VPC peering or PrivateLink, when do you use which?
Peering = full network access between VPCs, both sides see everything in allowed CIDR. PrivateLink = point-to-point service access, one service publishes, one consumer connects. PrivateLink is usually safer for inter-org or inter-account.
Try this first
- 1Own VPCs inside one organisation, you trust both sides and want bidirectional traffic: VPC peering. Cheaper, more transparent.
- 2Consuming a vendor or partner service, or publishing your service to customers: PrivateLink. The consumer only sees your service endpoint, not your VPC.
- 3Cross-account inside your org where one account runs the service and others consume: PrivateLink. Gives tight isolation without routing work.
- 4If you want the network traffic to never leave the AWS backbone (compliance), both work, but PrivateLink is preferred because it's IAM-controlled.
- 5On Azure PrivateLink is Private Endpoint, on GCP Private Service Connect. Same pattern.
When to bring us in
If you're building a SaaS platform where dozens of customers connect over PrivateLink, the endpoint-service architecture is worth designing with someone who's done it before.
See also
- Everyone logs in with the AWS root accountRoot is for emergencies and billing. Day-to-day work belongs in IAM users or SSO.
- Every developer has AdministratorAccessAdministratorAccess everywhere is convenient now, painful later. Start with role-based policies.
- Everyone has individual IAM users with their own passwordIdentity Center (formerly AWS SSO) links to your IdP and issues temporary credentials per session.
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