AWS Endpoints vs AWS PrivateLink
Are you trying to connect to your Amazon Web Services (AWS) resources securely over the internet? You might find yourself choosing between AWS Endpoints and AWS PrivateLink on AWS. Both services allow you to connect to your resources in a more secure and isolated manner than traditional internet connections. However, they have different use cases and benefits. In this blog, we’ll go over both services and compare them to help you make a more informed decision.
AWS Endpoints
AWS Endpoints is a service that enables you to create a private connection between your Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and AWS services. It allows AWS services to appear as if they are within your VPC, enabling secure connectivity and reducing data transfer costs. This service allows you to access AWS services such as AWS Key Management Service (KMS), Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3), and Amazon DynamoDB through your VPC without the need for internet gateways, Network Address Translation (NAT) instances, or firewall proxies.
Benefits
- Reduced data transfer costs by not requiring multiple transfers between AWS services and your VPC.
- Reduced security risks by keeping traffic within the VPC.
- Direct access to AWS services within the VPC, allowing for faster access and reduced latency.
- Centralized network access control using AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies.
AWS PrivateLink
AWS PrivateLink is a service that allows you to access your AWS services privately without using the internet. It enables you to create interface VPC endpoints that are powered by AWS PrivateLink for supported AWS services. It allows you to route traffic from your VPC to the AWS service endpoint over an interface VPC endpoint. This ensures that traffic remains within the AWS network and doesn't cross the internet, providing higher security and faster performance.
Benefits
- Improved security by not exposing AWS services to the internet and keeping traffic within the AWS network.
- Reduced data transfer costs by not requiring multiple transfers between AWS services and your VPC.
- Faster performance by reducing network latency and increasing throughput.
- Elimination of the need for NAT instances, Bastion hosts, or VPN connections.
- Lower infrastructure maintenance overheads by relying on AWS to maintain and scale the service infrastructure.
Comparison
| AWS Endpoints | AWS PrivateLink | |
|---|---|---|
| Use Case | For connecting your VPC to AWS services without using the internet. | For connecting your VPC to AWS services without using the internet or exposing these services to the internet. |
| Architecture | The Amazon VPC routing table must be updated to allow private communication with the AWS service endpoint. | The interface VPC endpoint must be associated with a security group to control inbound or outbound traffic. |
| Traffic Flow | Traffic flows over the AWS network from your VPC to the AWS service endpoint, but via the internet. | Traffic flows entirely in the AWS network from your VPC to the AWS service endpoint. |
| Latency | Has a higher latency than AWS PrivateLink, as traffic flows through the internet. | Has a lower latency than AWS Endpoints, as traffic does not flow through the internet. |
| Cost | Charges are based on data transfer rates between your VPC and the AWS service endpoint. | Charges are based on data transfer rates between your VPC and the interface VPC endpoint. |
When to use AWS Endpoints and When to use AWS PrivateLink
AWS Endpoints is suitable for scenarios where you need to access AWS services within your VPC, while keeping the data transfer within the VPC. This is useful in scenarios where you have on-premises resources that must communicate privately with AWS services. An example of this would be using AWS Lambda compute resources to execute an application in your data center.
AWS PrivateLink is best suited for scenarios where you want to completely avoid the internet and need a better connection with AWS services. This is useful for scenarios that require high-security environments, such as financial services or healthcare.
Conclusion
Choosing the right service between AWS Endpoints and AWS PrivateLink ultimately depends on the specific use case scenario. AWS Endpoints provides direct access to AWS services within the VPC, while AWS PrivateLink ensures that traffic remains within the AWS network and doesn't cross the internet. By weighing the benefits of each service for your particular requirements, you can make an informed decision.