Cloud Server Management

Cloud servers, and by extension the Cloud Control pages, can seem complicated upon first entry. This article will provide an overview of the Cloud Control area so you can master all tasks you want to perform using your cloud server.

From the Cloud Control Home

Note: To make full use of this article, you must log in to the Hostwinds Client Area. This article provides an overview of your Cloud Servers. To access your Cloud Control portal, click on the Cloud Control dropdown on the top of the Client portal dashboard menu and click on the Cloud Portal link.

Starting at the Cloud Control home page, we will go through the various tasks you can perform and brief descriptions of their value.

The Cloud Control dashboard displays a table containing all of your current servers. For each server in the table, you can get a brief overview, which we have summarized below:

Name: The name you assigned your server upon creation. This also functions as a link to the individual server's page. You can edit this at any time by hovering over the link and clicking on the pen icon that appears.

DNS/RDNS: The hostname of your server

Plan information: A quick overview of the plan you selected for your server includes the RAM, Disk Space, Location, and Operating System of the server.

IP Address: The IP address that your server is associated with.

Date of creation: The month, day, year, and specific time you created this server.

Status: Describes the current state of the server.

Actions dropdown: You can perform multiple tasks by clicking on the Actions dropdown. Each of which we cover in numerous articles here in the Product docs. For your ease, here is a brief description of each choice:

Reinstall: Reinstall using an image. You have ample choices from Operating Systems, Applications, and the ISO Library.
Reboot: Rebooting your server will shut it down momentarily and boot it up again.
Rescue Mode: "Rescue Mode" This will reboot your server into rescue mode. When in rescue mode, the server's disk in rescue mode attaches as a secondary drive. To access the data on the disk, you will need to mount it.
Regenerate Networking: Designed to Regenerate your Instances network information if you cannot establish network connectivity. It does the following: 1.Rebuild your network 2.Reboot your instance.
Get VNC: You will launch a VNC. You will need to make sure pop-ups are allowed for this site.
Get Serial Console: You will be able to use a web socket that Hostwinds will provide to connect to your server via a serial console.
Snapshot Server: You can create a snapshot of the server in its current state and with all of its data.

The top menu has been divided into four sections that you can use to navigate through specific tasks as needed. You will explore most of the options available here through this article from alternative paths. Still, the menu provides quick movement to many of them and additional information specific to the path.

In addition to the top menu, at the top right of the dashboard, use the green Create dropdown button to perform several tasks:

Servers: Guides you through the process of configuring and creating a new server. Note that this is a new plan with new charges that add to your current plan.

Domain: Prompts a pop-up wherein you enter the domain that you would like to add. If the domain you entered is not configured, you will need to register the Hostwinds nameservers with your domain provider.

Firewall: Triggers a pop-up asking you to enter a name and description for the firewall you would like to create. This will generate a firewall that you can set up in more detail at a later time.

Volume: Prompts a pop-up window where you enter the size of the volume, the name you are assigning to the volume to distinguish it, the location you would like to house it, and the choice to pull from an image you have created.

Snapshot: Provides you with a complete copy of the server you choose in its current state entirely. Choose your server from the dropdown and name your snapshot. Note that you will have to turn your server power off to make a template from this snapshot later.

ISO: Upload an ISO from a URL of your choice. A pop-up appears needing a description of the ISO for you to distinguish it later, the URL from where you want to pull it, the ability to make the ISO bootable, and the location you would like it to live at.

Load Balancer: Clicking this link will bring you to our ADD A LOAD BALANCER page. You can create one on a whim.

At the bottom-left of the dashboard, under the table, you can use the Bulk Actions dropdown to perform tasks on multiple servers at once.

Boot: Boots up a shutdown server.
Reboot: Reboots a server.
Shutdown: Shuts down a server.
Firewall: Choose a firewall profile to apply to the instances you've selected.

Now that you are familiar with the Cloud Control home page, you can configure your servers.

Server Page Overview

First, click on the server from the server table to configure and enter its details page.

You are now on the server details page for the server you clicked on. You can perform any task related to this server from this area. In addition, at any point, you can click on the Servers dropdown and select the My Servers link to return to your list of servers.

You can change the name of your server from this area by clicking on the name of the server, typing in a new name, and clicking your enter/return button.

You can perform multiple tasks by clicking on the Actions dropdown. Each of which we cover in numerous articles here in the Product docs. For your ease, here is a brief description of each choice:

Reinstall: Reinstall using an image. Again, you have ample choices from Operating Systems, Applications, and the ISO Library.
Reboot: Rebooting your server will shut it down momentarily and boot it up again.
Rescue Mode: "Rescue Mode" This will reboot your server into rescue mode. When in rescue mode, the server's disk in rescue mode attaches as a secondary drive. To access the data on the disk, you will need to mount it.
Regenerate Networking: Designed to Regenerate your Instances network information if you cannot establish network connectivity. It does the following: 1.Rebuild your network 2.Reboot your instance.
Get VNC: You will launch a VNC. You will need to make sure pop-ups are allowed.
Get Serial Console: You will be able to use a web socket that Hostwinds will provide to connect to your server via a serial console.
Snapshot Server: You can create a snapshot of the server in its current state and with all of its data.

Using the red Shutdown button will shut down this particular server. You can see the status of your server immediately underneath this button. You can boot up the server at any time afterward if you have shut it down.

The Server Page Dashboard Menu

Upon entering the server dashboard, you are presented with a menu bar that you can use to navigate through any server-specific tasks as needed. We will provide a brief overview of each page accessible from this menu.

Overview

When entering the overview section from here, you can perform multiple tasks, which we will go through below:

Upgrade or downgrade your Product by clicking the blue Upgrade or Downgrade button. Use this to change your plan from Managed to Unmanaged.
Change your billing cycle by clicking the blue Change Billing Cycle button. Note that you will have to settle that invoice if you have a pending upgrade before changing the cycle. We go into detail about how Hostwinds billing cycles work here.
View and change your password for your server.
If you cannot establish network connectivity, clicking the Rebuild Network button will rebuild your network and reboot your instance.
You can disable or enable your Config Key.

Graphs

You can view the Memory Usage and CPU utilization on the Graphs Tab for a set period, from 6 hours to a month.

Firewall Profile

Using the Firewall Profile tab, you can select the Firewall Profile for the server. You can see the direction, protocol, IP type, Min port, and Max port on the table.

Volumes

You can create and manage your volumes by using the Volumes tab.

ISOs

You can Attach ISOs to your server by using the ISO tab band and choosing the ISO of your choice from the list provided.

Upgrade/Downgrade VM

You can upgrade or downgrade your server by pressing the Upgrade/Downgrade VM tab. If you have a pending upgrade already, you will have to pay the previous invoice to continue.

Logs Dropdown

The Logs dropdown provides two options for you to review:

The Action Log link shows the actions you've taken in a list form.
The Maintenance link documents each maintenance event in a list form for you to review.

Manage IP's

The Manage IP tab holds all things IP addresses.

In this area, you will be able to:

Manage your IPv4 addresses and change them as needed.
Change your main IP. Note: Hostwinds charges $3.00 to change your main IP.
Add IPv6 addresses.
Set your rDNS address using the Actions dropdown.