Assign a floating IP

A floating IP is a public IPv4 address that you keep on your account and point at any of your servers. You can move it from one server to another without changing the address, for example when you replace a server. It is billed by the hour, from the moment you allocate it until you release it.

Before you start

• The server needs an interface on a network that is connected to a public network. See Create a network.
• You need the View Networking permission to see floating IPs. Allocating, pointing and releasing them is open to the account owner, and to members with permission to manage IP addresses.
• Each floating IP uses one address from your public IPv4 allowance.

Allocate a floating IP

1. In the side menu, open Infrastructure, then select Floating IPs under Networking.
2. Select Allocate Floating IP.
3. If you have more than one, choose the Public Network the address comes from.
4. Read the price and your allowance in the dialog:
   • Price shows the cost per hour, and the cost for 30 days at that rate.
   • Public IPv4 Allowance shows how many addresses you use and how many are left.
5. Select Allocate Floating IP.

You see Floating IP allocated, and the new address appears in the list with the status Not In Use.

Point it at a server

1. In the address’s row menu, select Associate with Server.
2. In Server, choose the server. Only servers that can take the address are listed.
3. Confirm. You see Floating IP associated.

The row now shows the server’s private address under Private IP, and the status turns Active. Traffic to the floating IP reaches that server.

To move the address to another server, select Disassociate, then associate it with the new server. You keep the address, and keep paying for it, between the two steps.

Read the list

Each row shows:

• Address: the public IPv4 address, for example 203.0.113.25.
• Status: Active when it points at a server, Not In Use when it points at nothing.
• Private IP: the private address of the server it points at, or Not Attached.
• Reverse DNS: the name returned when someone looks up the address.
• Address Pool: the public range the address comes from.
• Created: when you allocated it.

Set its reverse DNS

Reverse DNS, also called a PTR record, maps the address back to a name, such as mail.example.com. Mail servers often check it.

1. In the Reverse DNS column, select the pencil next to the address.
2. In PTR Value, type a full host name, such as mail.example.com. You can also select Use Server Hostname or Use Default Name.
3. Select Save Changes. You see PTR record saved.

The name you choose should also resolve forward to the address. If it doesn’t, you see Reverse DNS Not Confirmed. If the change isn’t live in DNS yet, you see Saved, Not Live Yet. An address with no name shows No PTR Record Set.

Share an address between servers

A reserved address is a public IPv4 address that several servers on one network can share, for failover with tools such as keepalived or VRRP. It appears in the Reserved Addresses card on the same tab.

1. Select Reserve Address.
2. Choose the Network. It must be connected to a public network.
3. Confirm. You see Address reserved.
4. On the new row, select Use on Server for each server that may send from the address. The server still has to bring the address up itself.

The card lists each Address, its Shared Address (the private address behind it), Used By, Status and Created. A reserved address is billed by the hour, like any public IP, until you release it. To stop a server using it, select Stop Using.

Manage the floating IP

Select an address to open its page. There you read what it points at, its reverse DNS, pool, router and price, and point it, move it or release it. See Manage a floating IP.

Release a floating IP

1. In the row menu, select Release Floating IP. If the address still points at a server, the item is Disassociate and Release.
2. Confirm.

You see Floating IP released. Billing stops at once, and the address may go to someone else. You can’t get the same address back.

If something goes wrong

• Your allowance for public IPv4 addresses is used up, so no more can be allocated. Release an address you don’t use, or open a support ticket to raise your allowance.
• No server of yours can take it yet. Connect a network to a public network, and put the server on that network.
• None of your networks is connected to a public network yet. Connect one on the Networks tab first.
• Price Not Set means the price for this pool isn’t published yet. Contact support before you allocate.