Cloud NAT Gateways: How Private Servers Talk to the Internet

Introduction: The Secure Download

Security best practices dictate that your database should **never** have a Public IP Address. It should sit in a 'Private Subnet'. But if the database needs to download a critical security patch from Microsoft, how does it reach the internet? The answer is a Cloud NAT Gateway.

The One-Way Street

A NAT Gateway sits in the 'Public Subnet'. The private database sends its outbound request to the Gateway. The Gateway 'translates' the request, uses its own public IP to fetch the download from the internet, and then securely hands the file back to the private database. Because it is a NAT, the internet can *reply* to the request, but a hacker cannot *initiate* a connection inwards.

Conclusion

NAT Gateways provide the perfect balance: outbound internet access for updates, zero inbound access for hackers. Verify your outbound routing logic here.