Networking in CloudFlex

Networking provides the foundation for communication within your CloudFlex environment, enabling your servers, applications, and services to connect securely with each other and external networks. Using CloudFlex networking features, you can create private networks and subnets and configure routers.

This section explains how to configure and manage the networking components available within your project, helping you build secure, reliable, and scalable network infrastructure for your workloads.

1. Create a Network

Create a Network

To Create a network, first, login to your account and create or locate an existing project, a guide for this can be found here. see - Getting Started with CloudFlex if required.

Once you have selected your project from within the portal,

Select Networking from the left hand menu

Check that the Networks tab is selected on the top Tool Bar

Networks highlighted on the top tool bar

Select Create Network

Create Network option within the Cloudflex portal

You will be presented with a Create network page, Enter the details of the network that you want to create.

Name
Description

Name and description fields highlighted for your new network

Enable Subnet
Enable Gateway
Enable Custom Gateway IP
Enter your desired gateway IP e.g. 10.10.10.254
Enable DHCP
Enter your desired network CIDR with / notaton e.g. 10.10.10.0/24

Enable the settings for the new network

Set your IP Allocation Pools

Start IP: e.g. 10.10.10.1
End IP: e.g. 10.10.10.100
Add DNS Servers e.g.
- 212.23.3.100
- 212.23.6.100
Note: Select + Add DNS Server to add multiple DNS

Allocation Pools for your new network

Select Create Network at the bottom of the page

Your new network should now be created e.g.

Your New Network in CloudFlex that has been created

2. Subnets

Subnets are attached to Networks to specify the IP range for the network. Completing the above steps will have created a subnet with your CIDR/Gateway IP.

You can confirm this by selecting the Subnet option from the top tool bar on your newly created network:

The new subnet on the top tool bar when a new network has been created.

Select the Subnet Name

The name of the network to open the Subnet Details

This will open the Subnet details for this network, you can update the subnet details if required by selecting the Update Subnet option located at the top right hand corner.

Update Subnet Details option for you network.

If you need additional Subnets.

NOTE: you will need a network for this to be attached

Go to Networking > Subnets > Create subnet

Create a additional subnets on a network

Enter the details of the new subnet you want to create.

Name
Network e.g. public-network
Network Address with / notation e.g. 192.168.200.0/24

New Subnet showing, Name, Network and Network CIRD Address

IP Version IPV4
Gateway Enabled
Custom Gateway IP Enabled
Gateway IP e.g. 192.168.200.254
Enable DHCP Enabled

New Subnet IP Version 4, Gateway Details and DHCP enabled

Set your IP Allocation Pools

Start IP: e.g. 192.168.200.1
End IP: e.g. 192.168.200.10
Add DNS Servers e.g.
- 212.23.3.100
- 212.23.6.100

New Subnet Allocation Pools for Start, End IP addresses and DNS servers.

Then select Create Subnet located at the bottom of this page

Your additional Subnet should now be created.

3. Routers

Routers are used to allow connectivity into your environment, A router will be allocated a Public IP.
That public IP will be used by servers on your network for access to the internet unless you assign a Floating IP, in that instance your server will use the Floating IP.

NOTE: security groups are required to allow connectivity.

3.1: Creating a Router

Select: Networking > Routers > Create Router

Enter a name >
Select an external network e.g. public-network
Select Create Router

New Router Name, External Network and Create router option at the bottom

Once the Router is created it will open a router page,

Your New router Page that has been created.

3.2: Adding an Interface

You will need to connect it to your Network by adding a Interface located on this screen.

If you need to locate this page to add the interface from the left side menu,

Select Networking > Routers > Router Name > Add Interface

Add Interface to New router option in CloudFlex

Select the Subnet from the drop down menu you want to use

Select the Subnet from the drop down menu

Select Add Interface

Confirm this is attached in Networking > Routers > Router Name

New Interface Attached to the router shown as active.

4. Floating IPs

Floating IPs

Floating IP’s are used to allow inbound connectivity to a server and are combined with Security Groups to allow connectivity.

4.1: Create a floating IP

Select Networking > Floating IPs > Create Floating IP

Create a Floating IP in CloudFlex, Networking, Floating IP then Create Floating IP.

Select the Pool you wish to obtain a Public IP from e.g. public-network

Enter a description and select Create
- note that the price per month is shown also

Add the Floating IP once the pool and description is entered by selecting Create.

Your floating IP should appear once created

Floating IP page showing Assigned IP from Pool.

4.2: Assign a floating IP

To assign a floating IP, a server needs to be created. See section - 1. Create a Server

If you have already created your server,

Select Servers > Server name

Select Networking > Assign floating IP

Choose a value for the Floating IP
Choose a value for the Port Server IP e.g.10.10.10.4

5. Security Groups

Security groups are applied to a server and act as the firewall rules, allowing specific connectivity on that servers port.

Note: When you create a server, you will be prompted to setup a Security Group (see section - Create a Server), you can create additional security groups if required.

5.1: Creating Security Groups:

Select Networking > Security Groups > Create Security Group

Locating Security Groups in the CloudFlex Portal.

Type a Name > Description then select Create Security Group e.g. SSH from Head Office

Create a Security Group enter Name and Description boxes then select Create Security Group.

5.2: Adding Rules to a Security Group:

Next you will need to add rules to the group

Select Networking > Security Groups > Security Group Name e.g. SSH from Head Office

Locate the Security Group to add a Rule.

Select Add Rule

Add Rule to a Security Group with Add Rule highlighted.

Enter The required rule. below is an example from SSH from the head office
- NOTE: ensure the CIDR field is in / notation e.g. x.x.x.x/24

Example Security Rules for the security group with add rule located at the bottom.

Once you have entered your rules for the Security group select Add Rule
- Add any additional ingress rules or enter more restrictive egress rules if needed as it defaults to allowing everything out.

5.3: Assigning Security Groups: