VPS Tags - Create, Assign, Remove, and Use Tags with Firewalls
TL;DR - Tags let you group servers by role or environment (for example
production,staging,api,web) and apply Cloud Firewall policies to the entire group.
Why Use Tags
Tags make operations faster and safer:
- Organize servers logically
- Apply firewall rules to groups instead of one-by-one
- Scale policy automatically as new servers are added to a tagged group
Where to Manage Tags
- Central tags page:
/cloudpanel/tags - Per-server tagging:
/cloudpanel/server/{id} - Firewall tag targeting:
/cloudpanel/firewalls/{id}in Servers tab
Create a Tag
Step 1 - Open Tags
Go to VPS Tags in Cloud Panel, or open /cloudpanel/tags.
Step 2 - Create
Click New Tag, enter a tag name, and submit.
Step 3 - Naming rules
Use only:
- letters
- numbers
- colons
: - dashes
- - underscores
_
Examples:
productionweb-serversenv:stagingteam_api
Assign a Tag to a Server
Step 1 - Open server detail
Go to /cloudpanel/server/{id}.
Step 2 - Open Tags modal
In server management, open the tag management panel.
Step 3 - Assign
Click assign on the desired tag.
After assignment, the server immediately becomes part of any firewall using that tag.
Remove a Tag from a Server
Step 1 - Open the same server tag panel
Go to /cloudpanel/server/{id} and open tag management.
Step 2 - Remove
Click remove/unassign for the selected tag.
This only detaches the tag from that server. The tag entity itself still exists.
Delete a Tag Entirely
You can delete tags from two places:
- Global tags list (
/cloudpanel/tags) - Server tag panel (
/cloudpanel/server/{id})
When a tag is deleted, it is removed from the platform and can no longer be used for grouping or firewall targeting.
Use Tags with Cloud Firewall
Step 1 - Open a firewall
Go to /cloudpanel/firewalls/{id}.
Step 2 - Add tag to firewall
In Servers tab, under Tagged Servers, click Add Tag and choose a tag.
Step 3 - Confirm coverage
The firewall shows servers currently matching that tag.
Step 4 - Keep scaling simple
Add the same tag to newly created servers and they inherit the firewall policy automatically.
Tag Strategy Best Practices
Use a clear naming convention. For example:
- Environment:
env:production,env:staging - Role:
role:web,role:api,role:db - Team:
team:backend,team:growth - Compliance:
pci-scope,public-edge
Keep tags short, predictable, and reusable.
Troubleshooting
Tag does not appear in firewall tag picker
- Refresh tags in
/cloudpanel/tags. - Confirm the tag was created successfully and follows naming rules.
Server not shown under a firewall tag group
- Verify that exact tag exists on that server.
- Refresh firewall detail page after tag changes.
Cannot create tag
- Check for unsupported characters.
- Check whether the same tag name already exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the same server have multiple tags?
Yes. A server can carry multiple tags for flexible grouping.
Can I reuse one tag across many servers?
Yes. That is the main purpose of tags.
Do tags only apply to firewalls?
No. Tags are general grouping metadata, and firewall targeting is one major use case.
Should I use direct server assignment or tags in firewalls?
Use tags for scalable group policy. Use direct assignment for one-off exceptions.