Create Default or Custom Network Security Groups

Configuring Network Security Groups (NSGs) in your Virtual Data Center (VDC) empowers you to effectively manage and filter the network traffic penetrating towards or exiting the VDC, all tailored to your specific security rules and requirements.

NSGs are of two types: Default and Custom. You can choose between a Default or a Custom NSG and customize them according to your needs. For more information, see What are the differences between default and custom NSG?.

NSGs provide a level of granular customization that guarantees a secure environment while allowing the necessary connectivity. They protect your virtual networks from unauthorized access, malicious activity, and other security threats.

Prerequisites: Ensure that you have appropriate permissions to the data centers and to create NSGs. For more information, see Set User Privileges for Network Security Groups.

To create an NSG, follow these steps:

1. Log in to the DCD with your username and password.

2. Select one of these:

Default NSG

1. Create a Data Center and choose whether to select the Create default network security group checkbox based on your preference:

2. Select the Create default network security group checkbox.

Create default NSG

Result: The default group is created with four default rules. For more information, see What predefined rules does a default Network Security Group contain?. All servers and NICs associated with the respective data center inherit default rules. If you add new VMs to the data center, all of its NICs inherit the rules from the default NSG.

Default NSG is created

3. Optionally, you can add custom rules to the default group or create new custom groups for customized rules. For more information, see Create Rules. Remember to associate custom groups to the servers or NICs, whichever is applicable.

Custom NSG

1. Go to Menu > Network > Network Security Groups.

Network Security Groups on the Network drop-down menu

2. Select Create security group in the Network Security Groups window.

Create security group

3. Enter the following details:

• Datacenter: Select a data center from the drop-down list for which you want to configure a security group.

• Name: Enter a name for your security group.

• Description: Enter additional information about the security group.

Enter the details

4. Click Create to save the details.

Result: The desired NSG is created and set to an Available state.

Enter the details

Next Steps:

• Update the respective Network Security Group

• Create Rules

• Set a NSG as the default

• Attach a Server or NIC to a NSG