Microsoft is introducing two new services that significantly increase the reach and security of its cloud service: Azure Virtual WAN (wide-area network) and Azure Firewall.
Azure Virtual WAN is a networking service providing optimized and automated branch to branch connectivity for connecting to and through Azure using a distributed connectivity model. It provides mechanisms to connect traditional customer routers on-premises as well as an expanding ecosystem of new Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN) systems from Microsoft partners. Microsoft said its Virtual WAN allows customers to seamlessly connect their branches to each other and Azure using last mile Internet. It also enables customers to construct a hub and spoke network in Azure to more easily route traffic to virtual appliances such as firewalls and Azure network security services. Microsoft's current Virtual WAN partners include Citrix and Riverbed.
Azure Firewall is a cloud-native network security service that protects Azure Virtual Network resources. It is a fully stateful firewall as a service with built-in high availability and unrestricted cloud scalability. Customers can centrally create, enforce, and log application and network connectivity policies, spanning Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDNs), IP Addresses, ports and protocols across subscriptions and virtual networks. Azure Firewall policies can be fully integrated with customers’ DevOps model while enabling them to manage security risks and achieve compliance requirements for managing resource access and protection in the cloud.
Microsoft has also updated its Azure Data Box, which is its data storage appliance for physically transferring large data sets from a customer location to the Azure cloud. The Azure Data Box will now be offered in Europe and the United Kingdom. A new Azure Data Box is an SSD-disk based option with up to five 8TB drives, totaling 40TB, for a recurring or one-time data migration.
This week Microsoft is hosting its Inspire partner conference in Las Vegas.
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/announcing-public-preview-of-azure-virtual-wan-and-azure-firewall/
