Category Archives: Azure Bastion

Allgemein, Azure, Azure Bastion, Azure Network, Azure VM, Cloud, Microsoft, Remotedesktop

Azure Bastion supports SCALABILITY for SSH/RDP Connections with the new Standard SKU

2 Comments

Update 1 on 01/12/2021 :

Microsoft has changed the #AzureBastion minimum subnet size from /27 to /26. Installed #Azure Bastion are unaffected, but new deployments require the new subnet size. Please remember this. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/bastion-faq#subnet

Azure Bastion is a fully managed PaaS service to secure access Azure VMs via SSH/RDP without the need for Internet connectivity on the selected VMs. Azure Bastion was released as part of the Microsoft Ignite 2019. As part of the ongoing Microsoft Inspire 2021, Microsoft has launched a new SKU for Azure Bastion called Standard.

Difference between Basic and Standard SKU

When you create an Azure Bastion instance Microsoft creates in the backend an optimized Azure VM that runs all the processes they are needed for Azure Bastion. This Azure VM is called a Instance and had some limitations. In general when you deploy the Azure Bastion Basic SKU Microsoft deploys two instances which supports 20-24 concurrent sessions which means each instance support 10-12 sessions.

The Standard SKU allows you to specify the number of instances called as host scalling.

Please note that when using an Azure Bastion Standard SKU, the AzureBastionSubnet size should be increased to a subnet size of approximately /26 or larger.

Azure BastionBasicStandard
Instances2 Defaultup to 50
Max. supported concurrent sessions20-24up to 500
Supported configurationAzure Portal, Powershell, CLIOnly Azure Portal

Deploy an Azure Bastion Standard SKU

Only the Azure Portal allows to deploy an Azure Bastion Standard SKU with the host scalling feature, because the feature is in public preview.

Continue reading Azure Bastion supports SCALABILITY for SSH/RDP Connections with the new Standard SKU →
Allgemein, Azure, Azure Automanage, Azure Backup, Azure Bastion, Azure Governance, Azure Monitor, Azure Network, Azure Security, Azure VM, Cloud, Community, Microsoft, Windows Server

Azure VM Best Practices

6 Comments

Last year Gregor Suttie and Richard Hooper launched the Azure Advent Calendar and I got to support with a session on Azure Bastion. This year they improved on the idea with the Festive Tech Calendar. I’m happy to be back with an article on Azure VM best practices. I hope you find the article helpful and I would appreciate feedback.

Over the past few months, I have conducted many customer workshops, designed and implemented Landing Zones, and migrated or placed VMs into Azure. One of the most common customer questions has been about best practices for Azure VMs to maximize performance and efficiency, minimize costs, increase security, and reduce management overhead. This article is based on my real-world experience and recommendations based on several Azure projects.

Continue reading Azure VM Best Practices →
Allgemein, Azure, Azure Bastion, Azure Network, Azure Security, Cloud, Microsoft

Azure Bastion now supports VNET Peering

8 Comments

Update 2 on 01/12/2021

Microsoft has changed the #AzureBastion minimum subnet size from /27 to /26. Installed #Azure Bastion are unaffected, but new deployments require the new subnet size. Please remember this. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/bastion-faq#subnet

Update – 12/2020

Azure Bastion is now available in West Germany Central.

Azure Bastion is a service to avoid deployment own Jumphosts and reach Azure VMs over the Management Ports (SSH and RDP) in a secure way without the need to assign Public IPs directly to Azure VMs.

Azure Bastion got a really big improvement and now supports Azure VNET Peering. This includes all VNET peering models, inside a single subscription and VNET peering across different subscriptions.

Continue reading Azure Bastion now supports VNET Peering →
Allgemein, Azure, Azure Bastion, Azure Network, Cloud, Microsoft, Remotedesktop, Windows 10, Windows Client OS, Windows Server, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019

Azure Bastion – Secure Access Azure VMs via SSH/RDP without Public IP or Jumphosts

6 Comments

Update 5 on 01/12/2021

Microsoft has changed the #AzureBastion minimum subnet size from /27 to /26. Installed #Azure Bastion are unaffected, but new deployments require the new subnet size. Please remember this. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bastion/bastion-faq#subnet

Update 4 on 14/07/2021

Microsoft has announced a new Azure Bastion Standard SKU as part of the ongoing Microsoft Inspire 2021. The difference between Basic and Standard SKU and the deployment process are summarized in this article.

Update 3 on 16/05/2021

VNET peering support for Azure Bastion is now GA

Update 2 on 26/04/2021

I updated the article based on the latest information around Azure Bastion. One big announcement is the support for peered VNETs for Azure Bastion – this is also integrated in this article. Please feel free to share and comment 🙂

Azure Bastion is a new service to reaches Azure VMs in a secure way without needing a Jump host in the same VNET or to publish an Public IP for a VM. Many customers using Public IPs to reach VMs (Windows and Linux) in Test and Dev environment. Please avoid managing Azure VMs over a Public IP, this is unsecure – use Azure Bastion.

Azure Bastion is in public preview since end of June 2019. Azure Bastion is General Available (since Microsoft Ignite 2019) and many limitations are gone. This article will short introduce the service, the new features and how easy is it to enroll the service in the environment to reach Azure VMs (Windows or Linux) over a secure way.

Azure Bastion architecture from MS docs
Azure Bastion architecture from MS docs
Continue reading Azure Bastion – Secure Access Azure VMs via SSH/RDP without Public IP or Jumphosts →
Allgemein, Azure, Azure Bastion, Cloud, Community, Events, Microsoft

Azure Advent Calendar Session about Azure Bastion

3 Comments
Azure Advent Calender Azure Bastion session
Azure Advent Calender Azure Bastion session

Hi folks, we are in the end of the year and many advent calendars are running right now. One great idea came from Robert and Gregor, they founded the Azure Advent Calendar. A calendar with Azure session about different services. Every day will be released 3 sessions to different topics in Azure. There are many contents available now. So thanks Robert and Gregor for this great initiative.

I´m happy to contribute with a session about Azure Bastion. A secure way to access your Azure VMs without need for a Jump host or to bind a public IP-Address to a server.

Continue reading Azure Advent Calendar Session about Azure Bastion →
Allgemein, Azure, Azure Bastion, Azure Network, Azure Security, Cloud, Community, Events, Microsoft

Azure Saturday Cologne 2019 – Azure Bastion Slides

1 Comment

Gestern fand der erste Azure Saturday in Köln statt. Organisiert wurde dieser von Jennifer, Raphael und Martin und es war ein gelungener Auftakt. Eine tolle Orga und eine absolut hervoragende Location bei der Gothar sorgten für einen gelungene Veranstaltung. Dazu noch viele verschiedene Speaker und eine große Themenbandbreite, die für viel Austausch und Networking sorgten.

  • Azure Saturday Cologne – Daniel Neumann Azure Kubernetes
  • Azure Saturday Cologne Orga Raphael und JenniIMG_20191207_103939
    Azure Saturday Cologne Orga Raphael und JenniIMG_20191207_103939
  • Azure Saturday Cologne – Community Mittag
  • Azure Saturday Cologne – Ending

Am Nachmittag durfte ich mit zwei Sessions selbst einen kleinen Teil zum Azure Saturday Cologne beitragen.

Continue reading Azure Saturday Cologne 2019 – Azure Bastion Slides →
Allgemein, Azure, Azure Bastion, Azure Network, Azure Security, Cloud, Microsoft, Remotedesktop, Windows Server

Azure Bastion – Sicherer Azure VM Zugriff via SSH/RDP ohne Public IP

Leave a comment

Update 2 on 01/12/2021

Microsoft has changed the #AzureBastion minimum subnet size from /27 to /26. Installed #Azure Bastion are unaffected, but new deployments require the new subnet size. Please remember this.

Update 1

11/10/2021 Artikel überarbeitet und weitere Links angefügt. Follow the link to a refreshed article in english

Azure Bastion ist ein ganz neuer Service im Azure Universum, der den Remote Zugriff auf eure Azure VMs via RDP/SSH deutlich vereinfacht und absichert.

Azure Bastion Architecture by Microsoft Docs

Bisher gab es zwei Möglichkeiten, um sich zu Azure VMs via RDP oder SSH zu verbinden.

  1. Es besteht Zugriff auf das VNET, in dem die Azure VM liegt. Dazu war eine VPN Verbindung zum VNET notwendig oder ein Jump Host der in Azure ausgerollt wurde.
  2. Oder die Azure VM erhielt eine öffentliche IP-Adresse, um RDP oder SSH nach außen zu veröffentlichen. Damit einhergehend öffneten sich eine Menge Sicherheitslücken.

Mit Azure Bastion gibt es nun eine 3. Möglichkeit.

Azure Bastion wird als Platform-as-a-Service bereitgestellt und ermöglicht eine nahtlose Verbindung über das Azure Portal zur entsprechenden Azure VM. Durch diese Funktion sind beide oben genannten Möglichkeiten obsolet und ein direkter Zugriff auf Azure VMs, ohne Public IP, ist immer möglich. Azure Bastion stellt auf seine Art einen entsprechenden Jump Host im jeweiligen VNET bereit und benötigt seinerseits eine Public IP für die entsprechende Funktionalität.

Continue reading Azure Bastion – Sicherer Azure VM Zugriff via SSH/RDP ohne Public IP →