Introduction to the Standard V2 NAT Gateway
Azure networking continues to evolve, and one of the most recent developments is the release of the Standard V2 NAT Gateway. This update brings improved performance, stronger reliability, zone redundancy, and a simpler design experience for cloud architects and administrators. With Microsoft preparing to retire default outbound access for new virtual networks, understanding the role of NAT Gateways is becoming an important part of Azure planning.
Why Outbound Connectivity Matters
A NAT Gateway provides a consistent outbound path for virtual machines across subnets. It allows multiple resources to share a static public IP or a prefix of addresses that you control. This helps simplify network management and prevents unexpected changes in outbound IP behavior. It also improves security because a NAT Gateway provides outbound only connections which reduces the chance of unnecessary public exposure.
Improvements in the Standard V2 Release
One of the most notable enhancements in the Standard V2 NAT Gateway is its built in zone redundancy. The earlier Standard NAT Gateway required you to pin the gateway to a specific availability zone. If you wanted a zone redundant architecture, you needed multiple gateways attached to different availability zones, leading to a more complex design.
The Standard V2 NAT Gateway removes that requirement by offering zone redundancy automatically and without an increase in cost. This simplifies deployments, only requiring one gateway to provide zone redundancy in a virtual network.
Performance improvements are also significant. The Standard V2 NAT Gateway supports up to 100 Gbps of throughput and includes IPv6 support. It can scale with a prefix of up to 16 public IP addresses which helps reduce the chance of SNAT port exhaustion in larger networks.
While the benefits are clear, there are a few considerations. The V2 NAT Gateway requires a Standard V2 public IP and cannot be upgraded in place from the original version. Some regions and delegated subnets do not yet support V2.
It is important to understand how traffic behaves in subnets with existing outbound-capable resources like load balancers or firewalls. When a Standard V2 NAT Gateway is connected to subnets that include an outbound load balancer, firewall, or virtual machines with public IP addresses, new outbound connections will route through the V2 gateway. The same applies to IPv6 subnets using outbound load balancers.
Deployment and Migration Considerations
The video that accompanies this post provides a walkthrough of how to create a Standard V2 NAT Gateway in the Azure portal. It demonstrates how to attach it to both new and existing virtual networks. It also shows the steps required to migrate from the older Standard NAT Gateway.
Although the deployment process is simple, environments that depend on existing outbound IP addresses should plan for a maintenance window. Changing the NAT Gateway will change the public IP used for outbound connections which affects firewall rules, allow lists, and any external services that rely on the previous address.
Planning for Azure Networking Changes
The Standard V2 NAT Gateway represents a major step forward for Azure networking. It provides the performance, scalability, and availability that modern cloud workloads require. If your organization is preparing for the upcoming removal of default outbound access or designing new cloud architectures, now is the right time to evaluate and adopt the Standard V2 NAT Gateway. The change will help ensure that your outbound connectivity remains predictable, consistent, and aligned with Azure’s long-term direction.
Links:
Zero to Hero with Azure Virtual Desktop
https://www.udemy.com/course/zero-to-hero-with-windows-virtual-desktop/?referralCode=B2FE49E6FCEE7A7EA8D4
A Beginner’s Guide to the AZ-900
https://www.udemy.com/course/beginners-guide-az-900/?referralCode=C74C266B74E837F86969
Hybrid Identity with Windows AD and Azure AD
https://www.udemy.com/course/hybrid-identity-and-azure-active-directory/?referralCode=7F62C4C6FD05C73ACCC3
Windows 365 Enterprise and Intune Management
https://www.udemy.com/course/windows-365-enterprise-and-intune-management/?referralCode=4A1ED105341D0AA20D2E
What is Azure NAT Gateway?
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/nat-gateway/nat-overview?WT.mc_id=AZ-MVP-5004159
