Create a cloud server disk

Last update: May 30 2026

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

A local disk is created only together 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 disk 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 Disks section.
3. Click Create disk.
4. Enter a new disk name or leave the name that was created automatically.
5. Select the location of the disk. This must be the location of the cloud server to which you will connect the disk later. The location affects the cost and limits of the disk.
6. Optional: if you want to create a disk from a ready-made image, your own image, disk, snapshot or backup, in the Source block, select the Disk from source checkbox. If you want to create a blank disk, skip this step.
7. Select the disk source.
8. Select the disk type. Disks differ in read/write speed and bandwidth values.
9. Specify the disk size in GB. The size of a disk created from a source must be equal to or greater than the size of the source. We recommend not exceeding the disk limits on maximum size. After creation, the disk cannot be resized downwards directly.
10. If you have selected the Universal v2 or Fast v2 disk type, specify the total number of read and write operations in IOPS. After creating the disk, you can change the number of IOPS — decrease or increase it. The number of IOPS changes is unlimited.
11. Configure the creation of scheduled backups for the disk. Select a previously created plan or create a new one.
12. Click Create disk.

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 disk from a ready-made or your own 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 disk 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 disk 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> — disk size in GB. For disks created from a source, the minimum size must be equal to the source size. Take into account the network volume limits on maximum size;
   • <volume_type> — ID or name of the network volume type. For example, universal2.ru-9a — the name for creating a network volume of the SSD Universal v2 type in the pool segment ru-9a. The list of types can be viewed using openstack volume type list or in the table List of network volume types in all pool segments;
   • optional: --property total_iops_sec='<iops_number>' — to specify the IOPS of a network volume of the Universal v2 or Fast v2 type. 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 used will be 2 000 IOPS for Universal v2 or 25 000 IOPS for Fast v2.
   • <pool_segment> — pool segment where the network volume will be created, for example ru-9a. The list of available pool segments can be viewed in the Availability Matrix instructions;
   • <volume_name> — disk name.