> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/home/network-services/nat-gateway/overview/features-benefits.md).

# Features and Benefits

IONOS CLOUD Managed NAT Gateway features: supported protocols, scalability, high availability, and advanced NAT configuration

## Features

NAT Gateway provides the following features:

* **Supported protocols:** Supports TCP, UDP, ICMP, and up to six private networks per NAT gateway.
* **Scalability:** NAT Gateway is highly scalable, allowing you to accommodate increasing traffic demands as your network grows.
* **High Availability:** The NAT Gateway service remains available even if a single component fails. Multiple NAT Gateways deployed across multiple [<mark style="color:blue;">Availability Zones</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/support/general-information/glossary-of-terms#availability-zone) in a region provide this resilience.
* **Advanced NAT Configuration:** The NAT Gateway offers:
  * Multiple public IP addresses and Source NAT (SNAT) rules per gateway.
  * Support for multiple NAT gateways within a single Virtual Data Center (VDC).
  * Granular configuration of individual rules, allowing you to define specific source subnets, target subnets, and port ranges.
* **Resource Limit:** Default resource limit for NAT gateway is set to five per account. For additional resources, contact [<mark style="color:blue;">IONOS CLOUD Support</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/support/general-information/contact-information).

## Benefits

* **Outbound-only security:** Enables VMs to initiate connections to the Internet for updates, backups, and integrations while remaining completely invisible to external attackers. The gateway blocks all unsolicited inbound traffic automatically.
* **Simplified architecture:** Requires only one public IP address to provide Internet access to multiple VMs across a private network, removing the requirement to assign public interfaces to individual instances.
* **Targeted access control:** The NAT gateway can be configured to restrict outbound traffic to specific and trusted Internet services, protecting applications from malicious public endpoints.
* **Fully managed service:** <code class="expression">space.vars.ionos\_cloud</code> handles all operational complexity, including infrastructure maintenance, patching, and upgrades, so you can focus on your applications.
* **High availability and reliability:** Refers to the fault tolerance of the NAT Gateway service. To provide reliable and continuous performance even during a component failure, high availability is handled by deploying multiple NAT Gateways across multiple Availability Zones in a region.
* **Cost-effective:** Pay only for what you use with transparent, predictable pricing. No overhead from managing self-hosted gateways. For detailed pricing information, refer to the [<mark style="color:blue;">Price List</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/support/general-information/price-list). You can also compare prices using the [<mark style="color:blue;">Cloud Price Calculator</mark>](https://cloud-price-calculator.ionos.com/).
* **Seamless integration:** Native integration with <code class="expression">space.vars.ionos\_cloud</code> services, VDCs, and LANs for unified management.
* **Quick setup and configuration:** Straightforward provisioning and management through the [<mark style="color:blue;">Data Center Designer (DCD)</mark>](/cloud/home/set-up-ionos-cloud/data-center-designer.md) or the [<mark style="color:blue;">IONOS CLOUD API</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/api-reference/cloud-api-v6/nat-gateways/).
* **Expert support:** Access to the <code class="expression">space.vars.ionos\_cloud</code> support team for technical assistance and guidance on best practices.

## Next steps

* [<mark style="color:blue;">Limitations</mark>](/cloud/home/network-services/nat-gateway/overview/limitations.md)
* [<mark style="color:blue;">Configure a NAT Gateway</mark>](/cloud/home/network-services/nat-gateway/how-tos/configure-nat-gateway.md)
* [<mark style="color:blue;">Use Cases</mark>](/cloud/home/network-services/nat-gateway/use-cases.md)


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