We’re using Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute to facilitate high-bandwidth, dedicated connectivity between Microsoft Azure for Operators and the developers who create and implement Azure for Operators features internally here at Microsoft.
Our Infrastructure and Engineering Services (IES) team in Microsoft Digital, the company’s IT organization, is working with the Azure Networking product group to drive this transformation as part of our ongoing effort to move our network to the cloud (read our full series here).
Azure for Operators empowers mobile network operators to unlock the power of 5G by bringing the cloud and network edge closer together. This allows operators to modernize their networks, streamline and optimize their business operations, and deliver new services faster with greater reach and lower cost.
At the core of the Azure for Operators product is a carrier-grade hybrid cloud platform built for mission-critical mobile network applications. Azure for Operators customers can deploy, manage, secure, operate, and monitor network-focused workloads with a cloud-based management interface and hybrid connectivity between Azure data centers and on-premises carrier networks.
To support the rapid-paced development and growth of Azure for Operators, the product group worked with our IES team to create a high-bandwidth, dedicated network between the Azure for Operators and the lab environments that our developers and engineers use to create functionality and innovation on the Azure for Operators platform. It’s one of many ways we’re using cloud networking to transform how we operate our business in Microsoft Digital in the continually evolving technology landscape that we live in.
Our solution uses Azure Express Route in a highly available, dedicated connection between the lab environment in Microsoft’s corporate network and Azure edge routers. It facilitates secure, dedicated connectivity using 802.1Q tunneling (Q-in-Q) to simulate the ExpressRoute direct connection experience.
This connection provides a functional test bed for developers, vendors, and proof-of-concept solutions that use the lab to accurately simulate Azure for Operators functionality in a dedicated, protected Azure for Operators environment.
With seamless cloud and communication services integration, this dedicated private connection empowers our developers to establish a direct link to Azure’s extensive cloud services. As a result, our developers can iterate rapidly in an accurately replicated test environment, increasing efficiency and solution performance. The result is a better, more innovative Azure for Operators environment for Azure customers.
Developers are at the heart of our transformative journey to move our network to the cloud. Solutions such as the dedicated Azure for Operators lab service empower our developers with a robust and scalable infrastructure, enabling them to focus on building exceptional applications and services without worrying about data transfer limitations. Our solution enhances their productivity and allows them to deliver superior user experiences.
Our vision is to revolutionize the way our developers interact with Azure. The dedicated Azure for Operators lab service plays a central role in this transformation, enabling our Azure for Operators business to fully embrace the convergence of cloud and communications and creating opportunities for greater connectivity elsewhere in Azure service development and delivery. Our IES team, the Azure Networking product group, and the Azure for Operators product group are reshaping the connectivity landscape at Microsoft and in the communications industry, fostering a collaborative environment where innovation flourishes.
As we continue to find ways to better connect our product and development teams to the resources they need, we’re creating an environment that empowers developers, accelerates innovation in our products, drives transformation across the cloud and communications landscape, and pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in the digital era. The seamless convergence created with our dedicated connectivity using Azure Express is the beginning of greater innovation at Microsoft.
Here are a few things to consider when evaluating Azure Express Route for your organization:
- Implement Azure ExpressRoute for enhanced connectivity. Adopt Azure ExpressRoute for secure, high-bandwidth data transfers, crucial for efficient cloud-based services.
- Create a developer-friendly environment with ExpressRoute. Use Azure ExpressRoute to establish a dedicated lab for developers, allowing effective application building and testing without bandwidth limitations.
- Embrace cloud and communication convergence through ExpressRoute. Integrate Azure ExpressRoute to innovate and transform your digital operations, opening new avenues in service development and delivery.
- Read our ongoing series on moving our network to the cloud.
- Learn about our vision for moving our global network to the cloud with Microsoft Azure.
- Unpack how we’re doing more with less internally at Microsoft with Microsoft Azure.
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