As cloud architectures scale across multiple environments and AWS accounts, networking between VPCs becomes a key design concern. Two popular options for connecting VPCs in AWS are VPC Peering and AWS Transit Gateway. While both enable private communication between VPCs, they are unique in their own way.
Let's compare both options for selecting the right solution for your environment.
What Is VPC Peering?
VPC peering is a networking connection between two VPCs that enables direct routing of traffic using private IP addresses. Peering connections can be created across accounts and regions, and there’s no single point of failure because each connection is independent.
Features:
- Direct, private connectivity between two VPCs
- Low-latency communication
- Works across regions and accounts
- No additional cost beyond standard data transfer charges
Limitations
- No, we can't route traffic from VPC A to VPC C through VPC B
- Requires manual route table updates on both sides
- Does not scale well with a growing number of VPCs.
What Is AWS Transit Gateway?
AWS Transit Gateway (TGW) acts as a central hub that connects multiple VPCs and on-premises networks through a single gateway. It simplifies management, enables transitive routing, and supports centralized control over network traffic.
Features:
- One-to-many VPC connectivity possible
- Supports transitive routing
- Simplifies route table management
- Scales well to thousands of VPCs
In conclusion, for straightforward, one-to-one VPC connections in small settings, employ VPC peering. When shared administration or transitive routing is needed, select Transit Gateway for scalable, centralized routing across several VPCs or accounts. For long-term, multi-account AWS designs that require centralized control and clean network separation, Transit Gateway is perfect.
Top comments (0)