Azure Route Server on Microsoft Azure
What is Azure Route Server?
Azure Route Server is a fully managed service that enables BGP peering between Network Virtual Appliances (NVAs) and the Azure Virtual Network. It eliminates the need for manual User-Defined Routes (UDRs) in dynamic network topologies.
Traditionally, routes to NVAs (firewalls, SD-WAN appliances) must be manually configured via UDRs. Route Server instead enables dynamic route exchange: NVAs peer via BGP with Route Server, which automatically propagates routes to all VNets.
Route Server is highly available (zone-redundant) and supports up to 8 BGP peers. Branch-to-branch transit enables connecting ExpressRoute and VPN Gateway through NVAs.
Typical Use Cases
SD-WAN integration: SD-WAN appliances (Cisco Viptela, VMware VeloCloud, etc.) peer with Route Server. Branch office routes are automatically propagated to Azure VNets without manual UDR maintenance.
Third-party firewall routing: Next-generation firewalls (Palo Alto, Fortinet) dynamically receive routes to all spoke VNets. New spokes are automatically routed through the firewall.
Hub-spoke with dynamic routes: In hub-spoke topologies, Route Server propagates routes between spokes automatically. No manual UDR maintenance for new spokes.
Hybrid transit: Connecting ExpressRoute-connected sites with VPN-connected branches via NVAs in the hub. Route Server enables transit routing.
Frequently Asked Questions about Azure Route Server
What is the difference to Azure Firewall or Virtual WAN?
Route Server is only for routing (BGP propagation), no firewall or WAN functions. It complements NVAs with dynamic routing. Virtual WAN provides a complete WAN solution including routing. Route Server is for custom hub-spoke setups with third-party NVAs.
How many BGP peers are supported?
Up to 8 BGP peers per Route Server. Supports eBGP with AS numbers. NVAs must speak BGP (most enterprise NVAs do).
Can Route Server filter routes?
No, Route Server propagates all received routes. Filtering must be done on the NVA side (BGP route maps, prefix lists).
What does Azure Route Server cost?
Approximately 330 EUR/month for Route Server plus approximately 0.01 EUR/GB processed data. For large environments with many routes, more cost-effective than manual UDR management.
Is Route Server highly available?
Yes, Route Server is automatically deployed zone-redundant (in regions with Availability Zones). Two instances with different BGP peer IPs for NVA HA configuration.
Integration with innFactory
As a Microsoft Solutions Partner, innFactory supports you in implementing Azure Route Server for complex network topologies. We help with SD-WAN integration, NVA configuration, and hybrid network design.
Contact us for a non-binding consultation on Azure Route Server and enterprise networking.
