Create a cloud server disk

Last update: October 05 2026Open in Markdown

A network volume can be created along with a cloud server or created separately and then attached to the server.

A local disk is created only along with a cloud server.

You can create a network volume from various sources:

• blank — by default, such a disk does not contain data. You can use it to scale disk space on a cloud server;
• from an image — a pre-prepared Selectel image or your own uploaded image. Can be used to replace the boot disk when restoring a server or for cloning a server;
• from another disk, snapshot or backup — to create a copy of a disk.

The cost of a network volume depends on the volume type and the pool segment in which it is created. You can calculate the cost in the resource calculator.

Control panel

1. In the Control panel, in the top menu, click Products and select Cloud Servers.
2. Go to the Volumes section.
3. Click Create volume.
4. Enter a new disk name or leave the name that was created automatically.
5. Select the location of the volume. This must be the location of the cloud server to which you will later attach the volume. The location affects the cost and limits of the volume.
6. Optional: if you want to create a volume from a pre-configured image, custom image, volume, snapshot, or backup, in the Source block, select the Volume from source checkbox. If you want to create a blank volume, skip this step.
7. Select the disk source.
8. Select the volume type. Volumes differ in read/write speed and bandwidth values.
9. Specify the volume size in GB. The size of a volume created from a source must be equal to or greater than the source size. We recommend not exceeding the volume limits on maximum size. After creation, the volume cannot be reduced directly.
10. If you selected the Universal v2 or Fast v2 volume type, specify the total number of read and write operations in IOPS. After creating the volume, you can change the number of IOPS — decrease or increase it. The number of IOPS changes is unlimited.
11. Configure scheduled backups for the volume. Select a previously created plan or create a new one.
12. Click Create volume.

OpenStack CLI

1. Open the OpenStack CLI.

2. Create a network volume:

   openstack volume create
       [--image <image> | --snapshot <snapshot> | --source <volume>] \
       --size <size> \
       --type <volume_type> \
       --property total_iops_sec='<iops_number>'
       --availability-zone <pool_segment> \
       <volume_name>

   Specify:

   • source type:
     • to create a blank disk, do not specify a source type;
     • --image <image> — to create a volume from a pre-configured or custom image. The <image> parameter is the image ID or name. You can view the list of images using openstack image list;
     • --snapshot <snapshot> — to create a volume from a snapshot. The <snapshot> parameter is the snapshot ID or name. You can view the list of snapshots using openstack snapshot list;
     • --source <volume> — to create a volume from another network volume. The <volume> parameter is the volume ID or name. You can view the list of network volumes using openstack volume list;
   • <size> — volume size in GB. For volumes created from a source, the minimum size must be equal to the source size. Take into account network volume limits on maximum size;
   • <volume_type> — ID or name of the network volume type. For example, universal2.ru-9a is the name for creating a network volume of the SSD Universal v2 type in the pool segment ru-9a. You can view the list of types using openstack volume type list or in the List of network volume types in all pool segments table;
   • optional: --property total_iops_sec='<iops_number>' — to specify the number of IOPS for a Universal v2 or Fast v2 network volume. The <iops_number> parameter is the total number of read and write operations. Available values for Universal v2 are from 2,000 to 16,000 IOPS, for Fast v2 — from 25,000 to 75,000 IOPS. If you do not specify a value, the default value will be used: 2,000 IOPS for Universal v2 or 25,000 IOPS for Fast v2.
   • <pool_segment> — pool segment in which the network volume will be created, for example, ru-9a. You can view the list of available pool segments in the Product availability by location instructions;
   • <volume_name> — volume name.