NOTE: Cloud Networks is production ready but will be available to customers in a phased release. Therefore, it might not be visible when you log into the Cloud Control Panel. To request access to Cloud Networks now, click here.

About Cloud Networks

Cloud Networks lets you create a virtual Layer 2 network, which gives you greater control and security when you deploy web applications. When you create a Next Generation Cloud Server, Cloud Networks allows you it to attach one or more of the following networks to your server:

PublicNet

Provides access to the Internet, Rackspace services such as Cloud Monitoring, Managed Cloud Support, RackConnect, Cloud Backup, and certain operating system updates.

ServiceNet

Provides access to Rackspace services such as Cloud Files, Cloud Databases, Cloud Backup, and certain packages and patches through an internal only, multi-tenant network connection within each Rackspace data center.

Note that you can use ServiceNet for inter-server communication. For example, communications among web servers, application servers, and database servers can occur over ServiceNet without incurring bandwidth charges. However, without an isolated network, you'll need security rules to protect data integrity. When you add or remove a server, the security rules on individual servers must be updated to permit or deny connections from newly added servers or removed servers.

Isolated

Enables you to deloy web applications on a virtual Layer 2 network that you create through Cloud Networks. Keeps your server separate from PublicNet, ServiceNet, or both.

Attaching Networks

The networks that are attached to your server depend on which method you use to provision it.

When using the Cloud Networks API, you must specify the networks you want to attach to your server. If you do not specify any networks, the server is attached to ServiceNet and PublicNet by default. However, if you specify an isolated network, you must explicitly specify PublicNet and ServiceNet.

If you are using the Cloud Control Panel, you create the isolated network during the server creation process. PublicNet and ServiceNet are automatically attached by default, however, you can also disable these networks.

Using Cloud Networks

You can use the Cloud Control Panel or the Cloud Servers API to manage Cloud Networks. This section provides links to both Cloud Control Panel help articles and API developer resources.

Using the Control Panel with Cloud Networks

Attach an Isolated Network to a New Cloud Server

Remove Networks From a Cloud Server

Attach an Isolated Network to an Existing Cloud Server

CIDR Notation

Using the Cloud Networks API

Cloud Networks Release Notes

Cloud Networks Getting Started

Cloud Networks API Developers Guide