Azure - Using a subdomain per web role in the same cloud service

Question

I have created a Cloud service with 2 web roles (one is the "public" site, and the other is the "admin backend").

I deployed the solution in azure, and the cloud service with the web roles were created. I can access both sites using:

FrontEnd

http://my-app.cloudapp.net:80/

BackEnd

http://my-app.cloudapp.net:8080/

Here is the problem: I would like to access the backend as a subdomain of the main site. I tried to update the DNS (GoDaddy) playing with the CNAME, but I have not been able to find a solution since it seems that I cannot use port numbers. One solution could be to create 2 Cloud Services, each one with just one web role (of course, both using port 80); but due to business requirements it's not a good idea. Any ideas?

FWIW, this is what I would like:

FrontEnd

http://my-app.com

BackEnd

http://dashboard.my-app.com

Joachim Isaksson Joachim Isaksson · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-31T18:28:22

You should be able to add two CNAMES or A-records with your hostnames, pointing to the same site/port. You can then use URL rewriting to map the hostnames to different directories, something like (the untested);

<rewrite>
  <rules>
    <rule name="Dashboard rewrite" stopProcessing="true">
      <match url="(.*)" />
      <conditions>
        <add input="{HTTP_HOST}" pattern="^dashboard\.my-app\.com$" />
      </conditions>
      <action type="Rewrite" url="http://my-app.com/dashboard/{R:0}" />        
    </rule>
  </rules>
</rewrite>

This will/should rewrite the access to http://dashboard.my-app.com/test.aspx to http://my-app.com/dashboard/test.aspx, giving the impression to the browser of being two separate applications.

Azure - Using a subdomain per web role in the same cloud service

2 Answers