The Cloudflare section in Cloudways Velocity allows you to manage the Cloudflare Enterprise features connected to your application.
Cloudflare helps deliver application content through its global network while adding caching, traffic controls, and protection against harmful requests.
From this section, you can:
Review Cloudflare bandwidth usage.
Clear cached content.
Configure performance and image settings.
Enable or disable available security controls.
Review caching and traffic analytics.
Review security events recorded by Cloudflare.
Note:
A domain must be added and correctly pointed to the Cloudflare records provided in Domain Management before you can use these features.
Cloudflare Enterprise on Cloudways Velocity
The Cloudflare section gives you direct control over caching, delivery, optimization, and protection for your Cloudways Velocity application.
Use the Overview tab to monitor bandwidth and clear cache, Settings to configure features, Analytics to review request handling, and Security to review Cloudflare-related events.
Access the Cloudflare Section
Log in to the Cloudways Platform.
From the left navigation menu, select Velocity.
Select My Applications.
Choose the required Velocity application.
From the application management menu, select Cloudflare.
The Cloudflare Enterprise section contains the following tabs:
Overview
Settings
Analytics
Security
Review the Cloudflare Overview
Navigate to: Velocity → My Applications → Select Application → Cloudflare → Overview
The Overview tab provides information about bandwidth usage and cached content.
Bandwidth
The Bandwidth section shows how much Cloudflare bandwidth your application has used during the current month.
The current interface displays:
The bandwidth used.
The bandwidth included in the available quota.
The charge that applies after the included bandwidth is exceeded.
The screen currently shows 100 GB of included bandwidth and a charge of 20 cents per 10 GB after the free quota is exceeded.
Note:
Bandwidth limits and charges may depend on the active Cloudflare offering. Refer to the values displayed in your Cloudways Platform for the applicable allowance and pricing.
Purge Cache
Cloudflare stores copies of supported application content so it can deliver that content more quickly to visitors.
Select Purge when you need Cloudflare to remove all currently cached content.
After the cache is cleared, Cloudflare requests fresh content directly from your application and builds the cache again.
Use Purge Cache when:
Recent application changes are not visible.
Old images, files, or styles are still appearing.
Cached content is causing incorrect application behavior.
Cloudways Support advises you to clear the cache.
Important:
Clearing the cache may temporarily increase requests to your application and may briefly reduce performance while the cache is rebuilt.
Configure Cloudflare Settings
Navigate to: Velocity → My Applications → Select Application → Cloudflare → Settings
The Settings tab contains options that apply to domains connected to the application through Cloudflare Enterprise.
The available settings are grouped into:
Optimizations
Security
After changing one or more settings, select Save Changes.
Configure Optimization Settings
Early Hints
Early Hints allows a browser to begin loading selected application resources before the final page response is ready.
This may help the browser load files such as stylesheets, scripts, and other linked resources earlier.
Use the toggle to enable or disable Early Hints.
Results depend on how the application and its page resources are configured.
Image Optimization
Image Optimization reduces image file sizes to improve delivery speed.
Use the dropdown to select one of the following options.
Lossless
Reduces supported image file sizes by removing unnecessary information without reducing visible image quality.
This mode is suitable when image quality must remain unchanged.
Lossy
Applies stronger image compression to reduce file sizes further.
This may improve image-loading speed, but visual quality may be slightly reduced.
Off
Disables Cloudflare image optimization.
Use Off when images are already optimized by your application or another image service.
ScrapeShield
ScrapeShield hides email addresses displayed on your application from automated tools that collect addresses for spam.
Human visitors can still view the email address normally.
Use the toggle to enable or disable this protection.
Caching
Caching stores supported static content, such as images, CSS files, and JavaScript files, on Cloudflare’s network.
When caching is enabled, Cloudflare can deliver these files without requesting them from your application every time.
This can:
Improve loading speed.
Reduce application requests.
Reduce the workload on the application environment.
Important:
Disabling caching causes supported requests to be served from your application instead of the Cloudflare cache. This may increase application load and reduce performance.
SSL Cipher
An SSL cipher controls how data is encrypted between visitors and Cloudflare.
Use the dropdown to select one of the available modes.
Compatible
Supports a wider range of browsers and devices, including older ones.
Choose this setting when broad device compatibility is important.
Modern
Uses newer encryption methods and provides stronger security, but may not support some older browsers or devices.
Choose this setting when stronger encryption is more important than compatibility with older clients.
Configure Cloudflare Security Settings
Scroll to the Security section under the Settings tab.
Under Attack Mode
Under Attack Mode applies additional checks to incoming visitors during a serious traffic attack.
Enable it only when the application is receiving harmful or unusually heavy traffic.
Visitors may briefly see a verification page before they can access the application.
Verified search engine bots, such as Googlebot and Bingbot, can continue accessing the application.
Use Under Attack Mode as a temporary protection measure. It may add an extra step for legitimate visitors.
Web Application Firewall
The Web Application Firewall, or WAF, checks incoming web requests and blocks requests that match known harmful patterns.
Use the toggle to enable or disable the Cloudflare WAF.
Disabling the Cloudflare WAF only disables protection at the Cloudflare network. It does not disable the firewall available in the Velocity Security section.
Rate Limiting
Rate Limiting controls how many requests an IP address can send during a defined period.
The current interface states that Cloudflare checks requests in 60-second intervals and applies a challenge when an IP exceeds 200 requests during that period.
The counter resets every minute and excludes:
Verified bots.
Static content.
Cached content.
Enable Rate Limiting to help reduce repeated or abusive requests. Applications with high legitimate request volumes should be tested carefully after enabling this feature.
Browser Integrity Check
Browser Integrity Check reviews request details sent by a visitor’s browser.
It can block or challenge requests that contain suspicious or missing browser information, which is commonly associated with abusive bots.
Use the toggle to enable or disable this feature.
AI Crawler Blocking
AI Crawler Blocking helps prevent supported artificial-intelligence crawlers from accessing application content for model-training purposes.
Enable this option when you do not want supported AI crawler services to collect your publicly available content.
This feature applies only to crawlers that Cloudflare can identify and control.
Review Cloudflare Analytics
Navigate to: Velocity → My Applications → Select Application → Cloudflare → Analytics
The Analytics tab provides information about how Cloudflare handles requests and cached content.
Use the time-period dropdown to select the reporting range.
Cache Performance
The Cache Performance section helps you understand whether requests were served by Cloudflare or sent to your application.
Request Summary
Shows the total number of requests and how they were served.
The chart may separate requests into:
Served by Cloudflare: Requests delivered from Cloudflare’s network.
Served by Origin: Requests sent to the Velocity application.
The origin means the application environment where your application is hosted.
A higher number of requests served by Cloudflare can reduce direct traffic to the application.
Data Transfer Summary
Shows the amount of transferred data handled by Cloudflare and the application.
Use this information to understand where bandwidth is being consumed.
Cache Status
Shows how Cloudflare handled requests based on their cache status.
For example, a request may be served from the cache or sent to the application to retrieve new content.
Request by Source
This section provides request details grouped by available categories, which may include:
Content Types: Types of requested files or content.
Paths: Application URLs or routes receiving requests.
Hosts: Domains or hostnames receiving traffic.
Source Device Types: Types of devices sending requests.
When the application has not received enough traffic during the selected period, the panels may display No Data Available.
Review Cloudflare Security Events
Navigate to: Velocity → My Applications → Select Application → Cloudflare → Security
The Security tab shows information about requests affected by Cloudflare security features.
Use the time-period dropdown to select the reporting range.
Events Summary
Shows the total number of Cloudflare security events recorded during the selected period.
A security event means that Cloudflare reviewed, challenged, or blocked a request through one of its security services.
A security event does not always mean that the application was successfully attacked.
Events by Services
Shows which Cloudflare security services generated the recorded events.
This can help you understand whether requests were affected by features such as:
Web Application Firewall.
Rate Limiting.
Browser Integrity Check.
Under Attack Mode.
Top Events by Source
Shows the main sources associated with recorded security events.
The available categories may include:
IP Addresses: Network addresses connected to events.
User Agents: Browser, bot, or application information included with requests.
Use this information to identify repeated or unusual request sources.
Recommended Practices
Keep caching enabled unless application testing confirms that it causes a problem.
Use Purge Cache after important content or application changes when old content remains visible.
Use Lossless image optimization when visual quality is important. Use Lossy only after confirming that the reduced quality is acceptable.
Keep the Web Application Firewall and Browser Integrity Check enabled for normal protection.
Enable Under Attack Mode only during a confirmed or suspected attack.
Review Analytics before disabling caching. A large number of requests served by Cloudflare indicates that the cache is reducing traffic to the application.
Review the Security tab after unusual traffic or repeated application access issues.
Test important application functions after changing Cloudflare settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my recent changes not visible?
Cloudflare may still be serving an older cached copy. Open Cloudflare → Overview and select Purge.
Does purging the cache delete my application files?
No. Purging removes cached Cloudflare copies only. It does not delete files from your Velocity application.
Should I choose Lossless or Lossy image optimization?
Choose Lossless when image quality must remain unchanged. Choose Lossy when smaller file sizes are more important and a small quality reduction is acceptable.
What happens when caching is disabled?
Cloudflare continues to direct traffic to the application, but it does not serve supported content from its cache. This can increase application load.
What is the difference between Compatible and Modern SSL Cipher modes?
Compatible supports more browsers and devices. Modern uses newer encryption methods but may not work with some older devices.
Should Under Attack Mode always remain enabled?
No. Enable it temporarily when the application is under attack or receiving unusual harmful traffic.
Does disabling Cloudflare WAF disable all Velocity firewall protection?
No. It disables only the Cloudflare WAF. Firewall controls in the Velocity Security section remain separate.
Why does Analytics show no data?
The application may not have received enough traffic during the selected period. Choose a longer reporting range and check again later.
What does “served by origin” mean?
It means Cloudflare requested the content directly from your Velocity application instead of serving it from cache.
That's it! We hope this article was useful.