# AWS PrivateLink connections (Cloud-only) How to connect Materialize Cloud to a Kafka broker, a Confluent Schema Registry server, a PostgreSQL database, or a MySQL database through an AWS PrivateLink service. Materialize can connect to a Kafka broker, a Confluent Schema Registry server, a PostgreSQL database, or a MySQL database through an [AWS PrivateLink](https://aws.amazon.com/privatelink/) service. In this guide, we'll cover how to create `AWS PRIVATELINK` connections and retrieve the AWS principal needed to configure the AWS PrivateLink service. ## Create an AWS PrivateLink connection **Kafka on AWS:** > **Note:** Materialize provides a Terraform module that automates the creation and > configuration of AWS resources for a PrivateLink connection. For more details, > see the Terraform module repositories for [Amazon MSK](https://github.com/MaterializeInc/terraform-aws-msk-privatelink) > and [self-managed Kafka clusters](https://github.com/MaterializeInc/terraform-aws-kafka-privatelink). This section covers how to create AWS PrivateLink connections and retrieve the AWS principal needed to configure the AWS PrivateLink service. 1. Create target groups. Create a dedicated [target group](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/create-target-group.html) **for each broker** with the following details: a. Target type as **IP address**. b. Protocol as **TCP**. c. Port as **9092**, or the port that you are using in case it is not 9092 (e.g. 9094 for TLS or 9096 for SASL). d. Make sure that the target group is in the same VPC as the Kafka cluster. e. Click next, and register the respective Kafka broker to each target group using its IP address. 1. Create a [Network Load Balancer](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/create-network-load-balancer.html) that is **enabled for the same subnets** that the Kafka brokers are in. 1. Create a [TCP listener](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/create-listener.html) for every Kafka broker that forwards to the corresponding target group you created (e.g. `b-1`, `b-2`, `b-3`). The listener port needs to be unique, and will be used later on in the `CREATE CONNECTION` statement. For example, you can create a listener for: a. Port `9001` → broker `b-1...`. b. Port `9002` → broker `b-2...`. c. Port `9003` → broker `b-3...`. 1. Verify security groups and health checks. Once the TCP listeners have been created, make sure that the [health checks](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/target-group-health-checks.html) for each target group are passing and that the targets are reported as healthy. If you have set up a security group for your Kafka cluster, you must ensure that it allows traffic on both the listener port and the health check port. **Remarks**: a. Network Load Balancers do not have associated security groups. Therefore, the security groups for your targets must use IP addresses to allow traffic. b. You can't use the security groups for the clients as a source in the security groups for the targets. Therefore, the security groups for your targets must use the IP addresses of the clients to allow traffic. For more details, check the [AWS documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/target-group-register-targets.html). 1. Create a VPC [endpoint service](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/privatelink/create-endpoint-service.html) and associate it with the **Network Load Balancer** that you’ve just created. Note the **service name** that is generated for the endpoint service. 1. Create an AWS PrivateLink connection. In Materialize, create an [AWS PrivateLink connection](/sql/create-connection/#aws-privatelink) that references the endpoint service that you created in the previous step. ↕️ **In-region connections** To connect to an AWS PrivateLink endpoint service in the **same region** as your Materialize environment: ```mzsql CREATE CONNECTION privatelink_svc TO AWS PRIVATELINK ( SERVICE NAME 'com.amazonaws.vpce..vpce-svc-', AVAILABILITY ZONES ('use1-az1', 'use1-az2', 'use1-az4') ); ``` - Replace the `SERVICE NAME` value with the service name you noted earlier. - Replace the `AVAILABILITY ZONES` list with the IDs of the availability zones in your AWS account. For in-region connections the availability zones of the NLB and the consumer VPC **must match**. To find your availability zone IDs, select your database in the RDS Console and click the subnets under **Connectivity & security**. For each subnet, look for **Availability Zone ID** (e.g., `use1-az6`), not **Availability Zone** (e.g., `us-east-1d`). ↔️ **Cross-region connections** To connect to an AWS PrivateLink endpoint service in a **different region** to the one where your Materialize environment is deployed: ```mzsql CREATE CONNECTION privatelink_svc TO AWS PRIVATELINK ( SERVICE NAME 'com.amazonaws.vpce.us-west-1.vpce-svc-', -- For now, the AVAILABILITY ZONES clause **is** required, but will be -- made optional in a future release. AVAILABILITY ZONES () ); ``` - Replace the `SERVICE NAME` value with the service name you noted earlier. - The service name region refers to where the endpoint service was created. You **do not need** to specify `AVAILABILITY ZONES` manually — these will be optimally auto-assigned when none are provided. - For Kafka connections, it is required for [cross-zone load balancing](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/network-load-balancers.html) to be enabled on the VPC endpoint service's NLB when using cross-region Privatelink. 1. Configure the AWS PrivateLink service. Retrieve the AWS principal for the AWS PrivateLink connection you just created: ```mzsql SELECT principal FROM mz_aws_privatelink_connections plc JOIN mz_connections c ON plc.id = c.id WHERE c.name = 'privatelink_svc'; ``` ``` principal --------------------------------------------------------------------------- arn:aws:iam::664411391173:role/mz_20273b7c-2bbe-42b8-8c36-8cc179e9bbc3_u1 ``` Follow the instructions in the [AWS PrivateLink documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/privatelink/add-endpoint-service-permissions.html) to configure your VPC endpoint service to accept connections from the provided AWS principal. 1. If your AWS PrivateLink service is configured to require acceptance of connection requests, you must manually approve the connection request from Materialize after executing `CREATE CONNECTION`. For more details, check the [AWS PrivateLink documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/privatelink/configure-endpoint-service.html#accept-reject-connection-requests). **Note:** It might take some time for the endpoint service connection to show up, so you would need to wait for the endpoint service connection to be ready before you create a source. 1. Validate the AWS PrivateLink connection you created using the [`VALIDATE CONNECTION`](/sql/validate-connection) command: ```mzsql VALIDATE CONNECTION privatelink_svc; ``` If no validation error is returned, move to the next step. 1. Create a source connection In Materialize, create a source connection that uses the AWS PrivateLink connection you just configured: ```mzsql CREATE CONNECTION kafka_connection TO KAFKA ( BROKERS ( -- The port **must exactly match** the port assigned to the broker in -- the TCP listerner of the NLB. 'b-1.hostname-1:9096' USING AWS PRIVATELINK privatelink_svc (PORT 9001, AVAILABILITY ZONE 'use1-az2'), 'b-2.hostname-2:9096' USING AWS PRIVATELINK privatelink_svc (PORT 9002, AVAILABILITY ZONE 'use1-az1'), 'b-3.hostname-3:9096' USING AWS PRIVATELINK privatelink_svc (PORT 9003, AVAILABILITY ZONE 'use1-az4') ), -- Authentication details -- Depending on the authentication method the Kafka cluster is using SASL MECHANISMS = 'SCRAM-SHA-512', SASL USERNAME = 'foo', SASL PASSWORD = SECRET kafka_password ); ``` If you run into connectivity issues during source creation, make sure that: * The `(PORT )` value **exactly matches** the port assigned to the corresponding broker in the **TCP listener** of the Network Load Balancer. Misalignment between ports and broker addresses is the most common cause for connectivity issues. * For **in-region connections**, the correct availability zone is specified for each broker. **PostgreSQL on AWS:** > **Note:** Materialize provides a Terraform module that automates the creation and > configuration of AWS resources for a PrivateLink connection. For more details, > see the [Terraform module repository](https://github.com/MaterializeInc/terraform-aws-rds-privatelink). 1. #### Create target groups Create a dedicated [target group](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/create-target-group.html) for your RDS or Aurora or Aurora instance with the following details: a. Target type as **IP address**. b. Protocol as **TCP**. c. Port as **5432**, or the port that you are using in case it is not 5432. d. Make sure that the target group is in the same VPC as the RDS or Aurora instance. e. Click next, and register the respective RDS or Aurora instance to the target group using its IP address. 1. #### Verify security groups and health checks Once the target groups have been created, make sure that the [health checks](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/target-group-health-checks.html) are passing and that the targets are reported as healthy. If you have set up a security group for your RDS or Aurora instance, you must ensure that it allows traffic on the health check port. **Remarks**: a. Network Load Balancers do not have associated security groups. Therefore, the security groups for your targets must use IP addresses to allow traffic. b. You can't use the security groups for the clients as a source in the security groups for the targets. Therefore, the security groups for your targets must use the IP addresses of the clients to allow traffic. For more details, check the [AWS documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/target-group-register-targets.html). 1. #### Create a Network Load Balancer (NLB) Create a [Network Load Balancer](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/create-network-load-balancer.html) that is **enabled for the same subnets** that the RDS or Aurora instance is in. 1. #### Create TCP listeners Create a [TCP listener](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/create-listener.html) for your RDS or Aurora instance that forwards to the corresponding target group you created. 1. #### Create a VPC endpoint service Create a VPC [endpoint service](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/privatelink/create-endpoint-service.html) and associate it with the **Network Load Balancer** that you’ve just created. Note the **service name** that is generated for the endpoint service. 1. #### Create an AWS PrivateLink connection In Materialize, create an [AWS PrivateLink connection](/sql/create-connection/#aws-privatelink) that references the endpoint service that you created in the previous step. ↕️ **In-region connections** To connect to an AWS PrivateLink endpoint service in the **same region** as your Materialize environment: ```mzsql CREATE CONNECTION privatelink_svc TO AWS PRIVATELINK ( SERVICE NAME 'com.amazonaws.vpce..vpce-svc-', AVAILABILITY ZONES ('use1-az1', 'use1-az2', 'use1-az4') ); ``` - Replace the `SERVICE NAME` value with the service name you noted earlier. - Replace the `AVAILABILITY ZONES` list with the IDs of the availability zones in your AWS account. For in-region connections the availability zones of the NLB and the consumer VPC **must match**. To find your availability zone IDs, select your database in the RDS Console and click the subnets under **Connectivity & security**. For each subnet, look for **Availability Zone ID** (e.g., `use1-az6`), not **Availability Zone** (e.g., `us-east-1d`). ↔️ **Cross-region connections** To connect to an AWS PrivateLink endpoint service in a **different region** to the one where your Materialize environment is deployed: ```mzsql CREATE CONNECTION privatelink_svc TO AWS PRIVATELINK ( SERVICE NAME 'com.amazonaws.vpce.us-west-1.vpce-svc-', -- For now, the AVAILABILITY ZONES clause **is** required, but will be -- made optional in a future release. AVAILABILITY ZONES () ); ``` - Replace the `SERVICE NAME` value with the service name you noted earlier. - The service name region refers to where the endpoint service was created. You **do not need** to specify `AVAILABILITY ZONES` manually — these will be optimally auto-assigned when none are provided. ## Configure the AWS PrivateLink service 1. Retrieve the AWS principal for the AWS PrivateLink connection you just created: ```mzsql SELECT principal FROM mz_aws_privatelink_connections plc JOIN mz_connections c ON plc.id = c.id WHERE c.name = 'privatelink_svc'; ``` ``` principal --------------------------------------------------------------------------- arn:aws:iam::664411391173:role/mz_20273b7c-2bbe-42b8-8c36-8cc179e9bbc3_u1 ``` Follow the instructions in the [AWS PrivateLink documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/privatelink/add-endpoint-service-permissions.html) to configure your VPC endpoint service to accept connections from the provided AWS principal. 1. If your AWS PrivateLink service is configured to require acceptance of connection requests, you must manually approve the connection request from Materialize after executing `CREATE CONNECTION`. For more details, check the [AWS PrivateLink documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/privatelink/configure-endpoint-service.html#accept-reject-connection-requests). **Note:** It might take some time for the endpoint service connection to show up, so you would need to wait for the endpoint service connection to be ready before you create a source. ## Validate the AWS PrivateLink connection Validate the AWS PrivateLink connection you created using the [`VALIDATE CONNECTION`](/sql/validate-connection) command: ```mzsql VALIDATE CONNECTION privatelink_svc; ``` If no validation error is returned, move to the next step. ## Create a source connection In Materialize, create a source connection that uses the AWS PrivateLink connection you just configured: ```mzsql CREATE CONNECTION pg_connection TO POSTGRES ( HOST 'instance.foo000.us-west-1.rds.amazonaws.com', PORT 5432, DATABASE postgres, USER postgres, PASSWORD SECRET pgpass, AWS PRIVATELINK privatelink_svc ); ``` This PostgreSQL connection can then be reused across multiple [`CREATE SOURCE`](https://materialize.com/docs/sql/create-source/postgres/) statements. **MySQL on AWS:** > **Note:** Materialize provides a Terraform module that automates the creation and > configuration of AWS resources for a PrivateLink connection. For more details, > see the [Terraform module repository](https://github.com/MaterializeInc/terraform-aws-rds-privatelink). 1. #### Create target groups Create a dedicated [target group](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/create-target-group.html) for your RDS instance with the following details: a. Target type as **IP address**. b. Protocol as **TCP**. c. Port as **3306**, or the port that you are using in case it is not 3306. d. Make sure that the target group is in the same VPC as the RDS instance. e. Click next, and register the respective RDS instance to the target group using its IP address. 1. #### Verify security groups and health checks Once the target groups have been created, make sure that the [health checks](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/target-group-health-checks.html) are passing and that the targets are reported as healthy. If you have set up a security group for your RDS instance, you must ensure that it allows traffic on the health check port. **Remarks**: a. Network Load Balancers do not have associated security groups. Therefore, the security groups for your targets must use IP addresses to allow traffic. b. You can't use the security groups for the clients as a source in the security groups for the targets. Therefore, the security groups for your targets must use the IP addresses of the clients to allow traffic. For more details, check the [AWS documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/target-group-register-targets.html). 1. #### Create a Network Load Balancer (NLB) Create a [Network Load Balancer](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/create-network-load-balancer.html) that is **enabled for the same subnets** that the RDS instance is in. 1. #### Create TCP listeners Create a [TCP listener](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/elasticloadbalancing/latest/network/create-listener.html) for your RDS instance that forwards to the corresponding target group you created. 1. #### Create a VPC endpoint service Create a VPC [endpoint service](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/privatelink/create-endpoint-service.html) and associate it with the **Network Load Balancer** that you’ve just created. Note the **service name** that is generated for the endpoint service. 1. #### Create an AWS PrivateLink connection In Materialize, create an [AWS PrivateLink connection](/sql/create-connection/#aws-privatelink) that references the endpoint service that you created in the previous step. ↕️ **In-region connections** To connect to an AWS PrivateLink endpoint service in the **same region** as your Materialize environment: ```mzsql CREATE CONNECTION privatelink_svc TO AWS PRIVATELINK ( SERVICE NAME 'com.amazonaws.vpce..vpce-svc-', AVAILABILITY ZONES ('use1-az1', 'use1-az2', 'use1-az4') ); ``` - Replace the `SERVICE NAME` value with the service name you noted earlier. - Replace the `AVAILABILITY ZONES` list with the IDs of the availability zones in your AWS account. For in-region connections the availability zones of the NLB and the consumer VPC **must match**. To find your availability zone IDs, select your database in the RDS Console and click the subnets under **Connectivity & security**. For each subnet, look for **Availability Zone ID** (e.g., `use1-az6`), not **Availability Zone** (e.g., `us-east-1d`). ↔️ **Cross-region connections** To connect to an AWS PrivateLink endpoint service in a **different region** to the one where your Materialize environment is deployed: ```mzsql CREATE CONNECTION privatelink_svc TO AWS PRIVATELINK ( SERVICE NAME 'com.amazonaws.vpce.us-west-1.vpce-svc-', -- For now, the AVAILABILITY ZONES clause **is** required, but will be -- made optional in a future release. AVAILABILITY ZONES () ); ``` - Replace the `SERVICE NAME` value with the service name you noted earlier. - The service name region refers to where the endpoint service was created. You **do not need** to specify `AVAILABILITY ZONES` manually — these will be optimally auto-assigned when none are provided. ## Configure the AWS PrivateLink service 1. Retrieve the AWS principal for the AWS PrivateLink connection you just created: ```mzsql SELECT principal FROM mz_aws_privatelink_connections plc JOIN mz_connections c ON plc.id = c.id WHERE c.name = 'privatelink_svc'; ``` ``` principal --------------------------------------------------------------------------- arn:aws:iam::664411391173:role/mz_20273b7c-2bbe-42b8-8c36-8cc179e9bbc3_u1 ``` Follow the instructions in the [AWS PrivateLink documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/privatelink/add-endpoint-service-permissions.html) to configure your VPC endpoint service to accept connections from the provided AWS principal. 1. If your AWS PrivateLink service is configured to require acceptance of connection requests, you must manually approve the connection request from Materialize after executing `CREATE CONNECTION`. For more details, check the [AWS PrivateLink documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/privatelink/configure-endpoint-service.html#accept-reject-connection-requests). **Note:** It might take some time for the endpoint service connection to show up, so you would need to wait for the endpoint service connection to be ready before you create a source. ## Validate the AWS PrivateLink connection Validate the AWS PrivateLink connection you created using the [`VALIDATE CONNECTION`](/sql/validate-connection) command: ```mzsql VALIDATE CONNECTION privatelink_svc; ``` If no validation error is returned, move to the next step. ## Create a source connection In Materialize, create a source connection that uses the AWS PrivateLink connection you just configured: ```mzsql CREATE CONNECTION mysql_connection TO MYSQL ( HOST , PORT 3306, USER 'materialize', PASSWORD SECRET mysqlpass, SSL MODE REQUIRED, AWS PRIVATELINK privatelink_svc ); ``` This MySQL connection can then be reused across multiple [`CREATE SOURCE`](https://materialize.com/docs/sql/create-source/mysql/) statements. ## Related pages - [`CREATE SECRET`](/sql/create-secret) - [`CREATE CONNECTION`](/sql/create-connection) - [`CREATE SOURCE`: Kafka](/sql/create-source/kafka) - Integration guides: [Self-hosted PostgreSQL](/ingest-data/postgres/self-hosted/), [Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL](/ingest-data/postgres/amazon-rds/), [Self-hosted Kafka](/ingest-data/kafka/kafka-self-hosted), [Amazon MSK](/ingest-data/kafka/amazon-msk), [Redpanda Cloud](/ingest-data/redpanda/redpanda-cloud/)