Create and manage Private Link for Azure Database for MariaDB using CLI

A Private Endpoint is the fundamental building block for private link in Azure. It enables Azure resources, like Virtual Machines (VMs), to communicate privately with private link resources. In this article, you will learn how to use the Azure CLI to create a VM in an Azure Virtual Network and an Azure Database for MariaDB server with an Azure private endpoint.

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

Prerequisites

• You need an Azure Database for MariaDB server.

• Use the Bash environment in Azure Cloud Shell. For more information, see Quickstart for Bash in Azure Cloud Shell.

  

• If you prefer to run CLI reference commands locally, install the Azure CLI. If you're running on Windows or macOS, consider running Azure CLI in a Docker container. For more information, see How to run the Azure CLI in a Docker container.

  • If you're using a local installation, sign in to the Azure CLI by using the az login command. To finish the authentication process, follow the steps displayed in your terminal. For other sign-in options, see Sign in with the Azure CLI.

  • When you're prompted, install the Azure CLI extension on first use. For more information about extensions, see Use extensions with the Azure CLI.

  • Run az version to find the version and dependent libraries that are installed. To upgrade to the latest version, run az upgrade.

• This article requires version 2.0.28 or later of the Azure CLI. If using Azure Cloud Shell, the latest version is already installed.

Create a resource group

Before you can create any resource, you have to create a resource group to host the Virtual Network. Create a resource group with az group create. This example creates a resource group named myResourceGroup in the westeurope location:

az group create --name myResourceGroup --location westeurope

Create a Virtual Network

Create a Virtual Network with az network vnet create. This example creates a default Virtual Network named myVirtualNetwork with one subnet named mySubnet:

az network vnet create \
--name myVirtualNetwork \
--resource-group myResourceGroup \
--subnet-name mySubnet

Disable subnet private endpoint policies

Azure deploys resources to a subnet within a virtual network, so you need to create or update the subnet to disable private endpoint network policies. Update a subnet configuration named mySubnet with az network vnet subnet update:

az network vnet subnet update \
--name mySubnet \
--resource-group myResourceGroup \
--vnet-name myVirtualNetwork \
--disable-private-endpoint-network-policies true

Create the VM

Create a VM with az vm create. When prompted, provide a password to be used as the sign-in credentials for the VM. This example creates a VM named myVm:

az vm create \
  --resource-group myResourceGroup \
  --name myVm \
  --image Win2019Datacenter

Note the public IP address of the VM. You will use this address to connect to the VM from the internet in the next step.

Create an Azure Database for MariaDB server

Create an Azure Database for MariaDB with the az mariadb server create command. Remember that the name of your MariaDB Server must be unique across Azure, so replace the placeholder value in brackets with your own unique value:

# Create a server in the resource group 

az mariadb server create \
--name mydemoserver \
--resource-group myResourcegroup \
--location westeurope \
--admin-user mylogin \
--admin-password <server_admin_password> \
--sku-name GP_Gen5_2

Create the Private Endpoint

Create a private endpoint for the MariaDB server in your Virtual Network:

az network private-endpoint create \  
    --name myPrivateEndpoint \  
    --resource-group myResourceGroup \  
    --vnet-name myVirtualNetwork  \  
    --subnet mySubnet \  
    --private-connection-resource-id $(az resource show -g myResourcegroup -n mydemoserver --resource-type "Microsoft.DBforMariaDB/servers" --query "id" -o tsv) \    
    --group-id mariadbServer \  
    --connection-name myConnection  

Configure the Private DNS Zone

Create a Private DNS Zone for MariDB server domain and create an association link with the Virtual Network.

az network private-dns zone create --resource-group myResourceGroup \ 
   --name  "privatelink.mariadb.database.azure.com" 
az network private-dns link vnet create --resource-group myResourceGroup \ 
   --zone-name  "privatelink.mariadb.database.azure.com"\ 
   --name MyDNSLink \ 
   --virtual-network myVirtualNetwork \ 
   --registration-enabled false

#Query for the network interface ID  

networkInterfaceId=$(az network private-endpoint show --name myPrivateEndpoint --resource-group myResourceGroup --query 'networkInterfaces[0].id' -o tsv)

az resource show --ids $networkInterfaceId --api-version 2019-04-01 -o json
# Copy the content for privateIPAddress and FQDN matching the Azure database for MariaDB name

#Create DNS records 

az network private-dns record-set a create --name mydemoserver --zone-name privatelink.mariadb.database.azure.com --resource-group myResourceGroup  
az network private-dns record-set a add-record --record-set-name mydemoserver --zone-name privatelink.mariadb.database.azure.com --resource-group myResourceGroup -a <Private IP Address>

Connect to a VM from the internet

Connect to the VM myVm 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. If you receive a certificate warning, select Yes or Continue.

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

Access the MariaDB server privately from the VM

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

2. Enter  nslookup mydemoserver.privatelink.mariadb.database.azure.com.

   You'll receive a message similar to this:

   Server:  UnKnown
   Address:  168.63.129.16
   Non-authoritative answer:
   Name:    mydemoserver.privatelink.mariadb.database.azure.com
   Address:  10.1.3.4
   

3. Test the private link connection for the MariaDB server using any available client. In the example below I have used MySQL Workbench to do the operation.

4. In New connection, enter or select this information:

   Setting	Value
   Connection Name	Select the connection name of your choice.
   Hostname	Select mydemoserver.privatelink.mariadb.database.azure.com
   Username	Enter username as username@servername which is provided during the MariaDB server creation.
   Password	Enter a password provided during the MariaDB server creation.

5. Select Test Connection or OK.

6. (Optionally) Browse databases from left menu and Create or query information from the MariaDB database

7. Close the remote desktop connection to myVm.

Clean up resources

When no longer needed, you can use az group delete to remove the resource group and all the resources it has:

az group delete --name myResourceGroup --yes 

Next steps

Learn more about What is Azure private endpoint