A cloud server is created in a few minutes in the provider's control panel: you choose an operating system image, a size, and a region, then get an IP address and access to the server.
What to decide before creating one
Before clicking "create," it is worth settling on four parameters — they can be changed later, but part of the setup will have to be redone.
| Parameter | What it affects | How to choose |
|---|---|---|
| operating system | package set and administration style | the one you already have experience with |
| size (vCPU, memory, disk) | performance headroom under load | based on the project's expected load, with room to grow |
| data center region | latency to the site's visitors | the one closest to the main audience |
| login method | security of the first connection | an SSH key instead of a password |
Creating it step by step
Button names differ from panel to panel, but the order of actions is always the same.
- choose an operating system image from the ready-made list;
- set the configuration — number of cores, amount of memory and disk;
- add a public SSH key or set a password for login;
- configure the network — a public address and, if needed, a private network;
- give the server a name to tell it apart from others in the panel.
First login and the first ten minutes
Right after getting access, it is worth doing a few things before the server carries any real workload.
- update the installed packages to current versions;
- create a separate non-root user for everyday work;
- turn on a firewall and close every port except the ones needed;
- set up SSH key login and disable password login.
adduser deploy # separate non-root user
ufw allow 22,80,443/tcp # allow only the needed ports
ufw enable # turn on the firewallHow a cloud server differs from a VPS in daily use
Formally a cloud server is also a virtual machine, but it has a different set of everyday capabilities.
A disk snapshot is made in one action in the panel and lets you roll back to a working version after a failed experiment. The server's size changes without reinstalling the system — memory or disk is added rather than a new server bought. Billing follows actual usage rather than a fixed period paid in advance. A detailed comparison with a regular VPS is in the article cloud server versus VPS.
Creating one through the API instead of by hand
When the number of servers grows or creating them repeats regularly, doing it by hand through the panel turns into routine work.
The provider's API lets you describe server parameters in a script and create identical servers on command — this removes manual-entry mistakes and speeds up repeating tasks such as test environments. How this works in practice is covered in the article setting up Hetzner Cloud servers through the API.
Common mistakes with a first server
Most problems with a new server repeat from one user to the next.
| Mistake | What it leads to |
|---|---|
| not saving the SSH key when creating the server | losing access to the server without reinstalling it |
| leaving password login enabled for root | the server gets attacked by password guessing within minutes |
| opening every port in the firewall | extra services become reachable from the whole internet |
| not setting up backups | there is nothing to restore data from after a failure |
| not taking a snapshot before an experiment | rolling back a mistake takes hours instead of minutes |
Frequently asked questions
What is a cloud server in simple words?
It is a virtual machine that is created and configured through the provider's control panel within minutes, rather than deployed by hand on physical hardware. Resources are drawn from a shared pool, so the size can be changed without moving to different physical hardware.
How do you connect to a cloud server?
After creation the provider gives out the server's public IP address. The connection is made over SSH the same way as to a regular VPS: with the key set during creation, or with a password if no key was added at that step.
How is a cloud server better than regular hosting?
On regular hosting, access is limited to the provider's panel and its rules. A cloud server gives full control over the operating system: you can install any software, open arbitrary ports, and configure the server for a specific task rather than a hosting template.
Can the server be resized later?
Yes, this is one of the main advantages of a cloud server over a physical one: memory, disk, and core count change through the panel without moving data to new hardware. Usually the server needs to be rebooted once for the changes to take effect.
What to do next
The server is created and reachable — next it is worth closing it off right away with basic security rules and setting up backups, rather than putting that off for later.