A Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) is a secure and isolated virtual network on Alibaba Cloud where you deploy and manage cloud resources. It gives you control over your network environment — including IP address ranges, vSwitches, route tables, and gateways — with the security of a private data center and the scalability of cloud infrastructure.
Use cases
Deploy applications across zones — Run applications across multiple zones within a VPC to eliminate single points of failure and deliver highly available services. | Expose internet-facing services — Use Server Load Balancer (SLB) and NAT Gateway to centrally manage inbound and outbound traffic respectively for your applications.  |
|---|---|
Connect networks across regions — Link VPCs in different regions into a unified network using Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN). | Build a hybrid cloud — Bridge your VPC and on-premises environment using Express Connect circuits for private, dedicated connectivity. |
Key components
A VPC comprises a private CIDR block, at least one vSwitch, and a route table.
Private CIDR block — Defines the IP address space for the VPC and its vSwitches (for example, 192.168.0.0/16 or 192.168.1.0/24). Plan your CIDR blocks carefully before deployment to avoid address conflicts and simplify future network expansion.
vSwitch — Subdivides a VPC into one or more subnets. Each vSwitch resides in a single zone. Deploy cloud resources into a vSwitch to place them in the network and assign them IP addresses.
Route table — Controls where traffic from the VPC is forwarded. A system route table is created automatically with the VPC, and system routes are added by default.
Benefits
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Security isolation | VPCs are isolated from each other using tunneling technology. |
| High availability | Multiple-path detection and automatic failover keep your network resilient when individual links fail. |
| Flexible configuration | Customize IP address ranges, route tables, and security policies without touching physical hardware. |
| Hybrid and multi-cloud connectivity | Connect VPCs to on-premises networks or across regions with ease, enabling flexible networking across scenarios. |
Get started
New to VPC? Log in to the VPC console, click Create VPC, and follow the steps to create a VPC and vSwitch. You'll be ready to deploy cloud resources in minutes.
Have an existing network to integrate? Plan your network before creating a VPC. Upfront planning prevents CIDR block conflicts with on-premises or other cloud networks and avoids costly restructuring later.