What are Private Networks?

Private Networks are a managed cloud service allowing you to create layer 2 ethernet-switched domains.

These domains can also be called virtual LAN (VLAN). They are virtual but completely private local networks that securely connect your Scaleway resources without necessarily exposing them publicly. Scaleway resources including Instances, Elastic Metal servers, Load Balancers, and Databases are all compatible with Private Networks.

Can I connect multiple Private Networks on the same Scaleway resource?

Yes, you can configure multiple Private Networks on the same Scaleway resource. For example, in the case of Instances, you can connect multiple Private Networks to the same Instance. A virtual network interface is created for each Private Network the Instance is attached to. You can then bring up each of them as indicated in our documentation. For Elastic Metal, check out our documentation on configuring the network interface.

You can configure:

• Up to 8 Private Networks per Scaleway resource
• Up to 255 Private Networks per Organization
• Up to 512 Scaleway resources per Private Network

Do I have to restart a Scaleway resource after adding Private Networks?

No, Private Network interfaces will appear on your resources without any reboot.

Does Private Network support IPv6?

Yes, you can configure IPv6 within Private Networks. To use it, the netmask should always be /64 and we recommend using fc00::/7 unique local address (ULA) range. ULA IPv6 address generators are widely available to generate a personalized range.

Do resources in a Private Network require a public IPv4 address?

No, they do not require a public IPv4 address.

Can resources in a Private Network access the internet without a public IPv4 address?

Yes. You can attach a Public Gateway to your Private Network and enable NAT to provide internet access to your Instances, Elastic Metal servers, and other Scaleway resources.

Do Non-IP protocols work Over Private Networks?

Technically, any ethernet payload should work over Private Networks. However, only IPv4 and IPv6 are officially supported. If you have real use cases for other protocols, let us know by reaching us on the Scaleway Community Slack.

Do Private Networks support IP autoconfiguration?

Yes. You can attach a Public Gateway to your Private Network and enable DHCP to provide IP autoconfiguration for your resources.