PluginBench
Skill
Pass
Audit score 90

hybrid-cloud-networking

wshobson/agents

Configure secure, high-performance connectivity between on-premises and cloud platforms using VPN and dedicated connections.

What is hybrid-cloud-networking?

Establish secure, reliable network connectivity between on-premises data centers and cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI). Use when building hybrid cloud architectures, connecting data centers to cloud, or implementing secure cross-premises networking.

  • Configure Site-to-Site VPN and dedicated connections (Direct Connect, ExpressRoute, Interconnect, FastConnect) across AWS, Azure, GCP, and OCI
  • Implement hub-and-spoke, multi-region, and multi-cloud hybrid network patterns with dynamic BGP routing
  • Set up dual VPN tunnels and active-active configurations for high availability and automatic failover
  • Monitor tunnel status, latency, packet loss, and BGP sessions with cloud-native observability tools
  • Apply security best practices including encryption, network ACLs, VPC endpoints, and DDoS protection

How to install hybrid-cloud-networking

npx skills add https://github.com/wshobson/agents --skill hybrid-cloud-networking
Prerequisites
  • Access to on-premises network infrastructure and routing equipment
  • AWS, Azure, GCP, or OCI account with appropriate permissions
  • BGP AS numbers assigned for on-premises and cloud routers
  • Terraform or equivalent IaC tool for infrastructure provisioning
  • Understanding of VPC/VNet CIDR ranges and routing requirements
Claude Code
Cursor
Windsurf
Cline

How to use hybrid-cloud-networking

  1. 1.Determine connection type based on bandwidth and latency requirements (VPN for <1.25 Gbps, dedicated for higher throughput)
  2. 2.Configure customer/on-premises gateway with BGP AS number and public IP address
  3. 3.Create VPN connection or dedicated connection request in cloud provider console
  4. 4.Set up BGP configuration with AS numbers and CIDR advertisements for both sides
  5. 5.Enable route propagation on cloud route tables and configure on-premises router to advertise local routes
  6. 6.Implement dual tunnels or multiple connections for high availability
  7. 7.Configure security groups, network ACLs, and VPC endpoints to restrict traffic flow
  8. 8.Enable monitoring and logging (VPC Flow Logs, CloudWatch, Azure Monitor) to track connection health

Use cases

Good for
  • Connect on-premises datacenter to AWS, Azure, GCP, or OCI with VPN or dedicated connections
  • Extend datacenter to cloud with hub-and-spoke architecture routing traffic through transit gateways or vWAN
  • Implement multi-region hybrid setup with Direct Connect to multiple cloud regions for redundancy
  • Migrate workloads gradually to cloud while maintaining secure on-premises connectivity
  • Build multi-cloud hybrid architecture connecting single datacenter to multiple cloud providers
Who it's for
  • Cloud architects designing hybrid infrastructure
  • DevOps engineers implementing network connectivity
  • Infrastructure teams managing datacenter-to-cloud migrations
  • Organizations requiring compliance-driven private connectivity
  • Network engineers configuring BGP and routing policies

hybrid-cloud-networking FAQ

When should I use VPN versus dedicated connections like Direct Connect?

Use VPN for lower bandwidth (<1.25 Gbps), cost-sensitive workloads, or temporary connectivity. Use dedicated connections for consistent high bandwidth (1-100 Gbps), lower latency, and mission-critical traffic. VPN goes over the internet; dedicated connections are private.

How do I ensure high availability for hybrid cloud connectivity?

Implement dual VPN tunnels from different on-premises locations or use multiple dedicated connections. Configure BGP with equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) routing for automatic failover. Monitor tunnel status and BGP session health continuously.

Can I connect to multiple cloud providers from a single on-premises datacenter?

Yes. Use the multi-cloud hybrid pattern with separate Direct Connect/ExpressRoute/Interconnect/FastConnect connections to each provider. Route traffic based on destination CIDR. Ensure BGP AS numbers and routing policies are configured correctly for each connection.

What are the key security considerations for hybrid cloud networking?

Use private dedicated connections when possible, enable encryption for VPN tunnels, implement network ACLs and security groups, use VPC endpoints to avoid internet routing, enable VPC Flow Logs for monitoring, and implement DDoS protection. Regularly audit security policies and monitor for unauthorized access.

How do I troubleshoot a failed VPN or dedicated connection?

Check tunnel status using cloud provider CLI (aws ec2 describe-vpn-connections, az network vpn-connection show). Verify BGP session status and route advertisements. Check on-premises router configuration and firewall rules. Monitor latency and packet loss metrics. Review connection logs and enable debug logging if needed.

Full instructions (SKILL.md)

Source of truth, from wshobson/agents.


name: hybrid-cloud-networking description: Configure secure, high-performance connectivity between on-premises infrastructure and cloud platforms using VPN and dedicated connections. Use when building hybrid cloud architectures, connecting data centers to cloud, or implementing secure cross-premises networking.

Hybrid Cloud Networking

Configure secure, high-performance connectivity between on-premises and cloud environments using VPN, Direct Connect, ExpressRoute, Interconnect, and FastConnect.

Purpose

Establish secure, reliable network connectivity between on-premises data centers and cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI).

When to Use

  • Connect on-premises to cloud
  • Extend datacenter to cloud
  • Implement hybrid active-active setups
  • Meet compliance requirements
  • Migrate to cloud gradually

Connection Options

AWS Connectivity

1. Site-to-Site VPN

  • IPSec VPN over internet
  • Up to 1.25 Gbps per tunnel
  • Cost-effective for moderate bandwidth
  • Higher latency, internet-dependent
resource "aws_vpn_gateway" "main" {
  vpc_id = aws_vpc.main.id
  tags = {
    Name = "main-vpn-gateway"
  }
}

resource "aws_customer_gateway" "main" {
  bgp_asn    = 65000
  ip_address = "203.0.113.1"
  type       = "ipsec.1"
}

resource "aws_vpn_connection" "main" {
  vpn_gateway_id      = aws_vpn_gateway.main.id
  customer_gateway_id = aws_customer_gateway.main.id
  type                = "ipsec.1"
  static_routes_only  = false
}

2. AWS Direct Connect

  • Dedicated network connection
  • 1 Gbps to 100 Gbps
  • Lower latency, consistent bandwidth
  • More expensive, setup time required

Reference: See references/direct-connect.md

Azure Connectivity

1. Site-to-Site VPN

resource "azurerm_virtual_network_gateway" "vpn" {
  name                = "vpn-gateway"
  location            = azurerm_resource_group.main.location
  resource_group_name = azurerm_resource_group.main.name

  type     = "Vpn"
  vpn_type = "RouteBased"
  sku      = "VpnGw1"

  ip_configuration {
    name                          = "vnetGatewayConfig"
    public_ip_address_id          = azurerm_public_ip.vpn.id
    private_ip_address_allocation = "Dynamic"
    subnet_id                     = azurerm_subnet.gateway.id
  }
}

2. Azure ExpressRoute

  • Private connection via connectivity provider
  • Up to 100 Gbps
  • Low latency, high reliability
  • Premium for global connectivity

GCP Connectivity

1. Cloud VPN

  • IPSec VPN (Classic or HA VPN)
  • HA VPN: 99.99% SLA
  • Up to 3 Gbps per tunnel

2. Cloud Interconnect

  • Dedicated (10 Gbps, 100 Gbps)
  • Partner (50 Mbps to 50 Gbps)
  • Lower latency than VPN

OCI Connectivity

1. IPSec VPN Connect

  • IPSec VPN with redundant tunnels
  • Dynamic routing through DRG
  • Good fit for branch offices and migration phases

2. OCI FastConnect

  • Private dedicated connectivity through Oracle or partner edge
  • Suitable for predictable throughput and lower-latency hybrid traffic
  • Commonly paired with DRG for hub-and-spoke designs

Hybrid Network Patterns

Pattern 1: Hub-and-Spoke

On-Premises Datacenter
         ↓
    VPN/Direct Connect
         ↓
    Transit Gateway (AWS) / vWAN (Azure)
         ↓
    ├─ Production VPC/VNet
    ├─ Staging VPC/VNet
    └─ Development VPC/VNet

Pattern 2: Multi-Region Hybrid

On-Premises
    ├─ Direct Connect → us-east-1
    └─ Direct Connect → us-west-2
            ↓
        Cross-Region Peering

Pattern 3: Multi-Cloud Hybrid

On-Premises Datacenter
    ├─ Direct Connect → AWS
    ├─ ExpressRoute → Azure
    ├─ Interconnect → GCP
    └─ FastConnect → OCI

Routing Configuration

BGP Configuration

On-Premises Router:
- AS Number: 65000
- Advertise: 10.0.0.0/8

Cloud Router:
- AS Number: 64512 (AWS), 65515 (Azure), provider-assigned for GCP/OCI
- Advertise: Cloud VPC/VNet CIDRs

Route Propagation

  • Enable route propagation on route tables
  • Use BGP for dynamic routing
  • Implement route filtering
  • Monitor route advertisements

Security Best Practices

  1. Use private connectivity (Direct Connect/ExpressRoute/Interconnect/FastConnect)
  2. Implement encryption for VPN tunnels
  3. Use VPC endpoints to avoid internet routing
  4. Configure network ACLs and security groups
  5. Enable VPC Flow Logs for monitoring
  6. Implement DDoS protection
  7. Use PrivateLink/Private Endpoints
  8. Monitor connections with CloudWatch/Azure Monitor/Cloud Monitoring/OCI Monitoring
  9. Implement redundancy (dual tunnels)
  10. Regular security audits

High Availability

Dual VPN Tunnels

resource "aws_vpn_connection" "primary" {
  vpn_gateway_id      = aws_vpn_gateway.main.id
  customer_gateway_id = aws_customer_gateway.primary.id
  type                = "ipsec.1"
}

resource "aws_vpn_connection" "secondary" {
  vpn_gateway_id      = aws_vpn_gateway.main.id
  customer_gateway_id = aws_customer_gateway.secondary.id
  type                = "ipsec.1"
}

Active-Active Configuration

  • Multiple connections from different locations
  • BGP for automatic failover
  • Equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) routing
  • Monitor health of all connections

Monitoring and Troubleshooting

Key Metrics

  • Tunnel status (up/down)
  • Bytes in/out
  • Packet loss
  • Latency
  • BGP session status

Troubleshooting

# AWS VPN
aws ec2 describe-vpn-connections
aws ec2 get-vpn-connection-telemetry

# Azure VPN
az network vpn-connection show
az network vpn-connection show-device-config-script

# OCI IPSec VPN
oci network ip-sec-connection list
oci network cpe list

Cost Optimization

  1. Right-size connections based on traffic
  2. Use VPN for low-bandwidth workloads
  3. Consolidate traffic through fewer connections
  4. Minimize data transfer costs
  5. Use dedicated private links for high bandwidth
  6. Implement caching to reduce traffic

Related Skills

  • multi-cloud-architecture - For architecture decisions
  • terraform-module-library - For IaC implementation