Private Links and Private Endpoints

In this lecture, the focus is on Azure Private Links and Private Endpoints. It is explained that Private Links allow for access to Azure Platform as a Service (PaaS) offerings, such as Azure Storage or SQL Database, from within a virtual network using a private endpoint. A private endpoint, which is a network interface with a private IP from the virtual network, enables secure and private connections to services provided by Azure Private Link.

Furthermore, this lecture clarifies that by using a private endpoint, the service is essentially brought into the virtual network, eliminating the need to expose the service to the public internet. The traffic between the virtual network and the Azure service traverses the Microsoft backbone network, enhancing security.

The benefits of Azure Private Link are outlined, highlighting the ability to access Azure services privately, the possibility to connect Azure services to on-premises networks via various means without exposure to the internet, and how it supports secure workload migration to Azure. A crucial advantage mentioned is the protection against data leakage, as a private endpoint is mapped to a specific PaaS resource rather than an entire service, preventing unauthorized access to other resources within the service.

Lastly, this lecture emphasizes key points to remember for an exam, such as the definitions and functions of Azure Private Link and private endpoints, and the security and connectivity benefits they provide within the Azure ecosystem.