Create and manage Private Link for Azure Database for MySQL - Flexible Server using the portal

APPLIES TO: Azure Database for MySQL - Flexible Server

This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions on configuring a connection to an Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance through a private endpoint and establishing a connection from a VM located within a VNet.

If you don't have an Azure subscription, create a free account before you begin.

Sign in to Azure

Sign in to the Azure portal.

Create the virtual network

In this section, you create a Virtual Network and the subnet to host the VM used to access your Private Link resource.

1. On the upper-left side of the screen, select Create a resource > Networking > Virtual network.

2. In Create virtual network, then select this information:

   Setting	Value
   Name	Enter MyVirtualNetwork.
   Address space	Enter 10.1.0.0/16.
   Subscription	Select your subscription.
   Resource group	Select Create new, enter myResourceGroup, then select OK.
   Location	Select West Europe.
   Subnet - Name	Enter mySubnet.
   Subnet - Address range	Enter 10.1.0.0/24.

3. Leave the rest as default and select Create.

Create a Virtual Machine

1. On the upper-left side of the screen in the Azure portal, select Create a resource > Compute > Virtual Machine.

2. In Create a virtual machine - Basics, then select this information:

   Setting	Value
   PROJECT DETAILS
   Subscription	Select your subscription.
   Resource group	Select myResourceGroup. You created this in the previous section.
   INSTANCE DETAILS
   Virtual machine name	Enter myVm.
   Region	Select West Europe.
   Availability options	Leave the default No infrastructure redundancy required.
   Image	Select Windows Server 2019 Datacenter.
   Size	Leave the default Standard DS1 v2.
   ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT
   Username	Enter a username of your choosing.
   Password	Enter a password of your choosing. The password must be at least 12 characters long and meet the defined complexity requirements.
   Confirm Password	Reenter password.
   INBOUND PORT RULES
   Public inbound ports	Leave the default None.
   SAVE MONEY
   Already have a Windows license?	Leave the default No.

3. Select Next: Disks.

4. In Create a virtual machine - Disks, leave the defaults and select Next: Networking.

5. In Create a virtual machine - Networking, select this information:

   Setting	Value
   Virtual network	Leave the default MyVirtualNetwork.
   Address space	Leave the default 10.1.0.0/24.
   Subnet	Leave the default mySubnet (10.1.0.0/24).
   Public IP	Leave the default (new) myVm-ip.
   Public inbound ports	Select Allow selected ports.
   Select inbound ports	Select HTTP and RDP.

6. Select Review + create. You're taken to the Review + create page, where Azure validates your configuration.

7. When you see the Validation passed message, select Create.

Create an Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance with a Private endpoint

• Create an Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance with Public access (allowed IP addresses) and Private endpoint as the connectivity method.

• Select Add Private endpoint to create private endpoint:

  Setting	Value
  Project details
  Subscription	Select your subscription.
  Resource group	Select myResourceGroup. You created this in the previous section.
  Instance Details
  Name	Enter myPrivateEndpoint. If this name is taken, create a unique name.
  Location	Select West Europe.
  Virtual network	Select MyVirtualNetwork.
  Subnet	Select mySubnet.
  PRIVATE DNS INTEGRATION
  Integrate with private DNS zone	Select Yes.
  Private DNS Zone	Select (New)privatelink.mysql.database.Azure.com

• Select on OK to save the Private endpoint configuration.

• After entering the remaining information in the other tabs, select on Review + create to deploy the Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance.

Note

In some cases, the Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance and the VNet-subnet are in different subscriptions. In these cases, you must ensure the following configurations:

• Make sure that both subscriptions have the Microsoft.DBforMySQL/flexibleServer resource provider registered. For more information refer resource-manager-registration.

Manage private endpoints on Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server via the Networking tab

1. Navigate to your Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server resource in the Azure portal.

2. Go to the Networking section under Settings.

3. In the Private endpoint section, you can manage your private endpoints (Add, Approve, Reject, or Delete).

   

Connect to a VM using Remote Desktop (RDP)

After you've created myVm, connect to it from the internet as follows:

1. In the portal's search bar, enter myVm.

2. Select the Connect button. After selecting the Connect button, Connect to virtual machine opens.

3. Select Download RDP File. Azure creates a Remote Desktop Protocol (.rdp) file and downloads it to your computer.

4. Open the downloaded.rdp file.

   1. If prompted, select Connect.

   2. Enter the username and password you specified when creating the VM.

   Note

   You may need to select More choices > Use a different account to specify the credentials you entered when you created the VM.

5. Select OK.

6. You may receive a certificate warning during the sign-in process. Select Yes or Continue if you receive a certificate warning.

7. Once the VM desktop appears, minimize it to go back to your local desktop.

Access the Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance privately from the VM

1. In the Remote Desktop of myVM, open PowerShell.

2. Enter nslookup myServer.privatelink.mysql.database.azure.com.

   You receive a message similar to this:

   Server: UnKnown
   Address: 168.63.129.16
   Non-authoritative answer:
   Name: myServer.privatelink.mysql.database.azure.com
   Address: 10.x.x.x
   

   Note

   Regardless of the firewall settings or public access being disabled, the ping and telnet tests will successfully verify network connectivity.

3. Test the private link connection for the Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance using any available client. The following example uses MySQL Workbench to do the operation.

4. In New connection, then select this information:

   Setting	Value
   Server type	Select MySQL.
   Server name	Select myServer.privatelink.mysql.database.Azure.com
   User name	Enter username as username@servername, provided during the Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance creation.
   Password	Enter a password provided during the Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance creation.
   SSL	Select Required.

5. Select Connect.

6. Browse databases from the left menu.

7. (Optionally) Create or query information from the Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance.

8. Close the remote desktop connection to myVm.

Clean up resources

When you're done using the private endpoint, Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance, and the VM, delete the resource group and all of the resources it contains:

1. Enter myResourceGroup in the Search box at the top of the portal and select myResourceGroup from the search results.

2. Select Delete resource group.

3. Enter myResourceGroup for TYPE THE RESOURCE GROUP NAME and select Delete.

Create a private endpoint via Private Link Center

In this section, you learn how to add a private endpoint to the Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance that you have already created.

1. In the Azure portal, select Create a resource > Networking > Private Link.

2. In Private Link Center - Overview, select the option to Create private endpoint.

   

3. In Create a private endpoint - Basics, then select the Project details information:

   Setting	Value
   Subscription	Select your subscription.
   Resource group	Select myResourceGroup. You created this in the previous section.
   Instance Details
   Name	Enter myPrivateEndpoint. If this name is taken, create a unique name.
   Location	Select West Europe.

4. Select Next: Resource, then select this information:

   Setting	Value
   Connection method	Select connect to an Azure resource in my directory.
   Subscription	Select your subscription.
   Resource type	Select Microsoft.DBforMySQL/flexibleServers.
   Resource	Select myServer
   Target subresource	Select mysqlServer

5. Select Next: Virtual Network, then select the Networking information:

   Setting	Value
   Virtual network	Select MyVirtualNetwork.
   Subnet	Select mySubnet.

6. Select Next: DNS, then select the PRIVATE DNS INTEGRATION information:

   Setting	Value
   Integrate with private DNS zone	Select Yes.
   Private DNS Zone	Select (New)privatelink.mysql.database.Azure.com

Note

Use your service's predefined private DNS zone or provide your preferred DNS zone name. For details, refer to the [Azure services DNS zone configuration.

1. Select Review + create. You're taken to the Review + create page, where Azure validates your configuration.

2. When you see the Validation passed message, select Create.

Note

The FQDN in the customer's DNS setting does not resolve the private IP configured. You must set up a DNS zone for the configured FQDN as shown here.

Next steps

• Learn how to configure private link for Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server from Azure CLI.
• Learn how to manage connectivity to Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server.
• Learn how to add another layer of encryption to Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server using Customer Managed Keys.
• Learn how to configure and use Microsoft Entra authentication on your Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server instance.