How to Create and Configure a VPC in Thalassa Cloud

Below is a streamlined guide on how to create and configure a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) in Thalassa Cloud. This tutorial covers the typical networking tasks involved—from setting up a VPC and subnets to configuring NAT gateways and routing, and finally, creating VM instances.

Overview

A Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) is a logically isolated network in Thalassa Cloud where you can launch and manage your resources securely. In this guide, you will:

1. Create a VPC.
2. Create a subnet within that VPC.
3. (Optionally) Create a NAT Gateway for outbound Internet access.
4. Set the default route in your subnet’s route table.
5. Create VM instances in the configured VPC.

1. Creating a VPC

1. Navigate to the VPC section in the Thalassa Cloud dashboard or CLI.
2. Specify the name and CIDR block (for example, 10.0.0.0/16).
3. Confirm the creation. The system will provision the new VPC and provide you with an identifier.

Note: Choose a CIDR block large enough to accommodate all the subnets you plan to create.

2. Creating a Subnet

1. In your newly created VPC, open the “Create Subnet” option.
2. Specify the subnet’s CIDR block (for example, 10.0.1.0/24), ensuring it lies within the larger VPC CIDR range.
3. Associate the subnet with your VPC.
4. Confirm the creation. A unique subnet ID will be generated.

You can create multiple subnets—often one “public” subnet for NAT Gateways and one “private” subnet for internal VM instances.

3. Creating a NAT Gateway (When Needed)

A NAT Gateway allows instances in a private subnet to make outbound requests to the Internet without receiving inbound traffic.

When Do You Need a NAT Gateway?

• Older or traditional instance types might need to download an OS ISO from the Internet to boot or to install initial packages.
• Newer instance types can boot from images stored within Thalassa Cloud but still require Internet access for updates and security patches.

Steps

1. Allocate or select a public IP in Thalassa Cloud.
2. Create a NAT Gateway in your public subnet and attach the public IP.
3. Note the NAT Gateway’s ID for reference in route configuration.

4. Setting the Default Route in the Route Table

Each subnet in Thalassa Cloud has an associated route table that controls traffic flow. To allow traffic to exit through the NAT Gateway:

1. Locate the route table associated with your private subnet.
2. Add a route with a destination of 0.0.0.0/0 (i.e., all traffic).
3. Set the target to the NAT Gateway ID you created.

With this, instances in the private subnet can initiate outbound connections to the Internet while remaining shielded from direct inbound traffic.

5. Creating VM Instances

With your network configured, you can create VMs:

1. Select the VPC and subnet where the VM should run.
2. Choose an instance type and confirm if a NAT Gateway is needed.
3. Pick an OS image (or indicate if the instance must pull an ISO externally).
4. Set up security groups (firewall rules) for the instance.
5. (Optional) Attach a public IP if the VM itself needs direct inbound Internet access.

When the VM launches, any required downloads (packages, patches, etc.) will traverse the NAT Gateway if it resides in a private subnet without a public IP.

Key Takeaways

• VPC Isolation: Your resources are securely contained within a private network.
• Subnets: Separate your network into different tiers—public for NAT Gateways and load balancers, private for databases and internal services.
• NAT Gateway: Needed for outbound-only Internet access (ISO downloads, package installations, etc.).
• Route Tables: Set 0.0.0.0/0 to route through the NAT Gateway for Internet-bound traffic.
• Instance Types:
  • Older: May require external ISO downloads to boot.
  • Newer: Typically use pre-cached images but still need outbound Internet for updates.