Azure Private Endpoints: What Are They and What Are Their Use Cases?

Azure Private Endpoints are a powerful tool that allow you to securely access your Azure services over a private endpoint. With Private Endpoints, you can connect to Azure services without exposing your data to the public internet, improving security and compliance for your applications.

Azure Private Endpoints are commonly used in scenarios where customers want to access Azure services from a private network, such as an on-premises network or a virtual network in Azure. In these scenarios, customers can use Private Endpoints to connect to Azure services over a private connection without having to expose their data to the public internet.

Use Cases for Azure Private Endpoints

There are several use cases for Azure Private Endpoints, including:

1. Securing Data Access: By using Private Endpoints, you can ensure that all data access to your Azure services is secure and isolated from the public internet. This can be especially important for highly sensitive data, such as financial or healthcare data.
2. Connecting to Azure Services from On-Premises Networks: Private Endpoints can be used to securely connect to Azure services from on-premises networks, allowing customers to take advantage of the benefits of Azure services while keeping their data private.
3. Connecting to Azure Services from Azure Virtual Networks: Private Endpoints can also be used to securely connect to Azure services from within Azure Virtual Networks, providing an additional layer of security for your applications.

Setting Up Azure Private Endpoints

Setting up Azure Private Endpoints is relatively straightforward. Here’s a code snippet that demonstrates how to create a Private Endpoint for an Azure Storage account:

$resourceGroup = "myResourceGroup"
$accountName = "mystorageaccount"
$subnetName = "mySubnet"
$virtualNetworkName = "myVirtualNetwork"

# Create a subnet for the Private Endpoint
az network vnet subnet create `
    --name $subnetName `
    --resource-group $resourceGroup `
    --vnet-name $virtualNetworkName `
    --address-prefixes 10.0.0.0/24

# Create a Private Endpoint for the Storage Account
az network private-endpoint create `
    --name "myStorageEndpoint" `
    --resource-group $resourceGroup `
    --subnet $subnetName `
    --private-connection-resource-id "/subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/{accountName}" `
    --group-ids "blob" `
    --connection-name "myStorageConnection"

In this example, we create a new subnet for the Private Endpoint and then create a new Private Endpoint for an Azure Storage account. We specify the Storage account’s resource ID and also specify that we want to connect to the “blob” service within the Storage account.

Mode of communication

When a Private Endpoint is active, the mode of communication and the IP addresses used to access the Azure service change.

In the case of Azure Storage, for example, when a Private Endpoint is active, the communication between the client and the Storage account is through a private IP address instead of a public IP address. This IP address is associated with the Private Endpoint and is only accessible from within the same virtual network as the Private Endpoint.

Additionally, the mode of communication changes from the public internet to a private, dedicated connection. This means that all data transmitted between the client and the Azure service is encrypted and travels through a private network, which enhances the security and isolation of the communication.

What is the cost involved while using private endpoint?

Regarding cost, there are some considerations to keep in mind. Private Endpoints do incur additional costs compared to accessing Azure services over a virtual network. There is a cost associated with the Private Endpoint itself, as well as a data transfer cost. The cost of data transfer can vary depending on the region where the Private Endpoint is located and the amount of data transferred.

However, using Private Endpoints can also help reduce costs by reducing the amount of data that needs to be transferred over the public internet. This can lead to lower egress charges and improved network performance.

In summary, while there are additional costs associated with using Private Endpoints compared to accessing Azure services over a virtual network, the increased security and performance benefits can outweigh those costs in many scenarios. It’s important to carefully evaluate your specific use case and compare the costs and benefits of using Private Endpoints versus other communication method.

Conclusion

Azure Private Endpoints are an important tool for securing data access to Azure services. With Private Endpoints, you can connect to Azure services over a private endpoint without exposing your data to the public internet. This can improve security and compliance for your applications and provide an additional layer of protection for your sensitive data. To learn more about Azure Private Endpoints, be sure to check out the official Azure documentation.

What is a private endpoint? - Azure Private Link