PowerShell

 New-AzExpressRoutePortLOA -ExpressRoutePort $ERDirect -CustomerName TestCustomerName -Destination "C:\Users\SampleUser\Downloads"

Example output

Written Letter of Authorization To: C:\Users\SampleUser\Downloads\LOA.pdf

Cloud Shell

  1. Replace the <USERNAME> with the username displayed in the prompt, then run the command to generate the Letter of Authorization. Use the exact path define in the command.

    New-AzExpressRoutePortLOA -ExpressRoutePort $ERDirect -CustomerName TestCustomerName -Destination /home/USERNAME/loa.pdf

  2. Select the Upload/Download button and then select Download. Select the loa.pdf file and select Download.

    Screenshot of download button from Azure Cloud Shell.

Change Admin State of links

This process should be used to conduct a Layer 1 test, ensuring that each cross-connection is properly patched into each router for primary and secondary.

  1. Get ExpressRoute Direct details.

    $ERDirect = Get-AzExpressRoutePort -Name $Name -ResourceGroupName $ResourceGroupName

  2. Set Link to Enabled. Repeat this step to set each link to enabled.

    Links[0] is the primary port and Links[1] is the secondary port.

    $ERDirect.Links[0].AdminState = "Enabled"
Set-AzExpressRoutePort -ExpressRoutePort $ERDirect
$ERDirect = Get-AzExpressRoutePort -Name $Name -ResourceGroupName $ResourceGroupName
$ERDirect.Links[1].AdminState = "Enabled"
Set-AzExpressRoutePort -ExpressRoutePort $ERDirect

    Example output:

    Name                       : Contoso-Direct
ResourceGroupName          : Contoso-Direct-rg
Location                   : westcentralus
Id                         : /subscriptions/<number>/resourceGroups/Contoso-Direct-rg/providers/Microsoft.Network/exp
                          ressRoutePorts/Contoso-Direct
Etag                       : W/"<etagnumber> "
ResourceGuid               : <number>
ProvisioningState          : Succeeded
PeeringLocation            : Equinix-Seattle-SE2
BandwidthInGbps            : 100
ProvisionedBandwidthInGbps : 0
Encapsulation              : QinQ
Mtu                        : 1500
EtherType                  : 0x8100
AllocationDate             : Saturday, September 1, 2018
Links                      : [
                            {
                              "Name": "link1",
                              "Etag": "W/\"<etagnumber>\"",
                              "Id": "/subscriptions/<subscriptionID>/resourceGroups/Contoso-Direct-rg/providers/Microsoft.
                          Network/expressRoutePorts/Contoso-Direct/links/link1",
                              "RouterName": "tst-09xgmr-cis-1",
                              "InterfaceName": "HundredGigE2/2/2",
                              "PatchPanelId": "PPID",
                              "RackId": "RackID",
                              "ConnectorType": "SC",
                              "AdminState": "Enabled",
                              "ProvisioningState": "Succeeded"
                            },
                            {
                              "Name": "link2",
                              "Etag": "W/\"<etagnumber>\"",
                              "Id": "/subscriptions/<subscriptionID>/resourceGroups/Contoso-Direct-rg/providers/Microsoft.
                          Network/expressRoutePorts/Contoso-Direct/links/link2",
                              "RouterName": "tst-09xgmr-cis-2",
                              "InterfaceName": "HundredGigE2/2/2",
                              "PatchPanelId": "PPID",
                              "RackId": "RackID",
                              "ConnectorType": "SC",
                              "AdminState": "Enabled",
                              "ProvisioningState": "Succeeded"
                            }
                          ]
Circuits                   : []

    Use the same procedure with AdminState = "Disabled" to turn down the ports.

Create a circuit

By default, you can create 10 circuits in the subscription where the ExpressRoute Direct resource is. You can increase this limit through a support request. You're responsible for tracking both Provisioned and Utilized Bandwidth. Provisioned bandwidth is the sum of bandwidth of all circuits on the ExpressRoute Direct resource and utilized bandwidth is the physical usage of the underlying physical interfaces.

There are more circuit bandwidths that can be utilized on ExpressRoute Direct port to support only scenarios outlined previously. These bandwidths are 40 Gbps and 100 Gbps.

SkuTier can be Local, Standard, or Premium.

SkuFamily can only be MeteredData at creation. To use Unlimited data, you'll need to update the SkuFamily after creation.

Note

Once you change to Unlimited data, you won't be able to change it back without recreating the ExpressRoute circuit.

Create a circuit on the ExpressRoute Direct resource.

New-AzExpressRouteCircuit -Name $Name -ResourceGroupName $ResourceGroupName -ExpressRoutePort $ERDirect -BandwidthinGbps 100.0  -Location $AzureRegion -SkuTier Premium -SkuFamily MeteredData

Other bandwidths include: 5.0, 10.0, and 40.0

Example output:

Name                             : ExpressRoute-Direct-ckt
ResourceGroupName                : Contoso-Direct-rg
Location                         : westcentralus
Id                               : /subscriptions/<subscriptionID>/resourceGroups/Contoso-Direct-rg/providers/Microsoft.Netwo
                                 rk/expressRouteCircuits/ExpressRoute-Direct-ckt
Etag                             : W/"<etagnumber>"
ProvisioningState                : Succeeded
Sku                              : {
                                   "Name": "Premium_MeteredData",
                                   "Tier": "Premium",
                                   "Family": "MeteredData"
                                 }
CircuitProvisioningState         : Enabled
ServiceProviderProvisioningState : Provisioned
ServiceProviderNotes             : 
  ServiceProviderProperties        : null
ExpressRoutePort                 : {
                                   "Id": "/subscriptions/<subscriptionID>n/resourceGroups/Contoso-Direct-rg/providers/Micros
                                 oft.Network/expressRoutePorts/Contoso-Direct"
                                 }
BandwidthInGbps                  : 10
Stag                             : 2
ServiceKey                       : <number>
Peerings                         : []
Authorizations                   : []
AllowClassicOperations           : False
GatewayManagerEtag

Delete the resource

Prior to deleting the ExpressRoute Direct resource, you first need to delete any ExpressRoute circuits created on the ExpressRoute Direct port pair. You can delete the ExpressRoute Direct resource by running the following command:

  Remove-azexpressrouteport -Name $Name -Resourcegroupname -$ResourceGroupName

Enable ExpressRoute Direct and circuits in different subscriptions

ExpressRoute Direct and ExpressRoute circuit(s) in different subscriptions or Microsoft Entra tenants. You create an authorization for your ExpressRoute Direct resource, and redeem the authorization to create an ExpressRoute circuit in a different subscription or Microsoft Entra tenant.

  1. Sign in to Azure and select the ExpressRoute Direct subscription.

    Connect-AzAccount 

Select-AzSubscription -Subscription "<SubscriptionID or SubscriptionName>"

  2. . Get ExpressRoute Direct details

    Get-AzExpressRoutePort 

$ERPort = Get-AzExpressRoutePort -Name $Name -ResourceGroupName $ResourceGroupName

  3. Create the ExpressRoute Direct authorization by running the following commands in PowerShell:

    Add-AzExpressRoutePortAuthorization -Name $AuthName -ExpressRoutePort $ERPort

    Sample output:

        Name                   : ERDirectAuthorization_1
    Id                     : /subscriptions/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e/resourceGroups/erdirect-   rg/providers/Microsoft.Network/expressRoutePorts/erdirect/authorizations/ERDirectAuthorization_1
    Etag                   : W/"24cac874-dfb4-4931-9447-28e67edd5155"
    AuthorizationKey       : 6e1fc16a-0777-4cdc-a206-108f2f0f67e8
    AuthorizationUseStatus : Available
    ProvisioningState      : Succeeded
    CircuitResourceUri     :

  4. Verify the authorization was created successfully and store ExpressRoute Direct authorization into a variable:

    $ERDirectAuthorization = Get-AzExpressRoutePortAuthorization -ExpressRoutePortObject $ERPort -Name $AuthName
$ERDirectAuthorization

    Sample output:

      Name                   : ERDirectAuthorization_1
  Id                     : /subscriptions/aaaa0a0a-bb1b-cc2c-dd3d-eeeeee4e4e4e/resourceGroups/erdirect-                       rg/providers/Microsoft.Network/expressRoutePorts/erdirect/authorizations/ERDirectAuthorization_1
  Etag                   : W/"24cac874-dfb4-4931-9447-28e67edd5155"
  AuthorizationKey       : 6e1fc16a-0777-4cdc-a206-108f2f0f67e8
  AuthorizationUseStatus : Available
  ProvisioningState      : Succeeded
  CircuitResourceUri     :on

  5. Redeem the authorization to create the ExpressRoute Direct circuit in different subscription or Microsoft Entra tenant with the following command:

    Select-AzSubscription -Subscription "<SubscriptionID or SubscriptionName>"

New-AzExpressRouteCircuit -Name $Name -ResourceGroupName $RGName -Location $Location -SkuTier $SkuTier -SkuFamily $SkuFamily -BandwidthInGbps $BandwidthInGbps -ExpressRoutePort $ERPort -AuthorizationKey $ERDirectAuthorization.AuthorizationKey

Next steps

For more information about ExpressRoute Direct, see the ExpressRoute Direct overview.