Linking resource instances to virtual network in provider network environments

A system, comprising:

• one or more computing devices implementing one or more services in a provider network, wherein the one or more services provide one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) accessible to clients of the provider network;
• a client virtual network implemented on the provider network according to input obtained from a client via the APIs, wherein the client virtual network contains resource instances comprising a subset of a plurality of resource instances of the provider network, wherein the client virtual network is configured to route Internet Protocol (IP) packets to IP addresses via the client virtual network;
• a client resource instance implemented on a host device in the provider network according to input obtained from the client via the APIs, wherein a private IP address is assigned to the client resource instance, and wherein the client resource instance is not in the client virtual network;
• wherein the host device is configured to:
• enable private IP linking for the client virtual network according to input obtained from the client via the APIs, wherein said enabling configures the client virtual network to also route IP packets via the client virtual network to one or more endpoints on the provider network;
• and
• link the client resource instance to the client virtual network according to additional input obtained from the client via the APIs, wherein said linking adds the private IP address of the client resource instance to an access control of the client virtual network so that the client resource instance can access the one or more endpoints via the client virtual network according to private IP.

A method, comprising:

• providing one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) to clients of a provider network;
• implementing a client virtual network on the provider network according to input obtained from a client via the APIs, wherein the client virtual network contains resource instances comprising a subset of a plurality of resource instances of the provider network, and wherein the client virtual network is configured to route Internet Protocol (IP) packets to IP addresses via the client virtual network;
• implementing a client resource instance on the provider network according to input obtained from the client via the APIs, wherein a private IP address is assigned to the client resource instance, and wherein the client resource instance is not in the client virtual network;
• enabling private IP linking for the client virtual network according to input obtained from the client via the APIs, wherein said enabling configures the client virtual network to also route IP packets via the client virtual network to one or more endpoints on the provider network;
• and
• linking the client resource instance to the client virtual network according to additional input obtained from the client via the APIs, wherein said linking adds the private IP address of the client resource instance to an access control of the client virtual network so that the client resource instance can access the one or more endpoints via the client virtual network.