Azure Storage Account Private Endpoint Configuration Guide

To set up a private endpoint for your Azure Storage Account, you'll first need to create a private endpoint in the Azure portal.

This is typically done by navigating to the 'Networking' section of your Azure Storage Account and clicking on 'Private endpoints'.

You can also create a new private endpoint from the 'Private endpoints' page.

A private endpoint is a network interface that connects your virtual network to your Azure Storage Account.

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To create a private endpoint for an Azure Storage Account, you need to specify the storage account and the storage service to which it connects. This can be done using PowerShell or the Azure CLI.

You'll need to create a separate private endpoint for each storage resource you want to access, such as Blobs, Data Lake Storage, Files, Queues, Tables, or Static Websites. Each private endpoint should be associated with a storage account.

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It's essential to create a private endpoint for both the primary and secondary instances of the service for read access to the secondary region with a storage account configured for geo-redundant storage. This will ensure that all operations can complete successfully.

Make sure to create a general-purpose v2 (Standard or Premium) storage account. This is required for creating a private endpoint.

Creating a private endpoint for the Data Lake Storage storage resource also requires creating one for the Blob Storage resource. This is because operations that target the Data Lake Storage endpoint might be redirected to the Blob endpoint.

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Azure Storage Account Private Endpoint is a special network interface that provides secure connectivity between clients on your Virtual Network (VNet) and your storage account. It's assigned an IP address from the IP address range of your VNet, ensuring a private and isolated connection.

A private endpoint is created in a subnet that uses Service Endpoints, allowing clients in a subnet to connect to one storage account using a private endpoint, while using service endpoints to access others. This seamless connectivity uses the same connection strings and authorization mechanisms as a public connection.

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Private endpoints can be used with all protocols supported by the storage account, including REST and SMB. They're a great way to secure your storage account, especially if you're working with sensitive data.

To create a private endpoint, you'll need to use Azure CLI or Azure PowerShell. This will initiate a consent request to the storage account owner for approval. If the user requesting the creation is also an owner of the storage account, the consent request is automatically approved.

Here are the key features of Azure Private Endpoint:

To set up an Azure Storage Account private endpoint, you'll need to focus on the configuration and setup process.

The next steps involve configuring Azure Private Endpoint DNS, which is a crucial part of the setup process.

You'll also need to configure Azure Storage firewalls and virtual networks to ensure secure access to your Storage Account.

Security recommendations for Blob storage are also essential, as they help prevent unauthorized access to your data.

To create a private endpoint for your Storage Account, you'll need to follow a step-by-step process.

Here are the key steps to follow:

Private endpoints work closely with DNS, and there are two primary options for configuring DNS: Private DNS Zone and Custom DNS Servers.

For Private DNS Zone, you can create a Private DNS Zone in Azure and link it to your VNet, and Azure will automatically register private endpoints with the appropriate DNS records.

To resolve Azure services to private IP addresses assigned to private endpoints, you need to configure your custom DNS servers to forward queries to Azure's default DNS server or manually update DNS records.

You can configure your DNS server to delegate your private link subdomain to the private DNS zone for the VNet, or configure the A records for StorageAccountA.privatelink.blob.core.windows.net with the private endpoint IP address.

The recommended DNS zone names for private endpoints for storage services are listed below:

Configuring DNS Zones is a crucial step in setting up Azure Private Link. To create a Private DNS Zone, you can link it to your VNet in Azure. Azure will automatically register private endpoints with the appropriate DNS records.

You can also use a custom DNS server to resolve Azure services to the private IP addresses assigned to the private endpoints. This may involve manually updating DNS records or forwarding queries to Azure's default DNS server.

Azure recommends delegating the privatelink subdomain to the private DNS zone of the VNet or configuring the DNS zone on your DNS server and adding the DNS A records.

Here are the recommended DNS zone names for private endpoints for storage services:

For more information on configuring your own DNS server to support private endpoints, refer to the articles on Name resolution for resources in Azure virtual networks and DNS configuration for private endpoints.

Azure Virtual Network Service Endpoints provide secure and direct connectivity to Azure services over an optimized route over the Azure backbone network.

Clients in VNets with existing private endpoints face constraints when accessing other storage accounts that have private endpoints. This is due to DNS changes made when the storage account creates a private endpoint.

If a storage account has a private endpoint, clients in a VNet must access the storage account using a private endpoint. This is the case even if the client is in the same VNet as the storage account.

Storage account A2 doesn't need a private endpoint for Blob storage if clients in VNet N1 can access it without one. This is because the DNS changes are only made when a private endpoint is created.

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When working with Azure Storage Account Private Endpoint, subnet planning is crucial to ensure you have enough available IP addresses for creating private endpoints. Make sure your subnet has enough available IP addresses.

If you're not careful, IP address space conflicts can occur, causing issues with your private endpoint. Ensure that your IP address space does not conflict with other resources.

To control traffic to and from your private endpoint, use Network Security Groups (NSGs) to restrict or allow specific IP ranges or ports. This will give you better security control over your private endpoint.

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Private endpoints for Azure Storage can be a bit tricky, so it's essential to be aware of the known issues.

One known issue is that private endpoints for Azure Storage don't support all Azure Storage services, such as Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2 and Azure Files.

You'll also want to keep in mind that private endpoints can't be used with Azure Storage accounts that have a static website enabled.

Private endpoints also don't support Azure Storage accounts that are configured for Azure Active Directory authentication.

Another thing to note is that private endpoints can't be used with Azure Storage accounts that have a firewall rule with a "Service" type.

Private endpoints can't be used with Azure Storage accounts that are configured for Azure Active Directory authentication.

When planning a subnet, make sure it has enough available IP addresses for creating private endpoints. This is crucial to avoid IP address conflicts with other resources.

To ensure security, you can use Network Security Groups (NSGs) to control traffic to and from private endpoints. NSGs allow you to restrict or allow specific IP ranges or ports for better security control.

Private endpoints are region-specific, but you can access a service across regions if needed. This requires proper DNS configuration and network peering.

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Legacy architectures often rely on public connections to Azure services, but this can be a security risk.

Using private endpoints for Azure services like Storage account, Container registry, and Keyvault can greatly enhance security.

Connecting to these services via private endpoints means that data is transmitted over a private network, rather than the public internet.

This approach is particularly important for sensitive data that requires a high level of protection.

In the past, I've seen organizations struggle with security breaches due to public connections to Azure services.

Private endpoints can help mitigate this risk and provide a more secure connection.

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