Azure NAT Gateway Tutorial & FAQs

If you're using Azure and need to provide outbound connectivity to the internet, you may have heard of NAT Gateway. NAT Gateway is a fully managed and highly resilient Network Address Translation service that helps you configure outbound connectivity to the internet. It uses a static public IP address to create an outbound connection, allowing outbound connectivity from your subnet and supporting source netting or starting for your subnet. In this blog, we'll answer some of the most common questions about NAT Gateway, including how it works, the different options available for outbound connectivity, the prerequisites to keep in mind when deploying it, and more. Whether you're new to Azure or an experienced user, this blog will provide you with the information you need to get started with NAT Gateway.

Watch Azure NAT Gateway Tutorial

Azure NAT Gateway FAQs

What is NAT Gateway?

NAT Gateway is a fully managed and highly resilient Network Address Translation service, which helps you configure outbound connectivity to the internet. It uses a static public IP address to create an outbound connection, facilitating outbound connectivity from your subnet and supports Source netting or starting for your subnet.

What are the different options available for outbound connectivity using NAT Gateway?

You can have a VM with a private IP address, and outbound connectivity can be achieved by using a virtual public IP assigned to that VM. If a public IP is assigned to a VM, all outbound and inbound communication will happen over that IP. NAT Gateway is another option where all outbound communication from the subnet is routed through the Gateway.

What are the prerequisites to keep in mind when deploying NAT Gateway?

NAT Gateway cannot be attached to a subnet where you have a basic load balancer deployed or a basic public IP deployed. IPv6 address space assigned or an existing NAT Gateway deployed are also not supported. A VPN Gateway should not be deployed in the same subnet as NAT Gateway.

How many NAT Gateways can be associated with a subnet?

Only one NAT Gateway can be associated with one subnet. However, one NAT Gateway can be associated with multiple subnets.

How does NAT Gateway work?

NAT Gateway uses a static public IP address to create an outbound connection for facilitating outbound connectivity from your subnet. All your outbound communication is going to go through the NAT Gateway when it is attached to the subnet. Inbound communication can happen via load balancer, or you can have a public IP assigned to a VM, and you can connect inbound and outbound using that public IP to the VM.

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