Networking
Virtual Networks
Attach servers to virtual networks and configure VLANs and private addressing.
Virtual Networks connect your servers through native (untagged) or tagged attachments. Public networks carry IP blocks that can be shared across your servers; private networks let attached servers communicate using addresses you configure yourself. This guide sets up a private network.
Choose a private subnet that does not overlap existing networks and a unique address for each server. You need permission to manage networks and access to each server's OS.
Keep a remote console session available while changing a server's network configuration.
Create and attach
- Open Virtual Networks in the cloud console.
- Select Create Virtual Network.
- Enter a name and choose Private under Public or private.
- Leave VLAN ID on automatic unless your configuration requires a specific available ID.
- Select Create virtual network. You can choose servers during creation or attach them afterward.
A private network does not allocate IP addresses or a public gateway. Configure the private addresses yourself inside the attached servers.
Attach servers
Open the network using Manage, then select Attach server. Choose a server, its Interface, and how to attach it:
| Attachment | Configure inside the server |
|---|---|
| Native (untagged) | Use the selected interface directly for this network. An interface can have only one native network. |
| Tagged | Create a VLAN interface using the network's VLAN ID on the selected parent interface. Several tagged networks can share a parent interface. |
Confirm with Attach server and wait for the attachment status to become Attached. Repeat for the other servers.
Configure the operating system
Check the interface names inside the operating system; they may differ from the labels in the console. On Linux, list them with:
ip -br link
ip -br addr
For a tagged attachment, configure the same VLAN ID shown in the console on the correct physical or bonded interface. For an untagged attachment, use that interface without adding a VLAN tag.
With Custom iPXE enabled, provisioning becomes untagged and all production networks are tagged, even those normally marked Native. Follow that guide to find the effective VLAN IDs and restore the normal layout afterward.
Assign the private address and subnet prefix you chose to each server. Keep these addresses unique and make the configuration persistent. A private interface used only for communication within that subnet does not need a default gateway.
Follow the instructions for your operating system:
- Netplan on Ubuntu.
- NetworkManager on RHEL-family systems.
- For Windows, configure the private interface's IPv4 properties; tagged networking also requires VLAN configuration supported by your NIC or virtualization setup.
Check connectivity
From one attached server, test the other server's private address. Replace PRIVATE_PEER_IP with that address:
ping PRIVATE_PEER_IP
A reply confirms reachability. If ping fails, check attachment status, parent interface, VLAN ID, subnet prefix, duplicate addresses, and host-firewall rules. A firewall can block ping while allowing an application, so also test the service you intend to use.
See Set up virtual networks through the API for scripted creation and attachment. The operating-system configuration is still required.
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