Azure Private Link is ideal when you need private connectivity to platform services or partner/customer-hosted services without exposing endpoints to the public internet. It simplifies network architecture and improves security posture by keeping traffic on the Azure backbone.
What is a Private Endpoint?
- A private endpoint is a virtual network interface (NIC) with a private IP address from your VNet address space.
- It maps to a specific Azure resource (the associated resource) and may reference a specific sub-resource (for example, a blob or table in a storage account).
- DNS resolves the service’s FQDN to the private IP assigned to the private endpoint when configured correctly.
If DNS is not configured for the private endpoint (or if clients use public DNS that resolves to the public IP), traffic may still go over the public internet. Ensure you update DNS records or use Azure Private DNS zones for correct name resolution.
How Private Link works — high level
- Service owner exposes a Private Link service (PaaS resource or customer/partner service).
- Consumer creates a private endpoint in their VNet that targets the Private Link resource.
- A private IP is assigned to the private endpoint; network traffic to that service flows over the private IP across the Azure backbone.
- Connection approval: depending on configuration, the service owner can require manual approval for connections to their Private Link service.
- DNS must be updated so the target service FQDN resolves to the private endpoint IP — Azure Private DNS zones are commonly used.
Key properties of a private endpoint
| Property | Purpose | Notes / Example |
|---|---|---|
| Associated resource | The Azure resource the private endpoint connects to | mystorageaccount.blob.core.windows.net |
| Sub-resource | Specific service interface on the resource (if applicable) | For Storage: blob, file, table, queue |
| Private IP | The IP address assigned from your VNet | Used for routing from clients in the VNet |
| Connection approval | Whether owner approval is required | Manual approval or auto-approve for same-subscription resources |
| DNS behavior | How the service FQDN resolves to the private IP | Use Azure Private DNS zones or custom DNS forwarding |
| Network policies | Whether NIC-level policies apply (NSG, routing) | Configure NSGs on subnet where private endpoint resides |
Benefits and common use cases
- Secure access to Azure PaaS services without public IP exposure.
- Connect customer-managed or partner services privately across subscriptions or tenants.
- Simplify network security by restricting access to resources via private IPs.
- Reduce attack surface and meet compliance requirements for private connectivity.
Next steps and references
- Read the official Azure Private Link overview and Private Endpoint concepts for deployment details: