> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.xloud.tech/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Floating IP Assignment

> Expose your Xloud Load Balancer VIP on a public network by associating a floating IP for external client access.

## Overview

A floating IP maps a public IP address from an external network to your load balancer's
virtual IP (VIP) port. This is the standard method for exposing a load balancer to
external clients. Once associated, the floating IP routes all inbound traffic to the
load balancer, which distributes it across backend members according to the listener
and pool configuration.

<Note>
  **Prerequisites**

  * An active Xloud account with appropriate permissions
  * Access to the **Xloud Dashboard** or CLI configured with credentials
  * API credentials sourced (`source openrc.sh`)
</Note>

<Note>
  Before associating a floating IP, ensure:

  * The load balancer status is **ACTIVE**
  * At least one listener is configured and **ACTIVE**
  * A floating IP has been allocated from an external network in your project
</Note>

***

## Associate a Floating IP

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Dashboard" icon="gauge">
    <Steps titleSize="h3">
      <Step title="Retrieve the VIP port" icon="network">
        Navigate to **Network > Load Balancers**. Open your load balancer and
        note the **VIP Port ID** from the overview panel.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Allocate a floating IP" icon="plus">
        Navigate to **Network > Floating IPs**. Click **Allocate IP to Project**
        and select your external network pool.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Associate the floating IP to the VIP" icon="link">
        Click **Associate** next to the allocated floating IP. In the **Port to be associated**
        dropdown, select the load balancer VIP port identified in step 1.

        <Check>The floating IP is now associated with the load balancer VIP. External traffic
        to the floating IP is forwarded to the load balancer.</Check>
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="CLI" icon="terminal">
    <Steps titleSize="h3">
      <Step title="Retrieve the VIP port ID" icon="search">
        ```bash title="Get VIP port ID" theme={null}
        openstack loadbalancer show prod-web-lb \
          -c vip_port_id -f value
        ```

        Save this value as `VIP_PORT_ID`.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Allocate a floating IP" icon="plus">
        ```bash title="Allocate floating IP from external network" theme={null}
        openstack floating ip create <external-network-name>
        ```

        Note the `floating_ip_address` from the output.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Associate floating IP with VIP port" icon="link">
        ```bash title="Associate floating IP with load balancer VIP" theme={null}
        openstack floating ip set \
          --port <VIP_PORT_ID> \
          <floating-ip-address>
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Verify the association" icon="circle-check">
        ```bash title="Confirm association" theme={null}
        openstack floating ip show <floating-ip-address> \
          -c fixed_ip_address \
          -c floating_ip_address \
          -c status
        ```

        <Check>Status shows `ACTIVE` and `fixed_ip_address` matches the load balancer VIP.</Check>
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## Test External Access

After associating the floating IP, verify traffic reaches your backend members:

```bash title="Test HTTP access via floating IP" theme={null}
curl -v http://<floating-ip-address>/health
```

```bash title="Test HTTPS access via floating IP" theme={null}
curl -v https://<floating-ip-address>/health
```

<Check>The health endpoint responds with HTTP 200 — traffic is flowing through the load balancer to backend members.</Check>

***

## Disassociate a Floating IP

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Dashboard" icon="gauge">
    Navigate to **Network > Floating IPs**. Click **Disassociate** next to the
    floating IP attached to your load balancer.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="CLI" icon="terminal">
    ```bash title="Disassociate floating IP" theme={null}
    openstack floating ip unset \
      --port \
      <floating-ip-address>
    ```

    The floating IP reverts to `DOWN` status and can be reassociated or released:

    ```bash title="Release floating IP back to pool" theme={null}
    openstack floating ip delete <floating-ip-address>
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## DNS Configuration

Map a domain name to the floating IP for production services:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Xloud DNS" icon="globe">
    If using Xloud DNS, create an A record pointing to the floating IP:

    ```bash title="Create DNS A record" theme={null}
    openstack recordset create \
      --type A \
      --records <floating-ip-address> \
      --ttl 300 \
      example.com. \
      api.example.com.
    ```

    See the [Xloud DNS guide](/services/dns) for full DNS management instructions.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="External DNS" icon="network">
    Point your external DNS provider's A record for your domain to the floating IP address.
    DNS propagation typically takes 1–5 minutes for TTLs under 5 minutes.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Listeners" href="/services/load-balancer/listeners" color="#197560">
    Add HTTPS termination to your listener before exposing it publicly.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Xloud DNS" href="/services/dns" color="#197560">
    Create DNS records pointing to your load balancer floating IP.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Xloud Key Manager" href="/services/key-manager" color="#197560">
    Store TLS certificates used by HTTPS listeners.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Troubleshooting" href="/services/load-balancer/troubleshooting" color="#197560">
    Resolve floating IP association failures and connectivity issues.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>