Azure adds TLS and TCP to Azure Application Gateway (Preview) - Snack Pack

Version: 1.00 Date: 27/02/2024

Adding to our Snack Pack news series for AI, Cloud, and .NET,  Microsoft releases in preview new Azure Application Gateway features. Azure Application Gateway now has TLS and TCP protocol termination, and it's very welcome and will open so many new design opportunities for cloud design and architecture. When I first read about the addition of TCP and TLS support to Azure Application Gateway, my initial thought was, how does this fit with the existing Azure Load Balancer That we have been using in design and architecture for a couple of years?

My conclusion is when the addition of the TLS feature was discussed at Microsoft, there was a push to unify load balancing for Azure cloud, and this means adding both TCP and TLS to the existing and stronger of the two projects, Azure Application Gateway. I could be very wrong, but I will expect that over time, we will see Azure Load Balancer Take a back seat and eventually, over time, be phased out in some fashion, but wait until Microsoft makes a statement, just my speculation here.

Azure Application Gateway will become a versatile and robust

platform capable of supporting a myriad of both HTTP and non-HTTP applications. Layer 4 TLS and TCP will be added to its existing stable Layer 7 of HTTP, HTTPS, WebSocket, and HTTP/2 protocols capabilities.  The Azure Application Gateway will be able to handle workloads such as SQL, MQTT, and AMQP.

Delving into the specifics, it combines layers 7 and 4 into a single stack with flexibility and unwavering security. It introduces the capability to integrate custom domains with Azure Application Gateway, leveraging its sophisticated TLS certificate management system. This fusion streamlines secure client connections and fortifies the application's defense mechanisms, ensuring data transmission remains encrypted and protected against evolving cyber threats. Such a feature is indispensable in today's digital landscape, where security is paramount.