Cisco CSR 1000v Deployment Guide for Microsoft Azure

Overview of Cisco CSR 1000v

The Cisco Cloud Services Router (CSR) 1000v is a full-featured Cisco IOS XE router designed for deployment in the Microsoft Azure cloud. It enables IT departments to implement enterprise-class networking services, including advanced VPN features such as IPsec, DMVPN, FlexVPN, Easy VPN, and SSLVPN. The router supports dynamic routing protocols like EIGRP, OSPF, and BGP, allowing for the construction of complex multi-tier architectures and secure interconnection between corporate locations and cloud environments.

Prerequisites and Resources

To successfully deploy the Cisco CSR 1000v, you must have an active Microsoft Azure account and subscription. Deployment requires several specific Azure resources, which can be created during the process if they do not already exist. These include a resource group, virtual network with defined subnets, route tables, security groups, and public IP addresses. Storage accounts must use the Standard_LRS type. Additionally, you must obtain a valid software license for the router.

Deployment Options

Cisco provides solution templates in the Azure Marketplace to simplify the deployment process. A full solution template is recommended for new networks, as it automatically creates necessary resources for 2, 4, or 8 network interface configurations. For existing infrastructure, a single-interface template allows for manual integration. After initial deployment, additional interfaces can be added via PowerShell or Azure CLI commands.

Availability Sets and High Availability

Availability sets are used to group virtual machines to ensure isolation from hardware or software failures within the data center. When deploying with multiple network interfaces, you must create a new availability set. Parameters such as Fault Domain Count and Update Domain Count can be configured to manage how VMs are distributed across physical hardware and power sources.

Licensing Models

The Cisco CSR 1000v utilizes the Bring Your Own License (BYOL) model. This supports traditional Cisco Software Licensing (CSL) via Product Authorization Keys (PAK) or Cisco Smart Licensing, which allows for dynamic license management across multiple instances without locking them to specific serial numbers. Note that users are responsible for both the Cisco software license costs and the underlying Microsoft Azure VM instance charges.