What is the role of Azure Firewall?

The role of Azure Firewall is primarily to control and monitor traffic flow between Azure Virtual Networks and the internet. It is a cloud-native network security service that allows users to create, enforce, and log application and network connectivity policies across subscriptions and virtual networks. By performing these functions, Azure Firewall helps ensure that only legitimate traffic is allowed in and out of a virtual network, thereby protecting resources from unauthorized access and potential threats.

This solution also provides features such as threat intelligence, application-level filtering, and logging capabilities, which are essential for maintaining a secure environment. It operates at layer 3 (Network Layer) and layer 7 (Application Layer), offering granular control over both incoming and outgoing traffic based on policies defined by the user.

The remaining options do not accurately describe the specific functionalities that Azure Firewall provides. Encrypting sensitive information pertains to data protection and management rather than traffic control. Content delivery network services relate to optimizing the delivery of web content rather than managing firewall capabilities. Managing application performance is typically more aligned with performance monitoring tools and application performance management solutions rather than a firewall's direct capabilities.