PrivateLink - AWS Study Guide (v2.0)

PrivateLink

Priority Tier 2 Domain 1: Design Secure Architectures Domain 3: Design High-Performing Architectures Domain 4: Design Cost-Optimized Architectures

Learning Objectives

Understand the core purpose and fundamental benefits of AWS PrivateLink for secure networking.

Recognize how PrivateLink is utilized through VPC Interface Endpoints for private access to AWS services.

Identify specific use cases and architectural considerations for deploying AWS PrivateLink, including connectivity to services in other customer VPCs.

What is AWS PrivateLink?

AWS PrivateLink provides a way to connect your VPCs to services in a private and secure manner, simplifying network architecture and enhancing security.

AWS PrivateLink is used for securely connecting VPCs to services across many customer VPCs without requiring VPC peering or complex network configurations.

PrivateLink accesses services securely via the AWS network.

It does not require updating service provider route tables or implementing NAT/Internet Gateways.

PrivateLink-Powered Endpoints: Interface Endpoints

VPC Interface Endpoints are the primary mechanism through which AWS PrivateLink enables private connectivity to various services.

Interface Endpoints are a type of VPC Endpoint specifically powered by AWS PrivateLink.

VPC Interface Endpoints

Interface Endpoints enable private connections to AWS services without requiring an internet gateway, NAT device, VPN connection, or AWS Direct Connect connection. They are used for services that don’t support gateway endpoints.

deployment_mechanism: Deploy Elastic Network Interfaces (ENIs) into subnets

cost_model: Cost-based

control_level: Offer more control

Use Cases:

Connecting to AWS services privately without public internet traversal
Restricting public internet access for AWS service calls

Key Use Cases and Service Integration

AWS PrivateLink facilitates various secure and private connectivity scenarios, particularly for shared services and external connections.

VPC Endpoints and PrivateLink provide private access to AWS services, ensuring traffic remains within the Amazon internal network.

PrivateLink is specifically used for peering VPCs to access services across many customer VPCs without requiring VPC peering.

For shared services, PrivateLink requires a Network Load Balancer (NLB) in the service provider VPC and a shared Elastic Network Interface (ENI) in the consumer VPC.

Technical Specs: Requires a Network Load Balancer (NLB) in the service provider VPC and a shared Elastic Network Interface (ENI) in the consumer VPC.

AWS PrivateLink enables private connectivity between VPCs and services without public IPs, NAT, or VPC peering. This is achieved when a provider exposes their service via a VPC Endpoint Service, and the consuming company creates an interface VPC endpoint in its own VPC for private, service-restricted access.

Amazon OpenSearch Service supports PrivateLink connections/endpoints for VPC traffic only, ensuring secure and private network access to the search and analytics engine.

Limitations and Misconceptions

While powerful, PrivateLink has specific design considerations and is not always the appropriate solution for every connectivity challenge.

Creating an API Gateway API with a PrivateLink is not designed for direct Amazon S3 connectivity and adds unnecessary complexity.

Exam Tips

AWS PrivateLink is the solution for securely connecting YOUR VPC to AWS services or services hosted in OTHER AWS accounts, eliminating the need for VPC peering, NAT gateways, or internet gateways. (Derived from source_pages: 1, 2, 10)

Differentiate VPC Interface Endpoints (powered by PrivateLink, deploy ENIs, cost-based, more control) from Gateway Endpoints (free, require route table updates, only for S3 and DynamoDB). (source_pages: 1, 2)

For private connectivity from your VPC to a service in an external provider's VPC, the recommended solution involves the provider creating a VPC Endpoint Service and your account creating an Interface VPC Endpoint using PrivateLink. (source_page: 10, Q69)

Be cautious of scenarios proposing PrivateLink with API Gateway for direct S3 connectivity; the sources indicate this is not the intended design and adds unnecessary complexity. (source_page: 10, Q2)

Glossary

AWS PrivateLink

A service used for securely connecting Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs) to services across many customer VPCs without requiring VPC peering or complex network configurations, facilitating private access over the AWS network.

VPC Interface Endpoint

An endpoint powered by PrivateLink that deploys Elastic Network Interfaces (ENIs) into subnets, enabling private connections to AWS services without requiring an internet gateway, NAT device, VPN connection, or AWS Direct Connect connection. These are cost-based and offer more control.

Key Takeaways

AWS PrivateLink simplifies private and secure network connectivity to AWS services and services in other AWS accounts, avoiding public internet exposure and complex network configurations (source_pages: 1, 2, 5, 10).

Its primary implementation is through VPC Interface Endpoints, which deploy Elastic Network Interfaces (ENIs) within your subnets to enable private access (source_pages: 1, 2).

Understanding Privatelink's key features and integration patterns is essential for SAA-C03 exam success.