Connecting your on-premises network to AWS can be complex, but AWS Transit Gateway simplifies the process. It acts as a hub that controls traffic routed among all the connected networks, including VPCs, VPNs, and on-premises networks. This blog post will guide you through setting up AWS Transit Gateway for dedicated on-premises connections.

What is AWS Transit Gateway?

AWS Transit Gateway is a network transit hub that allows you to connect your Amazon VPCs and on-premises networks to a single gateway. This simplifies your network architecture and reduces operational overhead. It provides scalable and efficient routing, ensuring high performance and secure communication across your network.

Benefits of AWS Transit Gateway

  • Simplified Network Management: You can centralize and simplify your network management using a single gateway.
  • Scalability: AWS Transit Gateway can scale to meet the demands of growing networks.
  • High Performance: Ensures efficient and low-latency routing of your network traffic.
  • Security: Offers robust security features and integrates with AWS services like AWS VPN and AWS Direct Connect.

Prerequisites

Before setting up AWS Transit Gateway, ensure you have the following:

  • AWS account with necessary permissions.
  • Existing VPCs and VPN or Direct Connect are set up for on-premises connectivity.
  • Familiarity with AWS Management Console.

Step-by-Step Guide to Set Up AWS Transit Gateway

Step 1: Create AWS Transit Gateway

  1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the VPC dashboard.
  2. In the navigation pane, choose Transit Gateways, then select Create Transit Gateway.
  3. Configure the settings for your Transit Gateway:
    • Name: Enter a name for your Transit Gateway.
    • Description: Provide a description.
    • Amazon side ASN: Enter a private Autonomous System Number (ASN) for your Transit Gateway.
  4. Choose Create Transit Gateway.

Step 2: Attach VPCs to Transit Gateway

  1. In the VPC dashboard, choose Transit Gateway Attachments.
  2. Select Create Transit Gateway Attachment.
  3. Choose VPC as the attachment type and select the VPC you want to attach.
  4. Configure the attachment settings and choose Create Attachment.

Step 3: Create Transit Gateway Route Table

  1. Select your Transit Gateway and choose Route Tables in the Transit Gateways section.
  2. Select Create Route Table.
  3. Name your route table and associate it with your Transit Gateway.

Step 4: Configure Routes for On-Premises Connectivity

  1. In the Route Tables section, select your route table and choose Routes.
  2. Select Add route.
  3. Add routes that direct traffic to your on-premises network through VPN or Direct Connect attachments.

Step 5: Attach VPN or Direct Connect to Transit Gateway

  1. In the Transit Gateway Attachments section, choose Create Transit Gateway Attachment.
  2. Select VPN or Direct Connect as the attachment type.
  3. Configure the attachment settings and choose Create Attachment.

Step 6: Update On-Premises Routing

  1. Update the routing in your on-premises network to send traffic destined for AWS resources through the Transit Gateway.

Conclusion

AWS Transit Gateway offers a streamlined, scalable, and secure way to manage your network connections between AWS and on-premises environments. Following these steps, you can set up AWS Transit Gateway to enhance your network architecture and improve operational efficiency.