Connect Network Edge Device to Microsoft Azure

Establish a direct, layer 2 connection from a Network Edge Device to Microsoft Azure to access the Azure Cloud Infrastructure and other Azure Cloud services.

connectToMicrosoftAzure

Step 1: Create ExpressRoute Circuit

In the Microsoft Azure portal, create an ExpressRoute circuit and retrieve its Service Key. The Service Key provides bandwidth and Peering Locatin for configuration in the Fabric portal.

Refer to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/expressroute/expressroute-howto-circuit-portal-resource-manager for instructions on how to create an ExpressRoute circuit.

Step 2: Create Connection

1. Authenticate

Submit your user credentials, Client ID, and Client Secret for OAuth2 authentication.

Refer to Generating Client ID and Client Secret under the Getting Access Token section for instructions on how to create client ID and client secret and refer to Requesting Access and Refresh tokens section for instructions on how to call Oauth API to validate and authenticate your credentials.

If you are unaware of your user credentials for Equinix Fabric, contact your local Equinix Service Desk.

2. Determine A-side NE device information
You need a provisioned Equinix Virtual Device/Redundant Devices/Cluster with a registered license. Check your available virtual devices and clusters by calling Get Virtual Devices or Get Virtual Device {uuid}. You may choose any available interface of the device for your connection. However, Equinix will select an interface if you do not specify any.

3. Choose Z-side metro location
Use the Get All Metros API request to find all metros where Equinix Fabric is available and determine destination location.

4. Identify service profile
Call Retrieve Service Profiles API to search for a specific service profile or use the Get Service Profiles API request to list all available service profiles, and identify the profile you want to connect to.

5. Validate your Authorization Key
Use the Validate Connection Authorization Key API request to verify that your Azure key can be used to create a connection to the selected service profile in the given metro.

6. Establish connection
Use the POST /fabric/v4/connections API request to create a connection with the pre-determined attributes.

	POST /fabric/v4/connections
Method	POST
Endpoint	/fabric/v4/connections
Headers	Authorization, Content-Type
Path Parameters	Not applicable
Query Parameters	Not applicable
Body Parameters	type, name, order, bandwidth, redundancy, aSide, zSide, notifications

Use the Retrieve Pricing API request to retrieve connection price estimate.

Sample curl request - connection to Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute from a Network Edge Device

curl -X
POST 'https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/connections'
-H 'content-type: application/json'
-H 'authorization: Bearer qwErtY8zyW1abcdefGHI'
-d '{
    "type": "EVPL_VC",
    "name": "Conn-1",
    "order": {
        "purchaseOrderNumber": "1-129105284100"
    },
    "bandwidth": 1000,
    "aSide": {
      "accessPoint": {
        "type": "VD",
        "virtualDevice": {
        "type": "EDGE",
        "uuid": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
        },
        "interface": {
          "type": "NETWORK",
          "id": 7
         }
       }
    },
    "zSide": {
        "accessPoint": {
            "type": "SP",
            "profile": {
                "type": "L2_PROFILE",
                "uuid": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
            },
            "location": {
                "metroCode": "SV"
            },
            "authenticationKey": "xx-xx-xx",
            "peeringType": "MICROSOFT"
        }
    },
    "notifications": [
        {
            "type": "ALL",
            "emails": [
                "test@equinix.com"
            ]
        }
    ]
}'

Body parameters

Parameter	Description
type `string` REQUIRED	Connection type. EVPL_VC - Ethernet virtual private line connection type used for tagged layer 2 connections.
name `string` REQUIRED	Connection name. Applicable values: Maximum: 24 characters Allowed characters: alpha-numeric, hyphens ('-') and underscores ('_') Example: my_connection
order `object` OPTIONAL	Order details.
purchaseOrderNumber `string` OPTIONAL	Subscriber's purchase order identifier. Example: 1-129105284100
bandwidth `integer` REQUIRED	Connection speed in Mbps. Applicable values: 10 50 200 500 1000 2000 5000 10000
project `object` CONDITIONAL	Project details. Required for CRH-enabled users.
projectId `string` CONDITIONAL	Unique Id of the project. Required for CRH-enabled users. Example: 16799d66-ef43-445c-ba29-d17522XXXXXX
aSide `object` REQUIRED	Source definition.
accessPoint `object` REQUIRED	Connection endpoint configuration from the A-Side.
type `string` REQUIRED	Connection endpoint type. VD
virtualDevice `object` REQUIRED	Object containing the virtual device details.
type `string` REQUIRED	Type of virtual device. EDGE
uuid `string` REQUIRED	Unique Id of virtual device. Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
interface `object` OPTIONAL	Object containing the interface details of the virtual device.
type `string` OPTIONAL	Type of interface. NETWORK CLOUD
id `string` OPTIONAL	Id of interface.You can choose any available interface on your device for your connection. However, Equinix will select an interface if you do not specify any. Example: 7
zSide `object` REQUIRED	Z-side details.
accessPoint `object` REQUIRED	Connection endpoint configuration.
type `string` REQUIRED	Connection endpoint type. SP - Service profile.
profile `object` REQUIRED	A named provider service and its network connectivity requirements. Applicable to `SP` type access points. Call Retrieve Service Profiles API to search for service profiles and determine their identifiers and available locations.
uuid `string` REQUIRED	Service profile identifier. Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
type `string` OPTIONAL	Service profile type. Example: L2_PROFILE - layer 2 service profile for establishing connections in layer 2 of the OSI networking model.
location `object` REQUIRED	Connection endpoint location information. Applicable to `SP` type access points.
metroCode `string` REQUIRED	Metropolitan area identifier. Call Get Specified Service Profile API to determine where a given service is available.
peeringType `string` REQUIRED	Peering type. Applicable values: MICROSOFT PRIVATE
authenticationKey `string` REQUIRED	Microsoft Azure Service key. Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
notifications `array[object]` REQUIRED	Notification settings for messages.
type `string` REQUIRED	Notification messages category. Applicable values: ALL
emails `array[string]` REQUIRED	Email addresses of up to 12 recipients. Example: ["x@x.com","x@x.com"]

Sample response - connection to Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute from a NE device

{
    "type": "EVPL_VC",
    "href": "https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/connections/3da14bba-d81c-4497-93c3-3f4a3cb0bc40",
    "uuid": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
    "name": "vd2azure-vvv-0425a",
    "operation": {
        "providerStatus": "PROVISIONING",
        "equinixStatus": "PROVISIONING"
    },
    "order": {
        "purchaseOrderNumber": "1-1234567890",
        "billingTier": "Up to 200 MB"
    },
    "notifications": [
        {
            "type": "ALL",
            "emails": [
                "x@gmail.com"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "changeLog": {
        "createdBy": "fabricamcrh1",
        "createdByFullName": "XXXXXX XXXXXX",
        "createdByEmail": "x@gmail.com",
        "createdDateTime": "2024-04-25T20:30:24.632Z",
        "updatedBy": "fabricamcrh1",
        "updatedByFullName": "fabric amcrh1",
        "updatedByEmail": "x@gmail.com",
        "updatedDateTime": "2024-04-25T20:30:24.632Z"
    },
    "bandwidth": 100,
    "redundancy": {
        "group": "6b869af5-3f89-4329-bb41-ec6f6b053cc4",
        "priority": "PRIMARY"
    },
    "aSide": {
        "accessPoint": {
            "interface": {
                "uuid": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
                "id": 9,
                "type": "CLOUD"
            },
            "location": {
                "metroCode": "DC"
            },
            "virtualDevice": {
                "uuid": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
                "type": "EDGE"
            }
        }
    },
    "zSide": {
        "accessPoint": {
            "location": {
                "metroCode": "SV"
            },
            "profile": {
                "href": "https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/serviceProfiles/a1390b22-bbe0-4e93-ad37-85beef9d254d",
                "type": "L2_PROFILE",
                "name": "Azure ExpressRoute",
                "uuid": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
            },
            "authenticationKey": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
        }
    }
}

Response description

Parameter	Description
type `string`	Type of connection. Example: EVPL_VC
href `string`	An absolute URL that returns the specified connection. Example: https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/connections/3a58dd05-f46d-4b1d-a154-2e85c396ea62
uuid `string`	Equinix-assigned connection Id. Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
name `string`	Name of the connection. Example: Test-azure-to-vd-api
order `object`	Order information.
billingTier `string`	Billing tier of connection bandwidth. Example: Up to 1 Gbps
bandwidth `string`	Bandwidth. Example: Up to 1 Gbps
redundancy `object`	Redundancy details.
group `string`	Unique Id of the redundancy group.
priority `string`	Whether the connection is PRIMARY or SECONDARY.
aSide `object`	Source definition.
accessPoint `object`	Connection endpoint configuration from the A-side.
interface `object`	Object containing interface details.
uuid `string`	Unique id of the interface. Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
id `string`	Id of the interface. Example: 7
type `string`	Type of interface. Example: NETWORK
location `object`	Object containing A-side location details.
metroCode `string`	A-side Metropolitan area identifier. Example: AM
virtualDevice `object`	Object containing virtual device details.
type `string`	Type of virtual device. Example: EDGE
uuid `string`	Unique Id of the virtual device. Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
zSide `object`	Destination definition.
accessPoint `object`	Connection endpoint configuration from the Z-side.
profile `object`	The service profile associated with this access point.
href `string`	An absolute URL that returns complete specification of the given entity. Example: https://api.equinix.com/fabric/v4/serviceProfiles/ea4b5141-e4d2-49f1-9768-4ea6e215b37f
type `string`	Service profile type. Example: L2_PROFILE - layer 2 service profile for establishing connections in layer 2 of the OSI networking model.
name `string`	Name of the service profile. Example: Azure ExpressRoute
uuid `string`	Unique Id of the service profile. Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
location `object`	Connection endpoint location information.
metroCode `string`	Metropolitan area identifier. Example: DA
authenticationKey `string`	Microsoft Azure Service Key. Example: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
notifications `array[object]`	Notification settings for messages.
type `string`	Notification messages category. Example: ALL
emails `array[string]`	Email addresses of up to 12 recipients. Example: ["x@x.com","x@x.com"]
operation `object`	Connection operational data.
equinixStatus `string`	Status of the connection on the Equinix side. Example: PROVISIONING
providerStatus `string`	Status of the connection on the provider side. Example: NOT_AVAILABLE
changeLog `object`	A permanent record of asset creation, modification, or deletion.
createdBy `string`	Identity of the asset creator. Example: AverageJoe
createdDateTime `string`	Asset creation timestamp in the IETF ISO 8601 extended date/time format: `YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.000+0000` Example: 2021-07-15T19:30:29.526Z

Use the Get Specified Connection API request to monitor connection status.

Equinix Connection States		Azure States
equinixStatus attribute values	providerStatus attribute values	Provider Status	Peerings Status	Description
PROVISIONING	PROVISIONING	Not provisioned	Not provisioned	Connection request has not been sent to Microsoft yet.
PENDING_BGP_PEERING	PENDING_BGP	Provisioned	Not provisioned	The connection has been approved and awaits for the customer to configure Microsoft peering on the Microsoft Azure portal. Note that the status will remain PENDING_BGP_PEERING until peering is completed in the Microsoft Azure portal and the status will only change to PROVISIONED once Equinix Fabric syncs with Microsoft. If you want to synchronize the BGP peering instantly, you may use the Equinix Fabric Portal.
PROVISIONING	PROVISIONED			Provisioning completed at Microsoft's end and the connection is provisioning at Equinix's end.
PROVISIONED	PROVISIONED			Connection established.

Step 3: Set Up Microsoft Peering

Log in to the Microsoft Azure portal and configure BGP peering. Once peering configuration is synchronized, the connection status retrieved via the GET Connections{uuid} should change from “Pending-BGP-Peering” to “Provisioned”. Alternatively, you can synchronize peering settings using the Equinix Fabric portal or the Manage Connection API request.

Refer to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/expressroute/expressroute-howto-routing-portal-resource-manager for instructions on how to configure peering for an ExpressRoute connection.

Step 1: Create ExpressRoute Circuit​

Step 2: Create Connection​

Step 3: Set Up Microsoft Peering​

Step 1: Create ExpressRoute Circuit

Step 2: Create Connection

Step 3: Set Up Microsoft Peering