VNet peering for connectivity in Azure - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - VNet peering for connectivity

Create VNet A

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Create VNet B

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Request Peering from VNet A to VNet B

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Request Peering from VNet B to VNet A

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Peering Established

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VNets can now communicate directly

This flow shows creating two virtual networks, requesting peering from each side, and establishing a connection allowing direct communication.

Execution Sample

Azure

az network vnet create --resource-group RG --location eastus --name VNetA --address-prefixes 10.0.0.0/16
az network vnet create --resource-group RG --location eastus --name VNetB --address-prefixes 10.1.0.0/16
VNETA_ID=$(az network vnet show --resource-group RG --name VNetA --query id --output tsv)
VNETB_ID=$(az network vnet show --resource-group RG --name VNetB --query id --output tsv)
az network vnet peering create --resource-group RG --vnet-name VNetA --name VNetAtoB --remote-vnet $VNETB_ID --allow-vnet-access
az network vnet peering create --resource-group RG --vnet-name VNetB --name VNetBtoA --remote-vnet $VNETA_ID --allow-vnet-access

This code creates two VNets and sets up peering from each to the other to enable connectivity.

Process Table

Step	Action	Resource State	Result
1	Create VNet A with address 10.0.0.0/16	VNet A created	VNet A ready
2	Create VNet B with address 10.1.0.0/16	VNet B created	VNet B ready
3	Create peering from VNet A to VNet B	Peering request sent	Peering A->B pending
4	Create peering from VNet B to VNet A	Peering request sent	Peering B->A pending
5	Peering established both ways	Peering active	VNets connected
6	Test connectivity between VNets	Ping from VNet A to VNet B succeeds	Connectivity confirmed

💡 Peering established both ways, VNets can communicate directly

Status Tracker

Resource	Initial State	After Step 1	After Step 2	After Step 3	After Step 4	After Step 5
VNet A	Not created	Created with 10.0.0.0/16	Created	Peering A->B requested	Peering A->B requested	Peering active
VNet B	Not created	Not created	Created with 10.1.0.0/16	Created	Peering B->A requested	Peering active
Peering A->B	None	None	None	Requested	Requested	Active
Peering B->A	None	None	None	None	Requested	Active

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why do we need to create peering from both VNets?

Peering must be created from both sides (see steps 3 and 4 in execution_table) because Azure requires mutual approval to establish the connection.

Can VNets with overlapping address spaces be peered?

No, VNets must have non-overlapping IP address ranges to peer successfully, otherwise routing conflicts occur.

What happens if only one peering is created?

If only one peering exists (see step 3 or 4 alone), connectivity is not established because peering is not mutual.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, at which step is the peering from VNet B to VNet A requested?

A Step 3

B Step 4

C Step 5

D Step 2

💡 Hint

Check the 'Action' column for peering requests in execution_table rows

According to variable_tracker, what is the state of Peering A->B after Step 3?

A Requested

B None

C Active

D Pending Approval

💡 Hint

Look at the Peering A->B row under After Step 3 in variable_tracker

If the address spaces of VNet A and VNet B overlapped, what would happen to the peering?

A Peering would still be active

B Peering would be created but no connectivity

C Peering would fail due to IP conflict

D Peering would auto-correct address spaces

💡 Hint

Refer to key_moments about address space requirements

Concept Snapshot

VNet peering connects two Azure VNets for direct communication.
Create each VNet with unique IP ranges.
Set peering from both VNets to establish connection.
Peering allows resources to communicate privately.
Both sides must approve peering for it to be active.

Full Transcript

This lesson shows how to connect two Azure virtual networks using VNet peering. First, two VNets are created with distinct IP address spaces. Then, peering requests are created from each VNet to the other. Both peering requests must be active for the VNets to communicate. The execution table traces each step from creation to connectivity confirmation. Variable tracking shows the state changes of VNets and peering connections. Key moments clarify why peering must be mutual and why address spaces cannot overlap. The visual quiz tests understanding of peering steps and states. The concept snapshot summarizes the process simply.