# Ensure Private Instances Use a Managed Gateway for Outbound Access

- Source: https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/a_1791826027465992-ensure-private-instances-use-a-managed-gateway-for-outbound-access
- Section: [Solutions](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions) › [OVH Cloud](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/c_1791819364512367) › [checks](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/folders/f_1791819376721251)
- Last updated: 2026-10-12
- Publisher: iCompaas, Inc. (https://www.icompaas.com)

**Description**

Ensure instances that only have a private network address use an OVHcloud managed Gateway (an OpenStack router) to reach the internet for updates and outbound connections, instead of being given a public IP address just for outbound traffic.

**Rationale**

Giving private instances a public IP for outbound access also exposes them to inbound connections from the internet. A managed Gateway provides outbound connectivity through network address translation while keeping the instances unreachable from outside, which reduces their attack surface.

**Impact**

-   Private instances can reach the internet without being exposed
    
-   Reduces the number of public IP addresses
    
-   The Gateway is billed by size and usage
    

**Default Value**

By default, no Gateway is created. Instances on a private network have no internet access unless a Gateway or public IP is used.

**Pre-Requisites**

-   Permission to manage the Public Cloud project
    
-   A private network with a subnet
    

**Test Plan**

1.  Log in to the OVHcloud Control Panel at [https://www.ovh.com/manager/](https://www.ovh.com/manager/).
    
2.  In the left-hand menu, select Public Cloud and choose your project.
    
3.  In the left-hand menu, under Network, select Gateway and check whether a Gateway is attached to the private network.
    
4.  In Instances, check for private instances that also have a public IP only for outbound access.
    
5.  If private instances lack a Gateway, follow the implementation steps.
    

**Implementation Steps**

1.  Log in to the OVHcloud Control Panel at [https://www.ovh.com/manager/](https://www.ovh.com/manager/).
    
2.  In the left-hand menu, select Public Cloud and choose your project.
    
3.  In the left-hand menu, under Network, select Gateway and click Create a Gateway (an active vRack is required).
    
4.  Select the region and Gateway size, name the Gateway, attach the private network (or click Add a private network), and click Create a Gateway.
    
5.  Remove the public network interface from instances that no longer need it.
    

**Backout Plan**

1.  Log in to the OVHcloud Control Panel at [https://www.ovh.com/manager/](https://www.ovh.com/manager/).
    
2.  In the left-hand menu, select Public Cloud and choose your project.
    
3.  Delete the Gateway, and re-add a public interface to instances that need outbound access.
    

**Reference**

-   [https://docs.ovhcloud.com/en/guides/public-cloud/network-services/getting-started-gateway](https://docs.ovhcloud.com/en/guides/public-cloud/network-services/getting-started-gateway)
    
-   [https://docs.ovhcloud.com/en/guides/public-cloud/network-services/create-private-network-gateway](https://docs.ovhcloud.com/en/guides/public-cloud/network-services/create-private-network-gateway)

## Related compliance guidance

- [SOC 2 compliance: a practical implementation guide for cloud-native SaaS teams](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/soc-2-trust-services-criteria): Configuration checks like this one are the technical half of a SOC 2 / ISO 27001 programme — the guide shows where they fit, what else an auditor expects, and how to evidence them.
- [ISO/IEC 27001:2022 compliance: a practical implementation guide](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27001-2022): ISO 27001 Annex A.8 (technological controls) is where cloud hardening evidence lands; the guide shows how to run the ISMS around it.