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title Monitor Azure ExpressRoute
description Start here to learn how to monitor Azure ExpressRoute by using Azure Monitor. This article includes links to other resources.
ms.date 03/12/2026
ms.custom horz-monitor, subject-monitoring, FY 23 content-maintenance
ms.topic concept-article
author duongau
ms.author duau
ms.service azure-expressroute

Monitor Azure ExpressRoute

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-intro]

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-insights]

ExpressRoute uses Network insights to provide a detailed topology mapping of all ExpressRoute components, such as peerings, connections, and gateways, in relation to one another. Network insights for ExpressRoute also have a preloaded metrics dashboard for availability, throughput, packet drops, and gateway metrics. For more information, see Azure ExpressRoute Insights using Networking Insights.

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-resource-types] For more information about the resource types for ExpressRoute, see Azure ExpressRoute monitoring data reference.

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-data-storage]

Resource logs aren't collected and stored until you create a diagnostic setting and route them to one or more locations.

See Create diagnostic setting to collect platform logs and metrics in Azure for the detailed process for creating a diagnostic setting by using the Azure portal, CLI, or PowerShell. When you create a diagnostic setting, specify which categories of logs to collect. The categories for Azure ExpressRoute are listed in Azure ExpressRoute monitoring data reference.

Important

Enabling these settings requires additional Azure services, such as a storage account, event hub, or Log Analytics, which might increase your cost. To calculate an estimated cost, visit the Azure pricing calculator.

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-platform-metrics]

For a list of available metrics for ExpressRoute, see Azure ExpressRoute monitoring data reference.

Note

Don't use Classic Metrics.

Analyzing metrics

You can analyze metrics for Azure ExpressRoute alongside metrics from other Azure services by using Metrics Explorer. Open Metrics from the Azure Monitor menu. For details about using this tool, see Analyze metrics with Azure Monitor metrics explorer.

:::image type="content" source="./media/expressroute-monitoring-metrics-alerts/metrics-page.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the metrics dashboard for ExpressRoute.":::

For reference, see the list of all resource metrics supported in Azure Monitor.

  • To view ExpressRoute metrics, filter by Resource Type ExpressRoute circuits.
  • To view Global Reach metrics, filter by Resource Type ExpressRoute circuits and select an ExpressRoute circuit resource that has Global Reach enabled.
  • To view ExpressRoute Direct metrics, filter Resource Type by ExpressRoute Ports.

Once you select a metric, the portal applies the default aggregation. Optionally, you can apply splitting, which shows the metric with different dimensions.

ExpressRoute metrics

To view Metrics, go to the Azure Monitor page and select Metrics. To view ExpressRoute metrics, filter by Resource Type ExpressRoute circuits. To view Global Reach metrics, filter by Resource Type ExpressRoute circuits and select an ExpressRoute circuit resource that has Global Reach enabled. To view ExpressRoute Direct metrics, filter Resource Type by ExpressRoute Ports.

After you select a metric, the portal applies the default aggregation. Optionally, you can apply splitting, which shows the metric with different dimensions.

Important

When you view ExpressRoute metrics in the Azure portal, select a time granularity of 5 minutes or greater for best results.

For the ExpressRoute metrics, see Azure ExpressRoute monitoring data reference.

Aggregation types

Metrics Explorer supports sum, maximum, minimum, average, and count as aggregation types. Use the recommended aggregation type when you review the insights for each ExpressRoute metric.

  • Sum: The sum of all values captured during the aggregation interval.
  • Count: The number of measurements captured during the aggregation interval.
  • Average: The average of the metric values captured during the aggregation interval.
  • Min: The smallest value captured during the aggregation interval.
  • Max: The largest value captured during the aggregation interval.

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-resource-logs]

For the available resource log categories, their associated Log Analytics tables, and the log schemas for ExpressRoute, see Azure ExpressRoute monitoring data reference.

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-activity-log]

More metrics in Log Analytics

You can also view ExpressRoute metrics by going to your ExpressRoute circuit resource and selecting the Logs tab. For any metrics you query, the output contains the following columns.

Column Type Description
TimeGrain string PT1M (metric values are pushed every minute)
Count real Usually is 2 (each MSEE pushes a single metric value every minute)
Minimum real The minimum of the two metric values pushed by the two MSEEs
Maximum real The maximum of the two metric values pushed by the two MSEEs
Average real Equal to (Minimum + Maximum)/2
Total real Sum of the two metric values from both MSEEs (the main value to focus on for the metric queried)

Analyzing logs

Azure Monitor Logs stores data in tables, and each table has its own unique set of properties.

All resource logs in Azure Monitor include the same fields, followed by service-specific fields. The common schema is outlined in Azure Monitor resource log schema. You can find the schema for ExpressRoute resource logs in the Azure ExpressRoute Data Reference.

The Activity log is a platform log that provides insight into subscription-level events. You can view it independently or route it to Azure Monitor Logs. By using Log Analytics, you can run more complex queries on the data.

ExpressRoute stores data in the following tables.

Table Description
AzureDiagnostics Common table used by multiple services to store resource logs. You can identify resource logs from ExpressRoute by using MICROSOFT.NETWORK.
AzureMetrics Metric data emitted by ExpressRoute that measure their health and performance.

To view these tables, go to your ExpressRoute circuit resource and select Logs under Monitoring.

Note

Azure diagnostic logs, such as BGP route table logs, update every 24 hours.

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-analyze-data]

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-external-tools]

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-kusto-queries]

Sample Kusto queries

These queries work with the new language.

  • Query for Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) route table learned over the last 12 hours.

    AzureDiagnostics
| where TimeGenerated > ago(12h)
| where ResourceType == "EXPRESSROUTECIRCUITS"
| project TimeGenerated, ResourceType , network_s, path_s, OperationName

  • Query for BGP informational messages by level, resource type, and network.

    AzureDiagnostics
| where Level == "Informational"
| where ResourceType == "EXPRESSROUTECIRCUITS"
| project TimeGenerated, ResourceId , Level, ResourceType , network_s, path_s

  • Query for Traffic graph BitInPerSeconds in the last one hour.

    AzureMetrics
| where MetricName == "BitsInPerSecond"
| summarize by Average, bin(TimeGenerated, 1h), Resource
| render timechart

  • Query for Traffic graph BitOutPerSeconds in the last one hour.

    AzureMetrics
| where MetricName == "BitsOutPerSecond"
| summarize by Average, bin(TimeGenerated, 1h), Resource
| render timechart

  • Query for graph of ArpAvailability in 5-minute intervals.

    AzureMetrics
| where MetricName == "ArpAvailability"
| summarize by Average, bin(TimeGenerated, 5m), Resource
| render timechart

  • Query for graph of BGP availability in 5-minute intervals.

    AzureMetrics
| where MetricName == "BGPAvailability"
| summarize by Average, bin(TimeGenerated, 5m), Resource
| render timechart

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-alerts]

Note

During maintenance between the Microsoft edge and core network, BGP availability appears down even if the BGP session between the customer edge and Microsoft edge remains up. For information about maintenance between the Microsoft edge and core network, make sure to turn on and configure maintenance alerts.

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-insights-alerts]

ExpressRoute alert rules

The following table lists some suggested alert rules for ExpressRoute. These alerts are just examples. You can set alerts for any metric, log entry, or activity log entry listed in the Azure ExpressRoute monitoring data reference.

Alert type Condition Description
ARP availability down Dimension name: Peering Type, Aggregation type: Avg, Operator: Less than, Threshold value: 100% When ARP availability is down for a peering type.
BGP availability down Dimension name: Peer, Aggregation type: Avg, Operator: Less than, Threshold value: 100% When BGP availability is down for a peer.

Alerts for ExpressRoute gateway connections

  1. To configure alerts, go to Azure Monitor, and then select Alerts.

  2. Select + Create > Alert rule and select the ExpressRoute gateway connection resource. Select Next: Condition > to configure the signal.

  3. On the Select a signal page, select a metric, resource health, or activity log that you want to be alerted on. Depending on the signal you select, you might need to enter additional information such as a threshold value. You can also combine multiple signals into a single alert. Select Next: Actions > to define who and how they get notify.

    :::image type="content" source="./media/expressroute-monitoring-metrics-alerts/signal.png" alt-text="Screenshot of list of signals that can be alerted for ExpressRoute gateways.":::

  4. Select + Select action groups to choose an existing action group you previously created or select + Create action group to define a new one. In the action group, you determine how to send notifications and who receives them.

  5. Select Review + create and then Create to deploy the alert into your subscription.

[!INCLUDE horz-monitor-advisor-recommendations]

Alerts based on each peering

After you select a metric, you can set up dimensions based on peering or a specific peer (virtual networks) for certain metrics.

:::image type="content" source="./media/expressroute-monitoring-metrics-alerts/alerts-peering-dimensions.png" alt-text="Screenshot of an alert rule based on ExpressRoute peering setup.":::

Configure alerts for activity logs on circuits

When you select signals to be alerted on, select the Activity Log signal type.

:::image type="content" source="./media/expressroute-monitoring-metrics-alerts/activity-log.png" alt-text="Screenshot of activity log signals from the select a signal page.":::

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