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To allow other Azure services to access a SQL server, it is essential to configure the firewall settings specifically for Azure services. When a SQL server is provisioned in Azure, it has a built-in firewall that blocks all connections by default, protecting the server from unauthorized access.
By enabling firewall rules for Azure services, you permit trusted services within Azure to connect to your SQL server. This setting ensures that services like Azure App Service, Azure Functions, and others can securely interact with the SQL databases without needing to make changes to the SQL server itself or requiring additional configurations, such as IP address changes.
This approach enhances security by allowing access only to specific Azure services while still maintaining a strong restriction against external, unauthorized connections. Other configurations, such as multi-factor authentication or specific database-level security settings, serve different purposes and aren't primarily aimed at providing access for Azure services to the SQL server.