Networking and Security Configuration for Azure Databricks
Who this is for:
Architecture / Concept Overview: Networking and Security Configuration for Azure Databricks
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classDef storage fill:#2E4A4A,stroke:#5FAFA8,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
classDef serving fill:#3D5550,stroke:#6BB7AA,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
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USER[Corporate Users] -->|Private Link| FE[Front-End Private Endpoint]
FE --> CP[Control Plane]
CP -->|Private Link| BE[Back-End Private Endpoint]
BE --> DRIVER[Driver Node]
DRIVER --> WORKER[Worker Nodes]
DRIVER -->|Private Endpoint| ADLS[ADLS Gen2]
DRIVER -->|Private Endpoint| KV[Key Vault]
DRIVER -->|Service Endpoint| SQL[Azure SQL]
USER:::source
FE:::governance
CP:::processing
BE:::governance
DRIVER:::processing
WORKER:::processing
ADLS:::storage
KV:::governance
SQL:::serving
*Zero-trust network architecture using Private Link for both front-end (user) and back-end (cluster) connectivity.*
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SEC[Security Layers] --> NET[Network Security]
SEC --> ID[Identity Security]
SEC --> DATA[Data Security]
NET --> VNET[VNet Injection]
NET --> PL[Private Link]
NET --> NSG[NSG Rules]
NET --> FW[Azure Firewall / UDR]
ID --> AAD[Azure AD SSO]
ID --> CA[Conditional Access]
ID --> IPAL[IP Access Lists]
DATA --> CMK[Customer-Managed Keys]
DATA --> UC[Unity Catalog RBAC]
DATA --> ENC[Double Encryption]
SEC:::governance
NET:::storage
ID:::governance
DATA:::processing
VNET:::storage
PL:::storage
NSG:::storage
FW:::storage
AAD:::governance
CA:::governance
IPAL:::governance
CMK:::processing
UC:::processing
ENC:::processing
*Defense-in-depth security layers for Azure Databricks spanning network, identity, and data protection.*
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CLUSTER[Cluster Node] -->|Outbound| NSG[NSG Allow Rules]
NSG -->|Route| UDR[User-Defined Route]
UDR -->|Inspect| FW[Azure Firewall]
FW -->|Allow| CP_IP[Control Plane IPs]
FW -->|Allow| DBFS_IP[DBFS Storage]
FW -->|Allow| PYPI[PyPI / Maven Repos]
FW -->|Deny| INTERNET[General Internet]
CLUSTER:::processing
NSG:::governance
UDR:::ingestion
FW:::governance
CP_IP:::serving
DBFS_IP:::storage
PYPI:::source
INTERNET:::source
*Egress filtering pattern using Azure Firewall with UDR to restrict cluster outbound traffic.*
Key Terms
Prerequisites and Setup
- Azure Databricks workspace deployed with VNet injection (Premium tier required)
- Azure Firewall or third-party NVA deployed in a hub VNet (for egress filtering)
- DNS infrastructure (Azure Private DNS Zones or custom DNS) for Private Link resolution
- Network team alignment on IP ranges, peering, and routing architecture
- Azure AD Premium P1+ for Conditional Access policies
Step-by-Step Implementation
Configuration Reference
| Security Control | Scope | Configuration | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| VNet Injection | Data Plane | Workspace creation parameter | Cluster nodes deploy in customer VNet |
| No Public IP | Cluster Nodes | --enable-no-public-ip true | Eliminates public IP on every node |
| Front-End Private Link | UI/API Access | Private endpoint + DNS | Users access workspace via private IP |
| Back-End Private Link | Control-to-Data Plane | Private endpoint + DNS | Eliminates public relay connectivity |
| NSG Rules | Subnet Level | Inbound/outbound rules | Controls traffic between subnets |
| Azure Firewall + UDR | Egress | Route table + firewall rules | Inspects and filters outbound traffic |
| IP Access Lists | Workspace API | Databricks workspace config | Restricts API/UI to allowed IPs |
| Conditional Access | Identity | Azure AD policy | MFA, device compliance, location restrictions |