Adding a connection from your location to Azure Gov

You can add a virtual point-to-point Lumen® Fabric Connection from your location (from your list of available ports) to Microsoft Azure Gov using Lumen Connect℠. To add the connection, you'll need an ExpressRoute service key from Microsoft (which you receive when you create an ExpressRoute circuit using the Azure Gov portal). Be sure to have that information handy to type in (or copy/paste). Microsoft Azure requires two EVCs to make the connection (which you will create when you build the connection). 

 

Azure also requires Q‑in‑Q style tagging (known as double‑stacked tags or 802.1ad) at the NNI. This provides layer‑2 flexibility by allowing multiple VLAN tags to be inserted into a single frame. Inner VLAN tags (C‑Tags) that identify your traffic are inserted inside the outer VLAN tags (S‑Tags) provided by the service provider. The S‑Tag becomes a single VLAN that carries multiple VLANs. A single VXC carries the bundled VLAN tags between the two network endpoints. 

 

For Fabric Connections to Microsoft Azure Gov, your equipment must support 802.1ad (Q‑in‑Q). We recommend configuring your router for Q‑in‑Q before adding your Fabric Connection. Q‑in‑Q can be difficult to set up. Use the example below to set up Q‑in‑Q. 

Here’s an example below with a Cisco router.

You’ll assign the outer tag in NaaS Manager and the inner tag in the Azure portal (peering VLAN).

‘Primary EVC VLAN – 100 - NaaS Manager
‘Secondary EVC VLAN – 200 - NaaS Manager
‘Private Peering – VLAN 300 - Azure portal
‘MSFT Peering – VLAN 400 - Azure portal


interface GigabitEthernet0/1.100300
  encapsulation dot1Q 100 second-dot1q 300 ‘Azure Private primary peer
  description "Cloud Connect"
  ip address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 255.255.255.252


interface GigabitEthernet0/1.200300
  encapsulation dot1Q 200 second-dot1q 300 ‘Azure Private secondary peer
  description "Cloud Connect"
  ip address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 255.255.255.252


interface GigabitEthernet0/1.100400
  encapsulation dot1Q 100 second-dot1q 400 ‘MSFT primary peer
  description "Cloud Connect"
  ip address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 255.255.255.252


interface GigabitEthernet0/1.200400
  encapsulation dot1Q 200 second-dot1q 400 ‘MSFT secondary peer
  description "Cloud Connect"
  ip address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 255.255.255.252

There are three steps to successfully add and use a virtual point-to-point connection from your location to Azure:

1. Create the ExpressRoute circuit
2. Add the connection in Lumen Connect
3. Finish provisioning the ExpressRoute circuit

Note: You can only use a service key that isn't assigned to an active connection. The ExpressRoute service key is a unique service key and is different from the service key for your cloud service from Azure.

Step 1: Create the ExpressRoute circuit

To create an ExpressRoute circuit in the Azure Gov portal: 

  1. Go to the Azure Gov portal and sign in to create an ExpressRoute circuit. 
  1. Copy the Service key. You will paste this when creating the On-Demand connection.
  1. Verify the Azure Gov portal shows Not provisioned in the Provider status field and Enabled in the Circuit status field for the ExpressRoute circuit. Learn more about ExpressRoute circuit status 

Step 2: Add the connection in Lumen Connect

To add the Fabric Connection: 

  1. Using the left menu, click Services, then click Add Services.

    Lumen Connect shows services you can add with the Lumen digital experience.
Lumen Control Center add services
  1. Click + Add for Fabric Connections.  
  1. Select a customer and billing account, then click Continue.

    Not sure which billing account number to select? Consult your accounting department for help selecting a billing account number.

Note: If you can’t click on anything, you’ll need to contact your Lumen Connect system administrator to get NaaS permissions.

  1. In the Service Nickname field, type a name for the connection you're creating. (Be sure to use something memorable. This name will appear on your invoice and in your list of services.) 
  1. Use the Service Description field to record additional information about the connection. 
  1. In the Fabric Connection Type field, select Hosted Cloud Connection. 
  1. In the End Points field, select Port to Cloud. 
  1. Select the Source Port from the list.

    Not sure which port to select? Consult your Port Ready notification and refer to the service ID.

  2. Enter a Source VLAN. 
  1. In the Class of Service field, select whether you want Basic or Dedicated. (Dedicated offers higher availability SLAs and allows you to increase traffic prioritization for your EVC.) 

    • Basic (best effort): The service may be oversubscribed on the Lumen network. 

    • Dedicated (real-time): The quality of service offering with the highest priority on the Lumen network. In addition, Lumen reserves bandwidth for this EVC across the network on each ring it touches. Once it is dedicated to you, that bandwidth (and the corresponding CE-VLANs) sits in reserve regardless of how much bandwidth you use.
  1. Use the Billing Method buttons to select whether you want monthly or hourly billing for the connection.
  1. In the Select Bandwidth field, select the bandwidth for the connection. Bandwidth options vary based on selected locations and cloud service providers. The maximum bandwidth available is the highest matching bandwidth at both locations. 
  1. Click Continue.
  1. Review your connection information, then click Submit. 

    Lumen Connect creates the connection request and places it in the Pending Activation status. From here, you can view the connection status. 
  1. In the Class of Service field, select whether you want Basic or Dedicated. (Dedicated offers higher availability SLAs and allows you to increase traffic prioritization for your EVC.) 

    • Basic (best effort): The service may be oversubscribed on the Lumen network. 

    • Dedicated (real-time): The quality of service offering with the highest priority on the Lumen network. In addition, Lumen reserves bandwidth for this EVC across the network on each ring it touches. Once it is dedicated to you, that bandwidth (and the corresponding CE-VLANs) sits in reserve regardless of how much bandwidth you use.
  1. Use the Billing Method buttons to select whether you want monthly or hourly billing for the connection.
  1. In the Select Bandwidth field, select the bandwidth for the connection. Bandwidth options vary based on selected locations and cloud service providers. The maximum bandwidth available is the highest matching bandwidth at both locations. 
  1. Click Continue.
  1. Review your connection information, then click Submit. 

    Lumen Connect creates the connection request and places it in the Pending Activation status. From here, you can view the connection status. 

Step 3: Finish provisioning the ExpressRoute circuit with Azure

To finish provisioning the ExpressRoute circuit: 

  1. Once the connection is in Active status, view the details for the information you need to take back to the Azure Gov portal to finish setting up the connection and creating the Azure private peering. 
  1. Complete the provisioning of your ExpressRoute circuit in the Azure Gov portal.
  1. Once Azure provisions the ExpressRoute circuit, the Provider Status field shows Provisioned.