Recent changes to Azure Virtual Network defaults mean that internet access for Azure Virtual Machines is no longer implicit. As a result, teams now need to make deliberate design decisions about how outbound connectivity is provided — and secured.

In this session, we explore the available options for Azure Virtual Machine internet access, including platform‑native services and architectural patterns. We’ll walk through the trade‑offs around security, cost, scalability, and operational complexity, and introduce a practical decision framework to help you choose the right approach for your environment.

Whether you’re designing new workloads or revisiting existing architectures, this session will help you understand what’s changed, why it matters, and how to make informed networking decisions in Azure.

Target audience: Azure engineers, networking professionals, cloud architects
Level: Intermediate
Session duration: 30 minutes
Technical focus: Azure Virtual Networks, outbound connectivity, NAT Gateway, Azure Firewall
Prerequisites: Basic understanding of Azure networking concepts
Delivery: Slide‑based with architectural diagrams