When you want to give one or more consumer VPCs unidirectional access to a certain service or group of instances in the service provider VPC, use AWS PrivateLink. A connection to the service in the service provider VPC can only be started by clients in the consumer VPC.
Here is what we are going to cover about PrivateLink AWS:
Overview of AWS PrivateLink | How does it work? | Benefits | Features | Use Cases | FAQ’s
What is AWS PrivateLink?
AWS PrivateLink allows you to link VPCs, AWS services, and on-premises networks privately without exposing your traffic to the public internet. AWS PrivateLink makes it simple to connect services across accounts and VPCs, greatly simplifying your network design. Customers who want to discreetly expose a service/application sitting in one VPC (service provider) to other VPCs (consumer) inside an AWS Region can do so in such a way that only consumer VPCs begin connections to the service provider VPC.
The ability for your private applications to access service provider APIs is an example of this. To use AWS PrivateLink, configure your VPC endpoint service to point to the network load balancer you created for your application. After that, a service consumer builds an interface endpoint to your service. This generates an elastic network interface (ENI) with a private IP address in your subnet, which serves as an entry point for traffic destined for the service.
By powering Gateway Load Balancer endpoints, PrivateLink aws gives the same level of security and performance to your virtual network appliances or custom traffic inspection algorithms.
How does it work?
PrivateLink AWS allows you to securely link your VPCs to supported AWS services, including your own AWS service, services hosted by other AWS accounts, and third-party services on AWS Marketplace. Because communication between your VPC and any of these services does not leave the Amazon network, you no longer require an Internet gateway, NAT device, public IP address, or VPN connection to communicate with the service.
Create an interface VPC endpoint for a service in your VPC to use PrivateLink AWS. This generates an Elastic Network Interface (ENI) with a private IP address in your subnet, which acts as an entry point for traffic destined for the service. Amazon PrivateLink service endpoints will show in your VPCs as ENIs with private IPs.
3 Benefits of PrivateLink AWS:
SECURE YOUR TRAFFIC
- You can securely and scalable connect your VPCs to AWS services with the help of Privatelink AWS. PrivateLink network traffic does not transit the public internet, minimizing vulnerability to brute force and distributed denial-of-service attacks, among other threats.
- You can use private IP connectivity to make your services function as if they were hosted directly on your network. You may also connect security groups and attach an endpoint policy to interface endpoints to govern who has access to a particular service.
- PrivateLink-powered AWS connections, such as interface VPC endpoints and Gateway Load Balancer endpoints, provide the same security, scalability, and performance benefits.
ACCELERATE THE MOVEMENT OF YOUR CLOUD
- With PrivateLink aws, classic on-premises applications may be more simply converted to SaaS services hosted in the cloud. You may relocate and utilize additional cloud services with the assurance that your traffic is safe.
- Since your data is not exposed to the Internet, where it might be hacked. You can no longer decide between utilizing the service and disclosing your sensitive information online.
SIMPLIFY NETWORK ADMINISTRATION
- Without using firewall rules, path definitions, or route tables, you may link services across various accounts and Amazon VPCs.
-
There is no obligation to keep a VPC CIDR, peer with another VPC, or set up an Internet gateway (CIDRs). Because PrivateLink simplifies network architecture, you can more simply manage your worldwide network.
Read: Top 50+ AWS Interview Questions for 2022-2023
AWS PrivateLink Features
- Service access through PrivateLink AWS:
It creates an interface VPC endpoint for an external service to use PrivateLink. This creates an elastic network interface in your subnet with private IP addresses that serves as a gateway for traffic to the service.
- Accessing your on-premises apps privately: Applications running on your premises will be able to connect to these services over the Amazon private network thanks to the support for private connectivity over AWS Direct Connect provided by Interface VPC endpoints.
- PrivateLink service sharing for your services: You may develop your endpoint service (powered by PrivateLink AWS) and grant access to it to other AWS users.
- Integration with AWS Marketplace: Through a simple search of the services offered through PrivateLink AWS, AWS Marketplace is connected with PrivateLink. Services that are accessible through the AWS Marketplace are supported with vanity DNS domains to make it easier to identify which services are connected to your endpoint.
Check: AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate SAA-C03 Exam
Use Cases
- ACCESS SAAS APPLICATIONS SAFELY: Many APN partners provide their clients with AWS SaaS services such as log analytics and security checks. SaaS providers install agents or clients in their clients’ VPCs to generate and transmit data back to the SaaS provider. Customers that utilize SaaS apps must choose between using these programs at all or allowing Internet access from their VPC, which puts the VPC’s resources at risk. PrivateLink aws allows you to create a private, secure, and scalable link from your VPC to AWS services and SaaS applications. Because service connections may only be initiated by you, you are safeguarded against unwanted contact by the service provider.
- ASSURE CONTINUOUS REGULATORY COMPLIANCE: By prohibiting sensitive data, such as customer records, from flowing over the Internet, you may maintain compliance with laws such as HIPAA, EU/US Privacy Shield, and PCI. Customers in the financial services, healthcare, and government sectors must pay particular attention to this. PrivateLink keeps traffic between AWS resources, VPCs, and outside services on the Amazon network, which has rigorous security and compliance procedures in place.
- MIGRATE TO A HYBRID CLOUD: On-premises applications can use AWS Direct Connect or AWS VPN to connect to service endpoints in an Amazon VPC, which will then route traffic to AWS services via AWS PrivateLink while keeping all network traffic within the Amazon network. SaaS organizations may now offer services that appear and feel like they have hosted on a private network thanks to PrivateLink aws. These services can be securely accessed from both the cloud and onsite sites using AWS Direct Connect and AWS VPN in a highly available and scalable manner.
FAQ’s
What is the difference between AWS PrivateLink and Direct Connect?
It's similar to AWS Direct Connect in that it creates private connections to the AWS cloud, but Direct Connect connects users' on-premises environments to AWS. PrivateLink, on the other hand, protects traffic from customers existing AWS VPC environments
What's the difference between a VPC endpoint and a PrivateLink?
VPC endpoint - The location within your VPC from which you may connect privately to a service. AWS PrivateLink is a technology that allows VPCs and services to communicate privately. So, PrivateLink is a technology that allows you to access services in VPCs privately (without using the Internet).
Is PrivateLink AWS safe to use?
Amazon PrivateLink's security is based on three factors: the path, the rules, and the form of communication. The path between a VPC endpoint and an AWS or AWS-based service is internal to AWS and does not cross the Internet. As a result, it is safe against Internet breaches.
What exactly is a PrivateLink endpoint?
A private endpoint is a network interface that uses a private IP address to connect to your virtual network. This network interface links you discreetly and securely to an Azure Private Linkpowered service. You introduce the service inside your virtual network by activating a private endpoint.
Does PrivateLink support ALB?
Elastic Load Balancing now allows traffic to be routed straight from the Network Load Balancer (NLB) to the Application Load Balancer (ALB) (ALB). With this functionality, you may now utilize AWS PrivateLink to offer static IP addresses for ALB-based apps.
Related Links/References
- AWS Free Tier Account Details
- AWS Shield | DDoS Attacks | AWS Shield Pricing: Overview
- AWS Virtual Private Network (AWS VPN): Everything You need to Know
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate SAA-C03
- AWS Free Tier Account Services
- Cloud Computing Service Models: SaaS | PaaS | IaaS
- AWS For Testers And AWS Quality Assurance (QA)
- AWS Key Management Service (KMS) for Data Encryption
Next Task For You
Begin your journey towards an AWS Cloud by joining our FREE Informative Class on Amazon Cloud Free Class by clicking on the below image.
Leave a Reply