Azure Private Link Service Endpoints
Azure Private Link service enables you to access Azure PaaS services (like Azure Storage and Azure SQL Database) and Azure hosted customer-owned/partner services within your Azure Virtual Network privately. The traffic between your virtual network and the service travels the Microsoft backbone network, eliminating exposure from the public internet.
What is a Private Endpoint?
A private endpoint is a network interface that connects you privately and securely to a service powered by Azure Private Link. It uses a private IP address from your virtual network, effectively bringing the service into your virtual network.
How it Works
The Private Link service exposes your service to the Private Link hub. When a consumer creates a private endpoint in their virtual network, they connect to your service via this private endpoint. The connection is then routed through the Private Link infrastructure.
Key Concepts
- Private Endpoint: A network interface that uses a private IP address from your virtual network to connect you to a specific service.
- Private Link Service: A resource you create to expose your own service (e.g., an application running on an Azure VM behind a Load Balancer) to other Azure consumers via Private Link.
- Consumer: The user or organization that wants to consume your service privately from their virtual network.
- Producer: The user or organization that is offering the service to be consumed privately.
Benefits
- Enhanced Security: Traffic stays within the Microsoft Azure backbone network, reducing exposure to the public internet.
- Simplified Network Architecture: Eliminates the need for complex VNet peering, VPNs, or ExpressRoute for private access to PaaS services.
- Improved Performance: Optimized routing over the Azure backbone can lead to better latency and throughput.
- Granular Access Control: Control precisely which virtual networks can access your service.
Use Cases
- Accessing Azure Storage securely from an AKS cluster.
- Connecting to Azure SQL Database from an on-premises application via ExpressRoute and Private Link.
- Exposing your custom application running on Azure VMs to other Azure customers privately.
Creating a Private Endpoint
To create a private endpoint for an Azure PaaS service, you typically:
- Navigate to the Azure portal.
- Search for "Private Endpoint" and click "Create".
- Select your subscription, resource group, and region.
- Specify the target service details (subscription, resource type, service name).
- Configure the network settings: select your virtual network and a subnet. A private IP address will be assigned from this subnet.
- Review and create the private endpoint.
Creating a Private Link Service
To create a Private Link service (for exposing your own application), you typically:
- Ensure your application is behind an Azure Load Balancer (Standard SKU).
- Navigate to the Azure portal.
- Search for "Private Link Service" and click "Create".
- Select your subscription, resource group, and region.
- Choose the Load Balancer and frontend IP configuration that fronts your application.
- Configure alias, visibility, and network security settings.
- Review and create the Private Link service.