Creating a Cloud Server
Learn how to provision, configure, and deploy your first virtual private server (VPS) on CloudNexus. This guide covers both the web console and CLI methods, along with essential post-deployment configuration.
Prerequisites
Before creating a server, ensure you have the following:
- An active CloudNexus account with verified billing (or free credits)
- SSH key pair generated locally (
ssh-keygen -t ed25519) - CloudNexus CLI installed and authenticated (
cnx auth login)
Method 1: Web Console
The CloudNexus dashboard provides a visual, step-by-step workflow for server creation.
Access the Compute Dashboard
Navigate to Compute → Servers in the left sidebar and click the + Create Server button. You'll be redirected to the provisioning wizard.
Configure Base Settings
Select your preferred region, naming convention, and operating system template. CloudNexus supports Ubuntu 22.04/24.04, Debian 12, CentOS Stream, Alpine, and custom cloud-init images.
Select Hardware Plan
Choose a compute tier based on your workload. All plans include NVMe storage, 10 Gbps network, and DDoS protection by default.
| Plan | vCPU | RAM | NVMe | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 2 | 4 GB | 80 GB | $19.00 |
| Professional | 8 | 32 GB | 320 GB | $79.00 |
| Enterprise | 32 | 128 GB | 1 TB | $249.00 |
Configure Network & Security
Assign the server to a VPC/subnet, attach firewall rules, and upload your SSH public key. CloudNexus enforces key-based authentication only for enhanced security.
Deploy & Verify
Click Deploy Server. The instance will provision in ~15 seconds. Once the status changes to Running, note the primary IPv4 address for connection.
Method 2: CloudNexus CLI
For automation and infrastructure-as-code workflows, use the official CLI. The command below provisions a server matching the console configuration:
# Provision a production-ready VPS
cnx server create \
--name prod-web-01 \
--plan professional \
--region us-east-1 \
--image ubuntu-24.04-x64 \
--ssh-key ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub \
--vpc vpc-a1b2c3d4 \
--tags env=prod,team=backendprod-web-01 (ID: srv-8f3x92) is ready. Connect via: ssh root@203.0.113.42
Post-Deployment Configuration
Once connected, we recommend running these initial security hardening steps:
- Update system packages:
apt update && apt upgrade -y - Create a non-root sudo user and disable root SSH login
- Configure UFW firewall to allow only SSH (22), HTTP (80), and HTTPS (443)
- Enable automatic security updates via
unattended-upgrades - Install CloudNexus agent for monitoring:
curl -sSL https://agent.cnx.io | bash
Troubleshooting
SSH Connection Timed Out
If you can't connect within 2 minutes after deployment:
- Verify your firewall allows port 22 inbound
- Check if the server is attached to a public subnet with NAT gateway
- Confirm your SSH key matches the one uploaded during creation
Server Fails to Boot
Check the Console Output tab in the dashboard for kernel panic messages. Common causes include corrupted cloud-init configs or incompatible kernel modules.