Windows Azure and UDP Traffic

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As you may very well know, Windows Azure Web Role and Worker Role can have only HTTP/HTTPS/TCP type of end points that’s means you can use Web and Worker Role for UDP Traffic.

<InputEndpoint name="<input-endpoint-name>" protocol="[http|https|tcp]" port="<port-number>" />

What if you would want UDP traffic in Windows Azure?

 

Your answer is Windows Azure VM Role & Windows Azure Connect.

  • Windows Azure Connect provides a secure connection at IP-level, it does not have restriction for port numbers. You should check you local machine's firewall setting, making sure it allows incoming UDP traffic to reach the port the application is listening on. 
  • Using Windows Azure Connect you can allow UDP traffic from local network to the Windows Azure VM Role without any problem. Azure Connect allow UDP traffic in any direction however please make sure to configure the firewalls on any machines you want to do it on, including the Windows Azure VM Role machines as well. 

For example, Windows Azure VM Role with Windows Azure Connect, can be used to create a forest of Game Servers to facilitate UDP communication.