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Security

Azure Private Endpoint – What,Why, and When

Sakaldeep Yadav

• 2 min read

Welcome to the first post of our Azure Private Endpoint Essentials series! If you're building secure, cloud-powered apps in Azure, you've probably heard about “Private Endpoint.” Understanding this feature is essential for creating modern, robust, and compliant architectures. Let’s demystify Azure Private Endpoints: what they are, why they matter, and how they fit into your cloud security strategy.

What is an Azure Private Endpoint?

At its core, an Azure Private Endpoint is a network interface that connects you securely and privately to Azure services—like Storage Accounts, SQL Databases, Key Vaults, and more. It assigns a private IP address from your Virtual Network (VNet) to the Azure resource, so all communication happens within your private network, not the public internet.

Why is this awesome?
With Private Endpoints, data flows through the secure Microsoft backbone, not the open internet. You can block public access and ensure only trusted applications inside your network can reach critical resources.

Why Do We Need Private Endpoints?

Cloud resources like databases and storage accounts traditionally got exposed via public IPs. While you can layer in firewalls and access controls, these resources are still, by default, internet-accessible—which can be risky!

Key reasons to use Private Endpoints:

  • Stronger Security: Only your private network talks to the resource. No public internet exposure!
  • Compliance & Standards: Many industry regulations and certifications require sensitive data and cloud resources to NOT be publicly exposed. Private Endpoints support compliance with key standards such as:
    • PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)
    • HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
    • ISO 27001 (Information Security Management)
    • SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3 (Service Organization Controls)
    • GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
    • FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program—U.S. Government)
    • CJIS (Criminal Justice Information Services)
    • HITRUST
    • NIST 800-53
    • And more, depending on industry and region
  • Customer Requirements: Enterprise customers often require strict “no public access” policies for their data, apps, and compliance attestations.
  • Simple Network Design: No complicated routing or NAT rules. Every service behaves like part of your network.
  • Unified Experience: Works with most core Azure services you already use.

Note: Always check the relevant Microsoft Azure compliance documentation to ensure your services and configuration match audit and certification needs. For many Azure services, enabling Private Endpoints is required or strongly recommended for compliance!

How Does Azure Private Endpoint Work?

  • A Private Endpoint is an IP address within your VNet, wired up to your Azure service.
  • When you create a Private Endpoint, Azure uses Private Link to map that resource to the private IP.
  • All access from your apps, VMs, or services happens over this private channel.
  • The resource itself “knows” if a request comes via a Private Endpoint, allowing tighter access controls.

Typical Scenarios

Here are some everyday examples:

  • Secure Data Storage: Let internal apps write to a Storage Account, but prevent uploads from the internet.
  • Database Connections: Connect web servers to Azure SQL securely, without internet-facing ports.
  • Key Vaults and Secrets: Restrict sensitive keys so only your private VNets can access them.
  • Hybrid Apps: Connect on-premises workloads (via VPN/ExpressRoute) to Azure resources WITHOUT public routes.

What’s Next in This Series?

This post is your “Private Endpoint 101.” Upcoming posts in this series will cover:

  1. Private Endpoint and DNS: How DNS works with Private Endpoints, and why it matters.
  2. Demo: Step-by-step guide to set up Private Endpoints for common Azure resources.
  3. Best Practices & Troubleshooting: Tips to avoid pitfalls and keep your environment secure.

Connect & Questions

Want to discuss Azure Private Endpoints, share feedback, or ask questions?
Reach out on X (Twitter) @sakaldeep Or connect with me on LinkedIn!

I look forward to connecting with fellow cloud professionals and learners.