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Chris 0:00
All right, let's dive into something pretty key for any cloud engineer who's working with hybrid architectures, AWS, site to site, VPN. Now, I know, I know you're probably thinking VPNs. We've all been there, done that, but today we're going a bit deeper than the basics. Okay, we're gonna uncover some of those, like hidden gems, those aha moments that can really make a difference in your everyday work and maybe even give you a leg up if you're thinking about that, AWS Solutions Architect exam, you're
Kelly 0:26
absolutely right site to site. VPN. It might seem like old news, but the way AWS has set it up, how it works with other services, the security stuff, that's where things get really interesting. We're talking about extending your on premises network, bringing it into the cloud securely and reliably Exactly.
Chris 0:42
It's like creating this like secure tunnel, yeah, between your own data center and your AWS Virtual Private Cloud. So if you're working with, like, a mix of on premises and cloud resources, this deep dive is definitely for you. Think
Kelly 0:54
of it this way. You're a company, you've got this sensitive data right sitting there in your own data center, but you also want to use all the cool stuff that AWS offers, like analytics, machine learning or just to offload some of that processing power. So how do you connect these two worlds securely? That's where site to site VPN comes in. Okay, so
Chris 1:13
it's like a secure pipeline for all that data to move back and forth. But couldn't a regular VPN just do the job. What's so special about this site to site VPN in the AWS?
Kelly 1:24
That's a great question. A regular VPN is more for individuals, right connecting remotely, site to site. VPN is designed for entire networks. AWS has some really clever features built in for high availability and security that you wouldn't normally find in a typical VPN setup. Can you give
Chris 1:39
us an example, like a real world scenario where this would be a lifesaver, absolutely.
Kelly 1:43
Imagine a financial institution massive database of customer information all on premises. They decide to start using AWS redshift right for data warehousing and analytics. But obviously security is super important, site to site. VPN allows them to move that data securely between their database and redshift without exposing it to the public Internet.
Chris 2:06
That makes perfect sense. It's like a dedicated encrypted highway, just for their data exactly.
Kelly 2:10
And we can't forget disaster recovery. Imagine your on premises data center crashes with site to site VPN. You can quickly switch over to your backup applications running in AWS, minimizing downtime and any potential data loss.
Chris 2:24
Wow. So we've got security, data migration, disaster recovery. It sounds like site to site. VPN is a pretty versatile tool in our cloud arsenal, but let's break it down. What are the core components that make this thing work?
Kelly 2:35
Okay? So at its core, you have two main parts, the Virtual Private gateway, or vGw, on the AWS side and the customer gateway, which is your physical VPN Device in your data center. Think of them like the two ends of our secure tunnel.
Chris 2:47
So the vGw is like AWS is representative in this secure handshake precisely.
Kelly 2:51
And to make this connection work, you have to create a VPN connection in AWS. This is where you define the details, like the protocols, encryption algorithms and how you want to authenticate the connection,
Chris 3:04
setting the ground rules for secure communication. I like it, yeah. But what about redundancy? What if a single connection drops? We can't have our whole setup go down. You're
Kelly 3:13
thinking like a true cloud engineer. That's where AWS is. High Availability design comes in. You can create multiple VPN connections between your data center and AWS, each one using different tunnels and internet connections. So if one goes down, traffic automatically shifts over to the other active connections. Your setup stays up and running.
Chris 3:32
Okay, that's reassuring, especially with mission critical applications. But every technology has limitations, right? Yeah, what are some things to watch out for with site to site VPN,
Kelly 3:40
you're right. Nothing is perfect. One thing is performance. It can be affected by your internet connection. Since the traffic goes over the public Internet, latency and throughput can vary. And while multiple connections help with redundancy, if you need massive bandwidth, you might need to look at AWS Direct Connect.
Chris 3:58
Direct Connect, that's for dedicated private connection to AWS, right? Is there any overlap between direct connect and site to site VPN? There
Kelly 4:06
is. They can actually work together really well. You could use direct connect as your primary link, the high bandwidth one, and then use site to site VPN as a backup. So if Direct Connect goes down for any reason, your VPN connections automatically take over. Everything keeps running smoothly, that's a pretty smart
Chris 4:22
way to combine them. Yeah. Okay, so we've got a good grasp on the basics of site to site VPN now, but I know our listeners are eager to get into the exam prep side of things. What are some key concepts that might show up on the AWS Solutions Architect exam, and are there any curveballs we should be aware of? All
Kelly 4:38
right, get ready, because the exam loves to test your understanding of the little details of site to site. VPN, a common question you might see involves choosing the right VPN connection type static or dynamic routing. With static routing you manually define the routes between your network and AWS. Dynamic routing uses protocols like BGP to automatically exchange routing information so.
Chris 4:59
So static routing is like setting a fixed path, while dynamic routing is more like a GPS that adjusts to traffic conditions
Kelly 5:06
Exactly. Now imagine you're in the exam, and you get a scenario like this. You have an application running on EC two instances in a private subnet, and it needs to access an on premises database. Which service would you use to establish a secure connection,
Chris 5:22
based on what we've talked about, site to site, VPN seems like the obvious choice. It's perfect for connecting resources in private subnets to on premises networks securely, of course,
Kelly 5:31
exactly. But here's the curveball, what if the question throws in a constraint like high bandwidth requirements?
Chris 5:38
Ah, that changes things if they're emphasizing high bandwidth and low latency, then direct connect might be the better option, but direct connect can be more expensive, so it's a trade off. You're
Kelly 5:49
getting it. The exam is all about understanding those trade offs and choosing the best service for the specific requirements. So
Chris 5:55
we need to be ready to analyze those trade offs, security, performance and cost. What other types of questions might we see they
Kelly 6:03
often ask about configuring the customer gateway device. Remember, you need to give AWS specific information about your device when setting up the VPN connection, things like the public IP address, the routing protocols used and the authentication details.
Chris 6:18
Makes sense. AWS needs to know how to reach our end of the tunnel and how to make sure it's really us. It sounds like they want to make sure we understand how everything fits together in a real world deployment. Precisely.
Kelly 6:29
The exam isn't just about memorizing facts, it's about knowing how to apply those facts in real world scenarios. Speaking of real world scenarios, you can met, they'll try to trip you up with high availability questions.
Chris 6:40
High Availability. What kind of scenarios might we see there?
Kelly 6:43
They might present a situation where a single VPN connection fails and ask how to make sure connectivity stays up. Remember those multiple VPN connections we talked about? That's the answer. Each connection should use a different internet connection and tunnel for redundancy,
Chris 6:57
redundancy, redundancy, redundancy. The Cloud engineers mantra, you
Kelly 7:01
got it. And since security is so important in the cloud, expect questions about how to restrict traffic between your on premises network and your AWS VPC,
Chris 7:10
right? We don't want just any traffic flowing back and forth. How do we lock that down
Kelly 7:14
security groups and network ACLs security groups act like a firewall for your EC two instances while network ACLs control traffic at the subnet level. So
Chris 7:24
security groups are like bouncers at the door of each instance, and network ACLs are like security checkpoints at the entrance to the subnet. Perfect
Kelly 7:32
analogy. You can use a combination of these to create layered security, allowing only the necessary traffic to flow between your networks. This has
Chris 7:39
started to make a lot more sense now. Are there any other exam prep tips for site to site VPN before we wrap up this part of our deep dive? Absolutely.
Kelly 7:47
Here are a few key takeaways to keep in mind. First, understand the differences between those VPN connection types, static and dynamic and when to use each second be ready to troubleshoot connectivity problems and know how to use those security groups and network ACLs to restrict traffic. And finally, never underestimate the importance of high availability. Multiple VPN connections are your best friend when it comes to uninterrupted connectivity. Great
Chris 8:13
advice. Let's take a quick break to absorb all this information. When we come back, we'll tackle even more challenging exam questions and dive even deeper into the world of site to site VPN. Stay tuned. Cloud enthusiasts.
Kelly 8:25
Welcome back to our deep dive into AWS site to site VPN. Before the break, we were really getting into the nitty gritty of exam prep, you know, dissecting those tricky questions that AWS just loves to throw our way. I'm ready
Chris 8:37
for more. I think they'd like to test not just what we know, but whether we can actually use it,
Kelly 8:41
you're absolutely right. Memorizing definitions isn't enough. So let's say you come across a question like this, your company has a super strict security policy, and they want you to log all VPN traffic. How would you do that with site to site VPN log
Chris 8:53
everything that sounds pretty intense. Can site to site VPN even do that?
Kelly 8:58
It can. AWS has a feature. It's called VPN logs. Pretty straightforward. This captures all sorts of detailed information about your VPN connections, timestamps, tunnel info, data transfer stats, even error messages.
Chris 9:12
So we could enable those VPN logs and set them somewhere central for analysis and auditing that would meet the security requirements, right and give us some good insights into how our VPN is actually being used exactly.
Kelly 9:21
Now, let's make it a bit tougher. Imagine a question like this. You're designing this hybrid architecture and low latency between your on premises network and an EC two based app is critical. But of course, there's a budget. How do you keep costs down without sacrificing performance?
Chris 9:39
The age old problem. We want it all performance and affordability. That's tricky.
Kelly 9:44
It is. This is where a hybrid approach often makes sense. So you could use direct connect for that high speed, low latency link to the EC two app, but you also have a site to site, VPN connection as a backup and for handling less demanding traffic, so Direct Connect
Chris 9:57
for the heavy lifting, site to site. VPN as the reliable backup ready to jump in when needed. That's a smart way to balance things exactly.
Kelly 10:05
The exam often presents these situations where you have to weigh the trade offs between different services and pick the one that fits best. Now let's shift gears a bit and talk about something that sometimes trips people up, VPN tunnels.
Chris 10:18
Tunnels. I know they're important, but I'll be honest, the details are a bit hazy for me. I get
Kelly 10:22
it. Let's break it down. Basically, a VPN tunnel is an encrypted connection between your customer gateway and the AWS Virtual Private gateway. It's like the virtual pathway that all your traffic goes through secure. It's not
Chris 10:35
a literal tunnel underground, but a secure road over the internet, right?
Kelly 10:39
AWS supports two main types, IPsec and GRE. IPsec is the more secure option. It encrypts both the data and the headers of your traffic. GRE only encrypts the data itself. The headers are left exposed. So IPsec
Chris 10:54
is like an armored truck, fully protected, and GRE is more like a regular truck, but with a secure container for the
Kelly 10:59
cargo. Another great analogy. Most of the time you'll use IPsec for site to site VPN, especially when security is paramount. But there are some niche cases where GRE might be needed, like connecting to really old systems, or when you need to keep encryption overhead as low as possible.
Chris 11:16
Okay, so IPsec for maximum security, GRE for specific situations. But why do we even need these tunnels in the first place? Why not just send the data directly over the internet?
Kelly 11:25
That's a great question. It gets to the heart of why VPNs are so important. The public internet just isn't secure. Without a VPN tunnel, all your traffic between your network and AWS would be visible to anyone snooping around. Hackers could potentially grab your data, change it or even redirect it somewhere malicious, not
Chris 11:41
good. So tunnels provide that essential layer of protection, keeping our data safe
Kelly 11:46
exactly the tunnel is like a private, encrypted path through the internet. Think of it like using a secure courier service instead of shouting your secrets on a public radio channel.
Chris 11:57
That makes a lot of sense confidentiality and integrity. But how does this apply to the exam? What kinds of questions might they ask about these VPN tunnels? Well,
Kelly 12:07
they might ask you about the different tunnel options and when you use one over the other, or they might present a scenario where a connection is having performance issues and you need to look at the tunnel logs to figure out what's going on. For example, if those logs show a lot of dropped packets or latency spikes, that might mean a problem with the internet connection or the VPN setup. So
Chris 12:27
we need to know how to read those logs and understand what they mean in the real world, we're like network detectives
Kelly 12:32
Exactly. Troubleshooting VPN connections often involves looking at those logs to uncover hidden problems. Now let's switch gears again and talk about another important concept, routing.
Chris 12:43
Routing feels like we could do a whole deep dive just on
Kelly 12:47
that. It's definitely a big topic, but knowing the basics is key to mastering site to site VPN, simply put, routing is the process of figuring out the path that data takes to travel between networks when you set up a site to site VPN connection, you need to configure routing to make sure traffic can flow smoothly between your on premises network and your AWS VPC.
Chris 13:10
So routing is like setting up traffic signals and road signs to guide our data packets to their destination perfect.
Kelly 13:15
Without proper routing, your data might get lost, end up in the wrong place, or experience delays. AWS offers two main routing options, static and dynamic, right? We
Chris 13:26
talked about those earlier. Static is the manual. One. Dynamic is automatic. Can you remind us when we might choose one over the other? Sure,
Kelly 13:32
with static routing, you define the routes manually, specifying the exact paths for traffic. This works for simple networks with predictable traffic patterns, but it can become a nightmare to manage as your network grows and things change. So
Chris 13:45
it's like drawing a map with fixed routes might work for a small town, but not so much for a busy city.
Kelly 13:50
Exactly dynamic writing, on the other hand, uses protocols like BGP to automatically exchange routing information between networks. This allows routers to adapt to changing conditions and choose the most efficient paths for traffic. So
Chris 14:04
it's more like a smart GPS updating routes based on traffic conditions in real time, much more scalable and efficient for bigger networks you
Kelly 14:11
got it. Dynamic routing is generally preferred for those larger, more complex networks, especially those with unpredictable traffic or frequent changes, but it does require a deeper understanding of those networking protocols, and it can be more complex to set up than static routing, a
Chris 14:26
trade off between simplicity and flexibility. How does the exam test us on routing with site to site? VPN?
Kelly 14:32
Well, they might give you scenarios where you need to troubleshoot routing issues, like they might describe a situation where traffic from your on premises network can't reach your AWS VPC or the other way around, you'll have to analyze routing tables, VPN configurations and network diagrams to find the problem and suggest a fix. So
Chris 14:50
we're like network surgeons, diagnosing the problem and applying the right treatment.
Kelly 14:54
Exactly the exam wants to make sure you can think critically about routing and how it affects connectivity. Be in a hybrid setup. Now let's move on to another critical piece of site to site, VPN, dot security. Security
Chris 15:06
always top of mind in the cloud. I'm sure AWS has built in plenty of safeguards. Oh,
Kelly 15:10
absolutely. AWS takes security seriously, and site to site VPN is no exception. Let's start with the basics. The whole VPN connection is encrypted. This means all data traveling through the tunnel is protected from snooping and tampering, so
Chris 15:23
even if someone intercepts our traffic, it's just gibberish without the right keys, like a secret message in code, exactly.
Kelly 15:31
AWS uses industry standard encryption algorithms like AES to make sure your data is safe. On top of encryption, AWS site to site VPN also has authentication This verifies the identity of the devices on both ends of the connection. So it's
Chris 15:46
not just about scrambling the data. We need to be talking to the right party, like a secure phone line with caller ID.
Kelly 15:52
I like that analogy. AWS supports a few different authentication methods, including pre share keys, PSKs and certificates. PSKs are like secret passwords that both gateways need to know to make the connection. Certificates or digital documents, they provide a more secure and scalable way to authenticate, so
Chris 16:10
we have encryption to scramble the data and authentication to verify who we're talking to. But what about controlling which devices can even access the VPN connection? We don't want just any device on our network trying to connect to AWS.
Kelly 16:22
Great point to manage access to your VPN connection. You can use those security groups and network ACLs we talked about with routing. Security Groups are like virtual firewalls for your EC two instances. And network ACLs manage traffic at the subnet level,
Chris 16:36
right? So we can use them to build that layered security only allowing approved traffic through the VPN connection. It's like having multiple checkpoints making sure only the right people and devices get access precisely.
Kelly 16:48
You can configure security groups and network ACLs to allow or deny traffic based on things like the source IP address, protocol and port number. This fine grained control lets you fine tune your security and reduce the risk of unauthorized access. We've
Chris 17:03
got encryption, authentication and access control, any other security features we should know about for the exam.
Kelly 17:10
One important one is perfect forward secrecy, or PFS. This ensures that even if the encryption keys for a specific VPN session are compromised, past and future sessions stay secure, so
Chris 17:23
even if someone cracks the code for one conversation, they can't decipher any others. That's
Kelly 17:27
right, it's an extra layer of protection against long term attacks. Another security thing to think about is logging and monitoring, as we discussed, AWS provides those VPN logs that capture detailed information about your connections. You can use these to monitor what's happening, spot anomalies and investigate security incidents. So it's not
Chris 17:45
enough to just set it up and forget about it. We need to actively watch what's happening with our VPN connection. Exactly.
Kelly 17:50
Security is an ongoing process, not a one time thing. Now let's go back to the exam and look at some specific security questions. Doing. Ready? All right. Picture this your company wants all VPN traffic between your on premises network and AWS to be authenticated using certificates. How would you set that up? Certificates
Chris 18:09
seems like a stronger way to authenticate to those pre shared keys.
Kelly 18:14
You're right. Certificates are more secure and scalable because they're digitally signed and can be revoked if needed.
Chris 18:20
So to implement this, we generate certificates for our customer gateway and the AWS Virtual Private gateway, and then configure the VPN connection to use those certificates for authentication
Kelly 18:30
Exactly. You'd also need to configure your customer gateway device to use the right certificate and make sure the certificate chain is trusted by both devices. Sounds
Chris 18:38
like a few steps, but that extra security is worth it absolutely.
Kelly 18:42
Here's another one. You need to restrict access to your VPN connection so only certain IP addresses in your on premises network can connect to AWS. How would you do that?
Chris 18:52
We need some kind of IP filtering, right? Yeah. Can we security groups?
Kelly 18:55
Security Groups are more for EC two instances, not for VPN connections. For IP based filtering, you'd use network ACLs.
Chris 19:03
Ah, network ACLs, the checkpoints at the subnet level. We can configure them to allow or deny traffic based on the source IP address,
Kelly 19:11
right? You create a network ACL role that allows traffic from those approved IP addresses in your on premises network and block everything else. So
Chris 19:18
it's like a white list only those devices can connect to AWS, exactly. You
Kelly 19:22
can also use network ACLs to restrict outbound traffic from your AWS VPC back to your on premises. Network. Even more control over security.
Chris 19:31
Network ACLs seem pretty powerful for managing VPN security.
Kelly 19:35
They are very granular control over traffic flow, helping you protect your resources. Let's talk about another security concept that pops up on the exam, intrusion detection and prevention systems, or IDPs. IDPs
Chris 19:47
like security guards for our network always watching for suspicious activity. That's
Kelly 19:52
a good way to think about it. IDPs solutions monitor your network traffic for anything unusual, and they can take action to block or mitigate potential threats. It's
Chris 20:00
a combination of security cameras and alarms Exactly.
Kelly 20:02
AWS offers a few different IDPs solutions like AWS network firewall and AWS guard duty. You can integrate these with your site to site VPN to make your hybrid environment even more secure,
Chris 20:15
adding another layer of protection. How does this translate into exam questions?
Kelly 20:20
They might give you scenarios where you need to suggest an IDPs solution to address specific security concerns. For example, they might describe a situation where your company is being targeted with brute force attacks against your VPN connection. You need to understand the different IDPs options and choose the best one.
Chris 20:37
So it's not just about knowing they exist, but knowing how to use them effectively, right? The exam
Kelly 20:42
tests your ability to analyze security risks and recommend the right solutions. Now, let's zoom out for a moment and think about security in the cloud in general. We focused on site to site VPN, but security is a shared responsibility between AWS and the customer.
Chris 20:56
Right? The shared responsibility model, AWS takes care of the underlying infrastructure, but we're responsible for configuring our services securely and managing our data
Kelly 21:05
exactly. AWS handles the physical data centers, the hypervisors and the network, but you're in charge of your application's data and operating systems. The team
Chris 21:15
effort. AWS provides the tools, and we use them to build a secure environment precisely.
Kelly 21:19
Now let's shift gears and talk about another crucial aspect of site to site, VPN performance. Performance
Chris 21:25
the lifeblood of any application, especially in a hybrid environment. You're
Kelly 21:30
absolutely right. VPN performance can make or break a hybrid architecture. It directly impacts how fast and responsive your applications are. Several factors can influence performance like the internet connection, the VPN setup and the workload itself. The internet connection
Chris 21:45
is the foundation, right? We need a fast and reliable connection on both ends for good VPN performance. Absolutely,
Kelly 21:51
if your internet connection is slow or unreliable, it'll slow down your VPN traffic, leading to slow apps and potential connectivity problems.
Chris 21:59
It's like trying to drive a race car on a dirt road exactly
Kelly 22:03
and beyond the internet connection, the VPN configuration itself can also impact performance, things like the VPN protocol, the encryption algorithms and the authentication methods, all of that can add overhead and slow things down.
Chris 22:16
So we need strong security, but we also need to make sure it doesn't kill or performance. It's a balancing act.
Kelly 22:22
It is you need to choose the right VPN setup for your needs. Taking into account security, performance and budget
Chris 22:28
makes sense. What about the workload? How does that affect things?
Kelly 22:31
If you're transferring large files or running apps that use a lot of bandwidth over the VPN, it's going to put a strain on the connection and
Chris 22:38
could impact performance, like trying to fit an elephant through a garden hose exactly
Kelly 22:42
for demanding workloads, you might need to look at other options, like AWS Direct Connect, that provides a dedicated high bandwidth connection. Now let's bring it back to the exam. What performance related questions might we see? Hit me here's a scenario. You're seeing slow app performance in your hybrid environment, and you think the site to site VPN connection might be the problem. How would you troubleshoot it?
Chris 23:07
Okay, first, I'd gather some info. I'd check the VPN connection metrics in the AWS Management Console, looking for things like high latency or drop packets.
Kelly 23:16
Good start. Those metrics can tell you a lot about the health and performance of your connection. Then
Chris 23:21
I dig into the VPN logs see if there are any errors or unusual patterns, if the logs show a problem with the internet connection to the VPN configuration, I'd focus on that. That's
Kelly 23:31
a good approach. Analyzing those metrics and logs can help you find the root of the problem. Now here's another one. Your company needs to migrate a large database from your on premises data center to AWS using a site to site VPN connection, how can you make sure that goes smoothly, migrating
Chris 23:48
a big database over a VPN that's a lot of data, we need to make sure our internet connection is up to the task.
Kelly 23:54
Absolutely, a fast and reliable connection is crucial for large data transfers. You might even need to upgrade your internet plan, or use traffic shaping to prioritize the VPN traffic. And besides
Chris 24:04
the internet connection, we should optimize the VPN configuration, choosing the right protocol, encryption algorithms and authentication methods can reduce overhead and improve performance exactly.
Kelly 24:14
You might even consider using compression to shrink the amount of data being transferred. That can really speed things up a multi
Chris 24:20
pronged approach, yeah, optimizing the connection, the configuration and the transfer itself right.
Kelly 24:25
By considering all these factors, you can ensure a smooth database migration. Any other performance tips before we move on? Tell me more. Here's the quick version. Know what can affect VPN performance, internet connection configuration and workload. Be ready to troubleshoot those performance issues using metrics and logs and consider things like AWS Direct Connect for demanding workloads that need high bandwidth and low latency. Solid
Chris 24:50
advice. Now let's zoom out a bit and talk about how site to site VPN fits into the broader AWS ecosystem. It's not isolated.
Kelly 24:58
You're right. Site to site. VPN is a key player in AWS. Understanding how it interacts with other services is crucial for both real world deployments and the exam. Let's start with Virtual Private Cloud VPC, the foundation of your AWS network. Site to site. VPN connects your on premises network to your VPC, extending your network into AWS. So
Chris 25:21
VPC is our private space in AWS, and site to site, VPN is the secure bridge connecting it to our on premises world.
Kelly 25:27
Exactly once your on premises network is connected to your VPC, you can access all the resources within that VPC, EC, two instances, rds, databases, s3, buckets, everything. It's like
Chris 25:39
a secret passageway leading to a city full of possibilities. I love that
Kelly 25:42
analogy. Now, remember security groups and network ACLs. They're also crucial for controlling traffic flow between your on premises network and your VPC right. Security
Chris 25:50
Groups act as firewalls for EC two instances, and network ACLs control traffic at the subnet level precisely.
Kelly 25:56
You can use them to create that layered security only allowing the necessary traffic through your site to site, VPN connection, multiple layers of defense to keep everything safe. You got it and beyond security groups and network ACLs, you can use other AWS security services like AWS network firewall and AWS WAF to make your hybrid environment even more secure. So
Chris 26:18
AWS network firewall is like a moat and drawbridge and AWS WAF is like security guards for our web applications. Great
Kelly 26:25
visualization. By integrating these security services with site to site VPN, you create a really strong defense system. It's
Chris 26:33
like having a whole security team working to keep our digital assets safe Exactly.
Kelly 26:36
Now, let's talk about another crucial piece, monitoring and logging. Yes,
Chris 26:41
the tools that help us watch our systems and spot problems before they get out of hand. AWS
Kelly 26:46
has a whole suite of monitoring and logging services, including Amazon CloudWatch, AWS cloudtrail and AWS config. You can use these to see what's happening with your site to site VPN connection in terms of health, performance and security. So CloudWatch
Chris 26:59
is like a dashboard giving us real time info and alerts about our VPN
Kelly 27:04
exactly. You can monitor things like latency, throughput and errors to detect anomalies and identify potential bottlenecks.
Chris 27:10
Cloudtrail is like our security camera, recording all activity related to our VPN connection.
Kelly 27:15
Right? You can use those logs to track changes, monitor user activity and investigate security events, and
Chris 27:22
AWS config is like our configuration manager making sure our VPN resources are configured the way we want them
Kelly 27:27
to be. Precisely. By using these monitoring and logging services, you gain a complete picture of your hybrid environment, and you can stay ahead of potential issues, like
Chris 27:36
having a team of experts monitoring everything, alerting us to any trouble.
Kelly 27:40
Now let's talk about a service that often works alongside site to site, VPN, AWS, Direct Connect.
Chris 27:47
Direct Connect the high speed dedicated connection to AWS. How does that fit in?
Kelly 27:52
Direct Connect creates a private, low latency connection between your on premises network and AWS. It bypasses the public internet altogether. So it's
Chris 28:00
like a private express lane, straight to AWS, avoiding all the traffic and congestion. A perfect
Kelly 28:05
analogy. Direct Connect is perfect for workloads that demand high bandwidth and low latency, things like large data transfers, real time video and high performance computing. So site
Chris 28:14
to site, VPN is the reliable workhorse, and Direct Connect is the high performance sports car,
Kelly 28:19
exactly. But Direct Connect can be more expensive. Many organizations use both leveraging Direct Connect for critical workloads and keeping site to site VPN for backup and less demanding traffic, finding
Chris 28:32
the right balance between performance cost and redundancy precisely.
Kelly 28:36
Now let's introduce another service, AWS Transit Gateway.
Chris 28:41
Transit Gateway, I've heard of it, but I'm not quite sure what it does. It simplifies network
Kelly 28:45
connectivity between multiple VPCs and on premises networks. So it's like
Chris 28:50
a central hub connecting all our networks, making it easier to manage traffic and security. Exactly,
Kelly 28:54
instead of setting up individual VPN connections between each VPC and your on premises network, you connect them all to a Transit Gateway.
Chris 29:02
So Transit Gateway is like our network traffic controller. You
Kelly 29:05
got it. This approach simplifies routing, security and monitoring for complex hybrid architectures. Sounds powerful,
Chris 29:12
especially for organizations with lots of VPCs,
Kelly 29:15
it is. Now let's step back and think about how site to site VPN makes hybrid cloud architectures possible
Chris 29:21
hybrid cloud the best of both worlds exactly,
Kelly 29:23
site to site. VPN plays a crucial role in making hybrid cloud architectures work. It provides a secure and reliable connection between your on premises network and your AWS environment, like
Chris 29:36
a bridge between our traditional infrastructure and the cloud. I love
Kelly 29:40
that hybrid cloud architectures offer many advantages, flexibility, scalability and cost savings. They also allow organizations to transition to the cloud gradually.
Chris 29:50
So site to site. VPN is key for hybrid cloud, providing that connectivity Exactly.
Kelly 29:55
Now let's look at some specific hybrid cloud scenarios that might pop up on the. See him. Okay, let's hear him. Here's a classic one. Your company has a massive on premises database that needs to be moved to AWS. You also need to keep low latency between your on premises applications and the database during and after the migration. What would you recommend?
Chris 30:15
We need high bandwidth for the data transfer and low latency for ongoing connectivity. Seems like a job for Direct Connect.
Kelly 30:21
You're thinking in the right direction. Direct Connect provides the high bandwidth and low latency needed, but you might also want to set up a site to site VPN as a backup, in case Direct Connect goes down a
Chris 30:31
hybrid approach, again, Direct Connect for performance, site to site VPN for redundancy. Exactly
Kelly 30:36
this combo gives you both performance and reliability. Ready for another one? Get me Here we go. Your company has a web application running on premises, and you want to gradually move it to AWS. You need a solution that allows you to shift traffic incrementally between on premises and AWS, a gradual
Chris 30:55
migration. Sounds like we could use AWS elastic load balancing or ELB,
Kelly 31:00
exactly. ELB can distribute traffic between your on premises servers and your AWS servers, so you can gradually move traffic to AWS as you migrate. More of the app, ELB acts as a Traffic Director precisely, and you can use ELB with site to site VPN to build a seamless hybrid cloud setup. It's
Chris 31:16
like a traffic management system that adapts as we migrate, making the transition smooth. Let's
Kelly 31:21
talk about another common hybrid cloud scenario, disaster recovery. Disaster recovery so important, absolutely. AWS has a bunch of disaster recovery solutions, and site to site VPN can be a key part how so one way is to replicate your important applications and data to AWS and set up a site to site VPN connection between on premises and AWS,
Chris 31:43
so we create a backup in AWS ready to go if our on premises setup fails,
Kelly 31:47
right? If there's a disaster, you can quickly switch over to the AWS systems, minimizing downtime and data loss. It's like having an escape route planned, just in case. AWS also offers services like AWS disaster recovery, DRS and AWS cloud endure disaster recovery that can automate and simplify that failover
Chris 32:05
process, so we can combine site to site VPN with these services to create a really comprehensive disaster recovery plan.
Kelly 32:11
Exactly this makes sure your critical apps and data are protected and available. Any other hybrid cloud tips for the exam always open to more tips. Here are a few key things understand the benefits of hybrid cloud and how site to site VPN enables those setups. Be familiar with different hybrid cloud scenarios like database migration, application migration and disaster recovery, and know how to use AWS services like ELB, Direct Connect and Transit Gateway to build strong hybrid cloud solutions.
Chris 32:39
Great advice. We've really dug into AWS site to site VPN, from the basic details to its role in complex hybrid cloud architectures. We've even looked at some tough exam questions to help you get ready for the AWS Solutions Architect certification. We've really journeyed through site to site VPN, haven't we, from those VPN tunnel details to the big picture of hybrid cloud architectures? Yeah, we've
Kelly 33:02
covered a lot, but there's always more to explore. That's what
Chris 33:05
I love about AWS. There's always something new or a different way to use what we already know. Yeah, you mentioned earlier. You had a question for our listeners. I
Kelly 33:12
do something to think about. I'm ready. Okay, here it is, with serverless architectures and cloud native apps on the rise. What's next for site to site? VPN?
Chris 33:20
Interesting. We focused on hybrid scenarios where site to site VPN connects on premises and the cloud. What happens as companies move fully to the cloud? Does site to site VPN just disappear? That's the
Kelly 33:33
question. Will it become a thing of the past, or are there uses for it, even in a cloud native world?
Chris 33:39
I don't know. It's tough to say what the future holds. Maybe site to site, VPN will change connect cloud environments to Edge locations or different cloud providers.
Kelly 33:47
That's a possibility. Or maybe something completely new will come along to meet those evolving needs.
Chris 33:52
Only time will tell. But one thing's for sure, networking, security and hybrid architectures, those are always going to be important for cloud engineers, absolutely
Kelly 34:01
this specific tech might change, but those core ideas are here to stay. So keep learning, keep experimenting, keep pushing the boundaries. I love that.
Chris 34:10
Well. We hope you enjoyed this deep dive into AWS, site to site VPN. It might seem straightforward at first glance, but as we've seen, there's a lot to it,
Kelly 34:18
and the best way to really learn it is to get hands on, build break things, try again. That's how you really understand it. Couldn't
Chris 34:25
agree more. Thanks for joining us until next time. Keep exploring. AWS, happy
Kelly 34:31
cloud adventures.