---
title: Outbound data transfer from Azure
summary: null
url: >-
  https://www.fastly.com/documentation/guides/integrations/non-fastly-services/outbound-data-transfer-from-azure
---

Fastly has integrated local circuits with [Microsoft Routing Preference Unmetered](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-network/routing-preference-unmetered) to create private connections to Azure. If [using Azure as your origin](https://www.fastly.com/documentation/guides/integrations/non-fastly-services/microsoft-azure-blob-storage), you can take advantage of the improved reliability, faster speeds, lower latencies, and higher security that this private local circuit offers over typical public internet connections.

To configure your Fastly service to use direct connectivity via this local circuit, [enable shielding](https://www.fastly.com/documentation/guides/getting-started/hosts/shielding#enabling-shielding) using your Azure service region to determine the shielding location. Additionally, configure the [routing preference](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/common/storage-account-create?tabs=azure-portal?toc=%2Fazure%2Fstorage%2Fblobs%2Ftoc.json&tabs=azure-portal#networking-tab) for your storage account based on the service region and shielding location combination. Our [documentation](https://www.fastly.com/documentation/guides/concepts/shielding/#choosing-a-shield-location) lists the available shielding locations for the routing preference you've chosen.

> **HINT:** You can configure a routing preference after the storage account is created.

Once you configure your Fastly service and Azure storage account correctly, outbound data transfers from the appropriate Azure regions to Fastly will use this local circuit. Because Fastly has purchased this local circuit from Microsoft, [Microsoft does not apply outbound data transfer rates](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/expressroute/) to traffic traveling over it. Use of this local circuit should work with Azure services like [Container Instances](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/container-instances/), [Functions](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/functions/), and [Media Services](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/media-services/live-on-demand/), as well as [Blob Storage](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/storage/blobs/).

> **WARNING:** We encourage you to use [Microsoft Azure's Billing Tools](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cost-management-billing/cost-management-billing-overview) to monitor traffic on Microsoft Routing Preference Unmetered for the purpose of zero-rated egress. Despite this connection to Fastly’s services being in place, in certain circumstances your data may egress from Azure over the public internet. In such cases, your traffic to the public internet will be metered according to your commercial arrangement with Microsoft.

> **NOTE:** 
>
> This article describes how to configure an integration with a service provided by a third party. As stated in our [Terms of Service](https://www.fastly.com/terms), we do not provide direct support for non-Fastly services.
>
>

## Related content

- [Microsoft Azure Blob Storage](https://www.fastly.com/documentation/guides/integrations/non-fastly-services/microsoft-azure-blob-storage)