Azure Route Tables
Azure Route Tables are a networking resource in Microsoft Azure that define how network traffic is directed within a virtual network (VNet) or between VNets and on-premises networks. They contain a set of rules (routes) that specify the next hop for traffic based on destination IP addresses, enabling custom routing scenarios such as forced tunneling, traffic inspection, or hybrid connectivity. Route tables are associated with subnets to control traffic flow at the subnet level.
Developers should learn Azure Route Tables when building complex cloud architectures in Azure that require custom network routing, such as implementing hub-and-spoke topologies, directing traffic through network virtual appliances (e.g., firewalls), or setting up hybrid connections to on-premises data centers. They are essential for scenarios where default Azure routing is insufficient, providing control over traffic paths for security, compliance, or performance optimization in multi-subnet or multi-VNet environments.