Difference between private link and service endpoint in Azure ?

The key difference between Azure Private Link and Azure Service Endpoints is that Private Link brings the Azure service into your virtual network (VNet), while Service Endpoints route traffic to the Azure service over the Azure backbone network.

Private Link creates a private endpoint in your VNet, which is assigned a private IP address. This private endpoint is then mapped to a Private Link resource, which is a specific Azure service that supports Private Link access. Once the private endpoint is mapped to the Private Link resource, traffic from your VNet to the Azure service will flow over the private endpoint, bypassing the public internet.

Service Endpoints create a route from your VNet to the Azure service over the Azure backbone network. This means that traffic from your VNet to the Azure service will still flow over the public internet, but it will be routed through the Azure backbone network, which is a more secure and reliable path.

Here is a table summarizing the key differences between Private Link and Service Endpoints:

Feature	Private Link	Service Endpoints
Creates a private endpoint in your VNet	Yes	No
Maps the private endpoint to a Private Link resource	Yes	No
Traffic from your VNet to the Azure service flows over the private endpoint	Yes	No
Traffic from your VNet to the Azure service is routed over the Azure backbone network	Yes	Yes
Requires additional configuration steps	Yes	No

Which one to choose?

The best option for you will depend on your specific needs. If you need to ensure that traffic from your VNet to the Azure service is completely private and isolated from the public internet, then Private Link is the best option. If you need to improve the performance and reliability of traffic from your VNet to the Azure service, then Service Endpoints is a good option.

If you are not sure which option is right for you, you can contact Azure support for assistance.