How to create a Public Cloud instance and connect to it

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How to create a Public Cloud instance and connect to it


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Objective

Public Cloud instances are easy to deploy and manage. However, being part of the OVHcloud Public Cloud ecosystem, instances offer many configuration options and can be adjusted to different use cases. The following instructions include all the necessary and optional steps to create an instance in the OVHcloud Control Panel and access it remotely.
You can then go further with your Public Cloud project according to your needs.

This guide explains how to get started with a Public Cloud instance.

Requirements

Take advantage of reduced prices by committing to a period of 1 to 36 months on your Public Cloud resources. More information on our Savings Plans page.

Instructions

If you have not created a Public Cloud project yet, start with our guide on how to create a project.

Important technical details about the OVHcloud Public Cloud are available on this guide page.

Content overview

You need to provide a public SSH key when creating Public Cloud instances in the OVHcloud Control Panel. After the instance is created you can configure your remote access at your own discretion.

Exception: Login authentication on Windows instances requires username and password because Windows uses RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol).

Step 1: Create an SSH key set

If you already have an SSH key pair ready to use, you can skip this step.

The SSH protocol enables encrypted client-server communication. An SSH key pair consists of a public key and a private key.

  • The public key is added to your Public Cloud instance (and can also be stored in the OVHcloud Control Panel).
  • The private key is stored on your local device and must be secured from unauthorized access. Only client devices with the matching private key can access your instance. A user account password is not required to connect.

You have 2 options to create and manage your SSH keys:

  • Command line interface of your OS (basic OpenSSH client)
  • Additional software (compatible with the OpenSSH protocol) with a command line or graphical interface

Most contemporary desktop operating systems natively include the OpenSSH client which can be accessed through the system's command line application (cmd, Powershell, Terminal, etc.). If you are not familiar with using SSH keys as an authentication method, you can use the instructions in this guide to get started and create your key pair.

If you use an alternative software, refer to its user documentation. A usage example for the open-source solution PuTTY is available in our guide: How to use PuTTY.

Step 2: Import SSH keys

You can store your public SSH keys in the Public Cloud section of the OVHcloud Control Panel. This is not mandatory but makes the instance creation process more convenient.

Stored SSH keys help you to create your instances faster in the OVHcloud Control Panel. To change key pairs and add users once an instance is created, please refer to the guide on additional SSH keys.

Public SSH keys added to your OVHcloud Control Panel will be available for Public Cloud services of all regions. You can store keys encrypted with RSA, ECDSA and ED25519.

Log in to the OVHcloud Control Panel, go to the Public Cloud section and select the Public Cloud project concerned.

control panel

Open SSH Keys in the left-hand menu under Settings. Click on the button Add an SSH key.

ssh keys

In the new window, enter a name for the key. Fill in the Key field with your public key string, for example the one created in Step 1. Confirm by clicking Add.

add key

You can now select this key in Step 4 to add it to a new instance.

Step 3: Prepare the network configuration

Before creating your instance, we recommend to consider the way the instance will be used in terms of networking.

  • If you do not need to configure the instance with a private network at this time, you can proceed with step 4. You can create an instance exposed to the public Internet. (See Public Mode below.)
  • If the instance needs to be connected to a new private network (OVHcloud vRack), please note that the vRack is created automatically when you create your Public Cloud project. No prior action is therefore required. For more information, see the Public Cloud vRack guide.

Public Cloud Networking - Modes

Public Mode

Instances in Public Mode are exposed to the public Internet directly via IPv4/IPv6. IP addresses cannot be modified but instances can have Additional IP addresses attached (including your own) and they can be connected to a vRack.

Private Mode

Instances in Private Mode can only be exposed to the public Internet via a Gateway or a Load Balancer service and Floating IP addresses.

For more information, please consult our guides in the Public Cloud Network Services section. The Concepts guide provides an introduction to Public Cloud Networking.

Local Private Mode

Local Private Mode only applies if you create an instance in a Local Zone. They can be exposed to the public Internet directly via IPv4/IPv6. Only instances in the same Local Zone can be connected via private networks. Local Zones are not compatible with vRack. In this mode, DHCP automatically provides IP addresses to your instances.

Find out more on the Local Zones web page.

Step 4: Create the instance

A public SSH key is required when creating an instance in the OVHcloud Control Panel (except for Windows instances).

Refer to step 1 and step 2 in this guide if you do not have any SSH keys ready to use.

Log in to the OVHcloud Control Panel, go to the Public Cloud section, and select the relevant Public Cloud project.

On the Home page, click Create an instance.

Step 4.1: Instance Name

Enter a full name for your instance. The commercial reference of the instance model is the default value. If necessary, you can also add the region and date to facilitate the identification and management of your instances.

Step 4.2: Select a location

Select a location closest to your users or customers. Note that if you select a Local Zone in this step, network limitations will apply to the instance (see Step 3).

Also refer to the information on the Local Zones web page and the Local Zones capabilities documentation.

The choice of region determines how your instance is deployed (1-AZ, 3-AZ, or Local Zones). To understand the differences in terms of resilience, availability, and architecture, see our guide Deployment Mode Comparison and Resilience – Understanding 3-AZ / 1-AZ / Local Zones.

Step 4.3: Select a model

At this stage, you choose the instance model (also known as flavor), which determines the resources allocated to your instance: processor, memory, and associated capabilities. Open the Instance Model drop-down list, then select the model type that best suits your use case to access our range of optimized instances.

The Discovery model type brings together instances with shared resources, offered at competitive prices. They are particularly well suited for discovering the OVHcloud Public Cloud, performing tests, or hosting light workloads such as web applications.

Metal Instances models offer fully dedicated physical resources, guaranteeing consistent performance and maximum isolation for the most demanding workloads.

Your total Public Cloud resources will initially be limited for cost control and security reasons. You can check these quotas by clicking on Quota & Regions in the left navigation bar under Settings. See the dedicated documentation for more information.

Note that you can upgrade your instance after creation to have more resources available. However, downgrading to a smaller model is not possible with a regular instance. You can find more information on this topic in step 4.9 below.

Additional information
Instance model categories
TypeGuaranteed ResourcesUsage notes
Best Sellers✓Most popular models.
General Purpose✓Development servers, web or business applications
Compute Optimized✓Video encoding or other high-performance computing
Memory Optimized✓Databases, analysis, and in-memory calculations
GPU✓Massively parallel processing power for specialized applications (rendering, big data, deep learning, etc.)
Discovery-Hosted on shared resources for testing and development environments
Storage Optimized✓Optimized for disk data transfer
Metal Instances✓Dedicated resources with direct access to compute, storage and network resources
Regions and Local Zones

Regions

A region is defined as a location in the world comprised of one or several data centres where OVHcloud services are hosted. You can find more information on regions, geographical division and availability of services on our region web page and our infrastructure web page.

Local Zones

Local Zones are an extension of regions that bring OVHcloud services closer to specific locations, offering reduced latency and improved performances for applications. You can find more information on the Local Zones web page and in the Local Zones capabilities documentation.

Step 4.4: Select an image

Open the Distribution Type drop-down list, select the category that corresponds to your needs, then choose the operating system to deploy on your instance using the Image Version drop-down menu.

The images available at this stage depend on the choices made in the previous stages, i.e., compatibility with the instance model and regional availability. For example, if you want to select a Windows operating system and there are no options in the Windows tab, you must change your choices from the previous stages.

If you choose an operating system that requires a paid license, these costs will be automatically included in the project invoice.

Step 4.5: Select an SSH key (not applicable to Windows instances)

With the exception of Windows instances, configuring your instance also requires adding a public SSH key. You have two options:

  • Use a public key already stored in the OVHcloud Control Panel
  • Enter a public key directly

Click on the tabs below to view their presentation:

  • Using a stored key
  • Enter a key directly

To add a key stored in your OVHcloud Control Panel (see Step 2), select it from the list.

To add a public key by pasting the key string, click the Create a new SSH Key button.

Enter a name for the key and the key string in the respective fields. Then click Validate the key.

Step 4.6: Configure backup settings

Automated backups are enabled by default. Review the pricing information and additional details before proceeding.

Next, select the rotation type, i.e., the maximum number of backups kept in the history: 7 or 14 days.

Step 4.7: Configure the network

In this step, you will configure the network for your instance.

Private network

You can connect your instance to a private network and assign it a floating IP.

By clicking on Create a private network, you can create one directly:

  • Name the network
  • Select the VLAN ID: identifier used to interconnect multiple services and resources within the same private network, via a common network segmentation number
  • Define the CIDR: range of IP addresses for the network
  • Enable DHCP by checking the corresponding box, if necessary: enable this option if you want IP addresses to be assigned automatically

The instance can remain fully private if you do not assign it a public IP address.

Gateway

You can enable the option to assign a gateway to your network. By default, the gateway is size S, but you can adjust its size later in the settings.

Assign public connectivity

You can enable or disable this feature as needed. If you choose to enable it, you have two options:

  • Basic Public IP: a temporary public IP address that does not persist beyond the lifetime of the instance. Note that using a Basic Public IP is not compatible with a gateway.
  • Floating IP: You can create a new Floating IP or reuse an existing address, allowing for a persistent public IP that can be detached from the instance.

Step 4.8: Select a billing period

Please note that, depending on the instance model you choose, hourly billing may be the only option displayed. This is a temporary limitation; new Public Cloud billing options will be available soon.

  • Monthly billing
  • Hourly billing

Monthly billing will result in lower costs over time, but cannot be changed to hourly billing once the instance has been created.

Hourly billing is the best choice if you have not clearly determined the length of the usage period. If you decide to keep the instance for long-term use, you can always switch to a monthly subscription.

The instance will be billed as long as it is not deleted, regardless of the actual usage of the instance.

Find details in our dedicated billing documentation:

Once you have finished configuring your instance, you can choose to click the Launch my instance button, or configure advanced settings (see below). It may take a few minutes for your service to be delivered.

Step 4.9: Configure advanced settings

Flexible instance

A Flex instance is a single 50 GB disk instance designed to offer faster snapshot creation and restoration.

It allows resizing to higher or lower models while maintaining fixed storage. Classic models only allow resizing to higher models.

Post-installation script

You can add your post-installation script in this field.

Step 4.10: Finalizing your instance

On the right side of your screen, you will find a summary of your configuration. In this section, you can configure the number of instances to be created. You can create multiple instances based on the selections made during the creation steps, but resource quota limits will apply.

Once you have finished configuring your instance, click the Launch my instance button. Delivery of your service may take a few minutes.

Step 5: Connect to the instance

The instructions in this part concern remote connections by means of the OpenSSH and RDP protocols through a public network (Internet).

Note that we provide alternative ways of access (mainly used for troubleshooting) which are only available via your OVHcloud Control Panel:

If you have installed an OS with application, refer to our guide on first steps with applications as well as the official documentation by the respective publisher.

5.1: Verify the instance status in the OVHcloud Control Panel

Log in to the OVHcloud Control Panel, go to the Public Cloud section and select the Public Cloud project concerned.

control panel

Select Instances in the left-hand navigation bar under Compute. Your instance is ready when the status is set to Enabled in the table. If the instance was recently created and has a different status, click on the "Refresh" button located next to the search filter.

instances page

Click on the instance's name in this table to open the Dashboard on which you can find all information about the instance. To learn more about the functions available on this page, consult our guide on managing instances in the Control Panel.

A user with elevated permissions (sudo) is automatically created on the instance. The username reflects the image installed, e.g "ubuntu", "debian", "fedora", etc. You can verify this on the right-hand side of the Dashboard in the section Networks.

instances page

If your SSH key pair is set up correctly, you can now connect to the instance with the preconfigured user and your SSH key. You can find more detailed instructions in the subsequent paragraphs.

Access via VNC console on a new GNU/Linux OS instance created in the Control Panel must be enabled first as described in the guide section below.

This guide does not cover private networking for instances. Please consult our documentation on Public Cloud Network Services regarding this topic.

5.2: First login on an instance with a GNU/Linux OS installed

If you receive error messages regarding your SSH keys, verify that your local device has a properly configured private SSH key using the information in this guide.
If you still encounter issues, you can replace the key pair with the help of this guide.

If you have created an instance without an SSH key, via the OVHcloud API or the OpenStack Horizon interface, you can only add an SSH key to your instance via rescue mode by following the instructions set out in this guide.

You can access your instance immediately after creation through the command line interface of your local device (Terminal, Command prompt, Powershell, etc.) via SSH.

ssh username@IPv4_instance

Example:

ssh ubuntu@203.0.113.101

Depending on your setup, you will have to enter a passphrase that protects your private key or specify the path to your key file. Consult our SSH keys guide for detailed information on this topic.

If you use an alternative SSH client software, refer to its user documentation. A usage example for the open-source solution PuTTY is available in this guide.

Continue with Step 6 below.

5.3: Windows instances

5.3.1: Finish the installation of the Windows instance

After verifying that the Windows instance is installed, open the tab VNC console in your OVHcloud Control Panel.

You will then need to complete the initial setup of your Windows OS. Follow the steps below by navigating through the tabs:

  • 1. Locale settings
  • 2. Administrator password
  • 3. Login screen
  • 4. Administrator login

Configure your country/region, the preferred Windows language, and your keyboard layout. Then click on the button Next at the bottom right.

VNC

Set a password for your Windows Administrator account and confirm it, then click on Finish.

VNC

Windows will apply your settings and then display the login screen. Click on the Send CtrlAltDel button in the top right corner to sign in.

VNC

Enter the Administrator password you have created in the previous step and click on the Arrow button.

VNC

5.3.2: Log in remotely from Windows

On your local Windows device, you can use the Remote Desktop Connection client application to connect to your instance.

rdp connection

Enter the IPv4 address of your instance, then your username and passphrase. Usually a warning message will appear, asking to confirm the connection because of an unknown certificate. Click on Yes to log in.

If you experience any issues with this procedure, verify that remote (RDP) connections are allowed on your device by checking your system settings, firewall rules and possible network restrictions.

5.3.3: Log in remotely from another OS

Connections from a desktop OS other than Windows usually require a client software compatible with the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). Some desktop environments and operating systems might have a native client built in.

Whichever client you are using, you only need the IP address of your instance and your password for the Administrator account to connect.

Example of use

The free and open-source software Remmina Remote Desktop Client is available for many GNU/Linux desktop distributions. If you do not find Remmina in your desktop environment's software manager, you can obtain it from the official website.

linux remote

  • 1. Connection
  • 2. Authentication
  • 3. Settings

Open Remmina and make sure the connection protocol is set to "RDP". Enter the IPv4 address of your Public Cloud instance and press Enter.

linux remote

If a certificate warning message appears, click on Yes. Enter the username and your password for Windows and click on OK to establish the connection.

linux remote

You can find some useful items in the left-hand toolbar. For example, click on the icon Toggle dynamic resolution update to improve the window resolution.

linux remote

5.4: VNC console access

The VNC console allows you to connect to your instances even when other means of access are not available.

Log in to the OVHcloud Control Panel, go to the Public Cloud section and select the Public Cloud project concerned.

control panel

Select Instances in the left-hand navigation bar under Compute. Click on the instance name and open the tab VNC console.

vnc console

  • Instance with a GNU/Linux OS installed
  • Windows instance

You will need to have a user account with a password configured on the instance in order to use the VNC console. To set a password for the preconfigured account, follow the steps in section 6.1.1 below.

Log in with your Windows credentials. If there is an active login session, you will have immediate access. There will be a noticeable latency compared to an RDP connection.

Step 6: First steps on a new instance

Windows instances

There are no additional steps required for instances with a Windows OS installed.

You can find more information in the Go further section below.

6.1: User management

When configuring user accounts and permission levels on an instance, we recommend to make use of the information in our user account guide.

6.1.1: Set a password for the current user account

When logged on to your instance, set a password for the current user by entering this command:

sudo passwd

Enter a passphrase, confirm with Enter and repeat.

New password: 
Retype new password:
passwd: password updated successfully

This is sufficient to enable logins via the VNC console in your OVHcloud Control Panel. Remote SSH logins with this password however are still disabled by default.

6.1.2: How to enable remote logins via password (optional)

This step is not necessary and should only be executed if you have a viable reason to enable this access type; for example if you need to temporarily log in to the instance from a device that does not have your private SSH key stored on it.

The following example illustrates a temporary solution on an instance with Ubuntu installed. Note that you might need to adjust the commands according to your OS. It is not recommended to keep this configuration permanently because it adds a potential security risk by opening the system to SSH-based attacks.

When logged on to your instance, open the pertinent configuration file with a text editor. Example:

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Edit the line #PasswordAuthentication yes as follows:

PasswordAuthentication yes

Edit the line Include /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/*.conf as follows:

#Include /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/*.conf

Save the file and close the editor.

Restart the SSH service with one of the following commands:

sudo systemctl restart ssh
sudo systemctl restart sshd

You can now log in via SSH with username and password as well.

Reverse these changes to return to the key-based login for the instance.

6.2: Additional SSH keys

If you want to allow more user accounts to access the instance, the standard procedure is as follows:

  • Create the account on the instance.
  • Create a new SSH key pair on the device concerned.
  • Add the public key to the instance.

Use our dedicated guide for a detailed explanation of these steps.

Go further

How to activate a Windows licence for an instance in private mode

How to reset a Windows Administrator password

Instance management in the Control Panel

How to get started with OpenStack

How to get started with Horizon

If you need training or technical assistance to implement our solutions, contact your sales representative or click on this link to get a quote and ask our Professional Services experts for a custom analysis of your project.

Join our community of users.

[1]: Limited ‘Public Cloud Free Trial’ special offer applicable to all first-time setup and use of a Public Cloud project. Both new and existing customers can request to use this special offer, provided that they have not already created a Public Cloud project in the past, whether it is still active or not. Special offer available from 30 June 2022, 23:00 BST. The voucher must be activated when the holder creates their first Public Cloud project. The voucher is only valid for the purchase of Public Cloud services provided by OVHcloud, purchased directly from OVHcloud via the website, in all available Public Cloud regions, excluding free offers and free beta testing services. This voucher cannot be used in conjunction with any other current special offers applicable to the services concerned, including the ‘Public Cloud Free Trial’ special offer. The voucher applies to standard, non-discounted public rates (as published on the OVHcloud website). The voucher’s value is listed in the publicly displayed currency for the market/country to which the Public Cloud account with the voucher is attached, excluding taxes, and can only be used to order services in the same currency. The voucher is valid for the purchase of services usually available in the market to which the NIC handle used is linked. The voucher is assigned to a specific natural or legal person who already has an OVHcloud customer account, and is linked to their OVHcloud NIC handle (unique ID). If the natural or legal person has several NICs, the voucher shall be attached to a single NIC. The voucher cannot then be linked to a different NIC handle, and only one voucher may be used. A single natural or legal person can only use one voucher, even if that person has several different NIC handles. In the event that the voucher is used by a NIC handle other than the NIC handle to which the voucher is attached, OVHcloud reserves the right to automatically cancel or terminate the services obtained as a result, without reissuing the voucher and without legal formality or compensation. The use of the voucher is subject to the full acceptance of these conditions, as well as the General and Special Terms and Conditions applicable to the services obtained. These terms and conditions can be viewed at https://www.ovhcloud.com/en/terms-and-conditions/contracts/ . By way of exception, the amounts issued from this voucher do not form part of the base monthly fee for services used in terms of service levels (SLAs) and associated extra charges — i.e. if the voucher holder uses an amount less than or equal to the voucher for a given month, no penalty will be paid for a breach of an SLA in the course of the service, while if the voucher holder uses a higher amount, only the amounts paid above the voucher value will be taken into account in calculating extra charges. The voucher is non-exchangeable, non-refundable, and non-redeemable, even partially. It may not be given away, sold or transferred in any capacity whatsoever to a third party, either free of charge or for a fee (it may not be transferred between separate legal entities of the same group of companies). The voucher can only be used for one Public Cloud project, but can be used in one or more instalments on the project, and can be used in conjunction with another payment method if required, until the balance is used up or the voucher’s validity period ends. To use this voucher, the holder must have a valid payment method saved in their OVHcloud customer account. Once the voucher has been activated in the holder’s customer account, it is valid for a period of one (1) month, and is automatically deducted from the bills linked to the Public Cloud project for which the voucher has been activated. The voucher is not replaceable in the event of loss, theft, destruction, end of validity or fraudulent use. Furthermore, in the event of non-compliance with these conditions or of fraudulent use (including one person using multiple vouchers), OVHcloud reserves the right to terminate the subscribed services using the vouchers, and/or cancel the vouchers, and the holder will in all cases be liable to pay the full amounts to OVHcloud for the services used, including the voucher amount, without prejudice to any compensation that OVHcloud may claim. Within the limits of what is authorised by the laws in force, OVHcloud’s responsibility for this special offer is limited to the voucher amount. The vouchers will be created and delivered by the OVH Groupe SA Affiliates companies (537 407 926 RCS Lille Métropole, 2 rue Kellermann, 59100 Roubaix, France), depending on which OVHcloud Groupe company the holder orders the Public Cloud service from using the voucher (this entity is named here as “OVHcloud”). For the purposes of these conditions, “Affiliates” are any company controlled by OVH Groupe SA, that controls OVH Groupe SA, or with which OVH Groupe SA is jointly controlled by a third party. The concept of control is understood in Article L233-3 of the French Commercial Code, control may be direct or indirect. Furthermore, the “OVHcloud Groupe” is defined as OVH Groupe SA and all its Affiliates. French law applies to these conditions, and any dispute that is not resolved through an amicable solution will be subject to the jurisdiction of the French courts.

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