About VPN devices and IPsec/IKE parameters for Site-to-Site VPN Gateway connections
A VPN device is required to configure a Site-to-Site (S2S) cross-premises VPN connection using a VPN gateway. Site-to-Site connections can be used to create a hybrid solution, or whenever you want secure connections between your on-premises networks and your virtual networks. This article provides a list of validated VPN devices and a list of IPsec/IKE parameters for VPN gateways.
Important
If you are experiencing connectivity issues between your on-premises VPN devices and VPN gateways, refer to Known device compatibility issues.
Items to note when viewing the tables:
- There has been a terminology change for Azure VPN gateways. Only the names have changed. There's no functionality change.
- Static Routing = PolicyBased
- Dynamic Routing = RouteBased
- Specifications for HighPerformance VPN gateway and RouteBased VPN gateway are the same, unless otherwise noted. For example, the validated VPN devices that are compatible with RouteBased VPN gateways are also compatible with the HighPerformance VPN gateway.
Validated VPN devices and device configuration guides
In partnership with device vendors, we have validated a set of standard VPN devices. All of the devices in the device families in the following list should work with VPN gateways. These are the recommended algorithms for your device configuration.
| Recommended Algorithms | Encryptions | Integrity | DH Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| IKE | AES256 | SHA256 | DH2 |
| IPSec | AES256GCM | AES256GCM | None |
To help configure your VPN device, refer to the links that correspond to the appropriate device family. The links to configuration instructions are provided on a best-effort basis and defaults listed in configuration guide need not contain the best cryptographic algorithms. For VPN device support, contact your device manufacturer.
| Vendor | Device family | Minimum OS version | PolicyBased configuration instructions | RouteBased configuration instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A10 Networks, Inc. | Thunder CFW | ACOS 4.1.1 | Not compatible | Configuration guide |
| AhnLab | TrusGuard | TG 2.7.6 TG 3.5.x |
Not tested | Configuration guide |
| Allied Telesis | AR Series VPN Routers | AR-Series 5.4.7+ | Configuration guide | Configuration guide |
| Arista | CloudEOS Router | vEOS 4.24.0FX | Not tested | Configuration guide |
| Barracuda Networks, Inc. | Barracuda CloudGen Firewall | PolicyBased: 5.4.3 RouteBased: 6.2.0 |
Configuration guide | Configuration guide |
| Check Point | Security Gateway | R80.10 | Configuration guide | Configuration guide |
| Cisco | ASA | 8.3 8.4+ (IKEv2*) |
Supported | Configuration guide* |
| Cisco | ASR | PolicyBased: IOS 15.1 RouteBased: IOS 15.2 |
Supported | Supported |
| Cisco | CSR | RouteBased: IOS-XE 16.10 | Not tested | Configuration script |
| Cisco | ISR | PolicyBased: IOS 15.0 RouteBased*: IOS 15.1 |
Supported | Supported |
| Cisco | Meraki (MX) | MX v15.12 | Not compatible | Configuration guide |
| Cisco | vEdge (Viptela OS) | 18.4.0 (Active/Passive Mode) | Not compatible | Manual configuration (Active/Passive) |
| Citrix | NetScaler MPX, SDX, VPX | 10.1 and later | Configuration guide | Not compatible |
| F5 | BIG-IP series | 12.0 | Configuration guide | Configuration guide |
| Fortinet | FortiGate | FortiOS 5.6 | Not tested | Configuration guide |
| Fsas Technologies | Si-R G series | V04: V04.12 V20: V20.14 |
Configuration guide | Configuration guide |
| Hillstone Networks | Next-Gen Firewalls (NGFW) | 5.5R7 | Not tested | Configuration guide |
| HPE Aruba | EdgeConnect SDWAN Gateway | ECOS Release v9.2 Orchestrator OS v9.2 |
Configuration guide | Configuration guide |
| Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ) | SEIL Series | SEIL/X 4.60 SEIL/B1 4.60 SEIL/x86 3.20 |
Configuration guide | Not compatible |
| Juniper | SRX | PolicyBased: JunOS 10.2 Routebased: JunOS 11.4 |
Supported | Configuration script |
| Juniper | J-Series | PolicyBased: JunOS 10.4r9 RouteBased: JunOS 11.4 |
Supported | Configuration script |
| Juniper | ISG | ScreenOS 6.3 | Supported | Configuration script |
| Juniper | SSG | ScreenOS 6.2 | Supported | Configuration script |
| Juniper | MX | JunOS 12.x | Supported | Configuration script |
| Microsoft | Routing and Remote Access Service | Windows Server 2012 | Not compatible | Supported |
| Open Systems AG | Mission Control Security Gateway | N/A | Supported | Not compatible |
| Palo Alto Networks | All devices running PAN-OS | PAN-OS PolicyBased: 6.1.5 or later RouteBased: 7.1.4 |
Supported | Configuration guide |
| Sentrium (Developer) | VyOS | VyOS 1.2.2 | Not tested | Configuration guide |
| ShareTech | Next Generation UTM (NU series) | 9.0.1.3 | Not compatible | Configuration guide |
| SonicWall | TZ Series, NSA Series SuperMassive Series E-Class NSA Series |
SonicOS 5.8.x SonicOS 5.9.x SonicOS 6.x |
Not compatible | Configuration guide |
| Sophos | XG Next Gen Firewall | XG v17 | Not tested | Configuration guide Configuration guide - Multiple SAs |
| Synology | MR2200ac RT2600ac RT1900ac |
SRM1.1.5/VpnPlusServer-1.2.0 | Not tested | Configuration guide |
| Ubiquiti | EdgeRouter | EdgeOS v1.10 | Not tested | BGP over IKEv2/IPsec VTI over IKEv2/IPsec |
| Ultra | 3E-636L3 | 5.2.0.T3 Build-13 | Not tested | Configuration guide |
| WatchGuard | All | Fireware XTM PolicyBased: v11.11.x RouteBased: v11.12.x |
Configuration guide | Configuration guide |
| Zyxel | ZyWALL USG series ZyWALL ATP series ZyWALL VPN series |
ZLD v4.32+ | Not tested | VTI over IKEv2/IPsec BGP over IKEv2/IPsec |
Note
(*) Cisco ASA versions 8.4+ add IKEv2 support, can connect to Azure VPN gateway using custom IPsec/IKE policy with "UsePolicyBasedTrafficSelectors" option. Refer to this how-to article.
(**) ISR 7200 Series routers only support PolicyBased VPNs.
Download VPN device configuration scripts from Azure
For certain devices, you can download configuration scripts directly from Azure. For more information and download instructions, see Download VPN device configuration scripts.
Nonvalidated VPN devices
If you don't see your device listed in the Validated VPN devices table, your device still might work with a Site-to-Site connection. Contact your device manufacturer for support and configuration instructions.
Editing device configuration samples
After you download the provided VPN device configuration sample, you'll need to replace some of the values to reflect the settings for your environment.
To edit a sample:
- Open the sample using Notepad.
- Search and replace all <text> strings with the values that pertain to your environment. Be sure to include < and >. When a name is specified, the name you select should be unique. If a command doesn't work, consult your device manufacturer documentation.
| Sample text | Change to |
|---|---|
| <RP_OnPremisesNetwork> | Your chosen name for this object. Example: myOnPremisesNetwork |
| <RP_AzureNetwork> | Your chosen name for this object. Example: myAzureNetwork |
| <RP_AccessList> | Your chosen name for this object. Example: myAzureAccessList |
| <RP_IPSecTransformSet> | Your chosen name for this object. Example: myIPSecTransformSet |
| <RP_IPSecCryptoMap> | Your chosen name for this object. Example: myIPSecCryptoMap |
| <SP_AzureNetworkIpRange> | Specify range. Example: 192.168.0.0 |
| <SP_AzureNetworkSubnetMask> | Specify subnet mask. Example: 255.255.0.0 |
| <SP_OnPremisesNetworkIpRange> | Specify on-premises range. Example: 10.2.1.0 |
| <SP_OnPremisesNetworkSubnetMask> | Specify on-premises subnet mask. Example: 255.255.255.0 |
| <SP_AzureGatewayIpAddress> | This information specific to your virtual network and is located in the Management Portal as Gateway IP address. |
| <SP_PresharedKey> | This information is specific to your virtual network and is located in the Management Portal as Manage Key. |
Default IPsec/IKE parameters
The following tables contain the combinations of algorithms and parameters Azure VPN gateways use in default configuration (Default policies). For route-based VPN gateways created using the Azure Resource Management deployment model, you can specify a custom policy on each individual connection. Refer to Configure IPsec/IKE policy for detailed instructions.
In the following tables:
- SA = Security Association
- IKE Phase 1 is also called "Main Mode"
- IKE Phase 2 is also called "Quick Mode"
IKE Phase 1 (Main Mode) parameters
| Property | PolicyBased | RouteBased |
|---|---|---|
| IKE Version | IKEv1 | IKEv1 and IKEv2 |
| Diffie-Hellman Group | Group 2 (1024 bit) | Group 2 (1024 bit) |
| Authentication Method | Pre-Shared Key | Pre-Shared Key |
| Encryption & Hashing Algorithms | 1. AES256, SHA256 2. AES256, SHA1 3. AES128, SHA1 4. 3DES, SHA1 |
1. AES256, SHA1 2. AES256, SHA256 3. AES128, SHA1 4. AES128, SHA256 5. 3DES, SHA1 6. 3DES, SHA256 |
| SA Lifetime | 28,800 seconds | 28,800 seconds |
| Number of Quick Mode SA | 100 | 100 |
IKE Phase 2 (Quick Mode) parameters
| Property | PolicyBased | RouteBased |
|---|---|---|
| IKE Version | IKEv1 | IKEv1 and IKEv2 |
| Encryption & Hashing Algorithms | 1. AES256, SHA256 2. AES256, SHA1 3. AES128, SHA1 4. 3DES, SHA1 |
RouteBased QM SA Offers |
| SA Lifetime (Time) | 3,600 seconds | 27,000 seconds |
| SA Lifetime (Bytes) | 102,400,000 KB | 102,400,000 KB |
| Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) | No | RouteBased QM SA Offers |
| Dead Peer Detection (DPD) | Not supported | Supported |
Azure VPN Gateway TCP MSS Clamping
MSS clamping is done bidirectionally on the Azure VPN Gateway. The following table lists the packet size under different scenarios.
| Packet Flow | IPv4 | IPv6 |
|---|---|---|
| Over Internet | 1340 bytes | 1360 bytes |
| Over Express Route Gateway | 1250 bytes | 1250 bytes |
RouteBased VPN IPsec Security Association (IKE Quick Mode SA) Offers
The following table lists IPsec SA (IKE Quick Mode) Offers. Offers are listed the order of preference that the offer is presented or accepted.
Azure Gateway as initiator
| - | Encryption | Authentication | PFS Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GCM AES256 | GCM (AES256) | None |
| 2 | AES256 | SHA1 | None |
| 3 | 3DES | SHA1 | None |
| 4 | AES256 | SHA256 | None |
| 5 | AES128 | SHA1 | None |
| 6 | 3DES | SHA256 | None |
Azure Gateway as responder
| - | Encryption | Authentication | PFS Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GCM AES256 | GCM (AES256) | None |
| 2 | AES256 | SHA1 | None |
| 3 | 3DES | SHA1 | None |
| 4 | AES256 | SHA256 | None |
| 5 | AES128 | SHA1 | None |
| 6 | 3DES | SHA256 | None |
| 7 | DES | SHA1 | None |
| 8 | AES256 | SHA1 | 1 |
| 9 | AES256 | SHA1 | 2 |
| 10 | AES256 | SHA1 | 14 |
| 11 | AES128 | SHA1 | 1 |
| 12 | AES128 | SHA1 | 2 |
| 13 | AES128 | SHA1 | 14 |
| 14 | 3DES | SHA1 | 1 |
| 15 | 3DES | SHA1 | 2 |
| 16 | 3DES | SHA256 | 2 |
| 17 | AES256 | SHA256 | 1 |
| 18 | AES256 | SHA256 | 2 |
| 19 | AES256 | SHA256 | 14 |
| 20 | AES256 | SHA1 | 24 |
| 21 | AES256 | SHA256 | 24 |
| 22 | AES128 | SHA256 | None |
| 23 | AES128 | SHA256 | 1 |
| 24 | AES128 | SHA256 | 2 |
| 25 | AES128 | SHA256 | 14 |
| 26 | 3DES | SHA1 | 14 |
- You can specify IPsec ESP NULL encryption with RouteBased and HighPerformance VPN gateways. Null based encryption doesn't provide protection to data in transit, and should only be used when maximum throughput and minimum latency is required. Clients might choose to use this in VNet-to-VNet communication scenarios, or when encryption is being applied elsewhere in the solution.
- For cross-premises connectivity through the Internet, use the default Azure VPN gateway settings with encryption and hashing algorithms listed in the preceding tables to ensure security of your critical communication.
Known device compatibility issues
Important
These are the known compatibility issues between third-party VPN devices and Azure VPN gateways. The Azure team is actively working with the vendors to address the issues listed here. Once the issues are resolved, this page will be updated with the most up-to-date information. Please check back periodically.
Feb. 16, 2017
Palo Alto Networks devices with version prior to 7.1.4 for Azure route-based VPN: If you're using VPN devices from Palo Alto Networks with PAN-OS version prior to 7.1.4 and are experiencing connectivity issues to Azure route-based VPN gateways, perform the following steps:
- Check the firmware version of your Palo Alto Networks device. If your PAN-OS version is older than 7.1.4, upgrade to 7.1.4.
- On the Palo Alto Networks device, change the Phase 2 SA (or Quick Mode SA) lifetime to 28,800 seconds (8 hours) when connecting to the Azure VPN gateway.
- If you're still experiencing connectivity issues, open a support request from the Azure portal.