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Cloud Servers FAQs
What are Cloud Servers?
Imagine being able to provision a server in minutes or upgrade a server automatically. This is the idea behind Cloud Servers. Totally customisable, each Cloud Server gives you full root access to your Linux distribution or many Windows image of choice. Your price depends on how large a server you buy and how much bandwidth you use.
Based on Xen Virtualisation technology, Cloud Servers brings the power of the cloud to the traditional server-based hosting model. Just like a dedicated server, your Cloud Servers provides total flexibility for you to run anything you want from a Java website to a Ruby on Rails application to a .NET application.
Why do you bill hourly?
Our utility-based billing model caters to customers requiring long term servers and also developers who may only need a server for a couple of days. All customers pay only for the time the server is deployed, based on the number of hours. With Cloud Servers you only pay for what you use.
If I am not using my Server or do not have traffic to it, do I still have to pay for it?
Yes. You would have to delete it altogether to cease billing. There is no "suspension" mode where you are not charged while not receiving traffic to the server.
If you want to stop paying for the server, another option is to take a snapshot of the Cloud Server, store the snapshot in Cloud Files, and then delete the Cloud Server. If you want to use the server again, simply restore the Cloud Server by creating a new Cloud Server instance from the stored Cloud Files snapshot.
How do Cloud Servers differ from Dedicated Servers?
While dedicated servers can take several days to deploy, Cloud Servers can be deployed and online within a few short minutes using the control panel, API or third party tools. They can also be resized, deleted and recreated from backups quickly, easily and often more cost effectively than dedicated servers. However, Cloud Servers are built on a shared infrastructure so may not be suitable for applications that require regulatory compliance, such as PCI DSS.
Is bandwidth free between Cloud Servers?
Yes, you will get a private IP for each Cloud Server that offers free bandwidth between them. If you use a public IP, there is a cost for outgoing bandwidth only.
Imagine being able to provision a server in minutes or upgrade a server automatically. This is the idea behind Cloud Servers. Totally customisable, each Cloud Server gives you full root access to your Linux distribution or many Windows image of choice. Your price depends on how large a server you buy and how much bandwidth you use.
Based on Xen Virtualisation technology, Cloud Servers brings the power of the cloud to the traditional server-based hosting model. Just like a dedicated server, your Cloud Servers provides total flexibility for you to run anything you want from a Java website to a Ruby on Rails application to a .NET application.
Why do you bill hourly?
Our utility-based billing model caters to customers requiring long term servers and also developers who may only need a server for a couple of days. All customers pay only for the time the server is deployed, based on the number of hours. With Cloud Servers you only pay for what you use.
If I am not using my Server or do not have traffic to it, do I still have to pay for it?
Yes. You would have to delete it altogether to cease billing. There is no "suspension" mode where you are not charged while not receiving traffic to the server.
If you want to stop paying for the server, another option is to take a snapshot of the Cloud Server, store the snapshot in Cloud Files, and then delete the Cloud Server. If you want to use the server again, simply restore the Cloud Server by creating a new Cloud Server instance from the stored Cloud Files snapshot.
How do Cloud Servers differ from Dedicated Servers?
While dedicated servers can take several days to deploy, Cloud Servers can be deployed and online within a few short minutes using the control panel, API or third party tools. They can also be resized, deleted and recreated from backups quickly, easily and often more cost effectively than dedicated servers. However, Cloud Servers are built on a shared infrastructure so may not be suitable for applications that require regulatory compliance, such as PCI DSS.
Is bandwidth free between Cloud Servers?
Yes, you will get a private IP for each Cloud Server that offers free bandwidth between them. If you use a public IP, there is a cost for outgoing bandwidth only.
How do I scale with Cloud Servers?
You have several options:
1. Scale In or Out: Scale out by taking an image of your Cloud Server and then adding new Cloud Servers based on that image. Scale In by deleting Cloud Servers to remove computing capacity. Scaling in or out is frequently used for web servers.
2. Scale Up or Down - You can increase the size of your server image (e.g. CPU, disk, memory) or you can resize down. Scaling up or down is frequently used for database servers. Note: Windows Cloud Servers cannot be resized down.
How much CPU do I get?
For Windows images, each Cloud Server is assigned a number of virtual cores based on the size of the Cloud Server. A 1 GB Cloud Server receives 1 virtual core, 2 GB and 4 GB Cloud Servers receive 2 virtual cores, 8 GB and 15.5 GB Cloud Servers receive 4 virtual cores, and 30GB Cloud Servers receive 8 virtual cores . Each of these cores is given equal weight when allocating CPU cycles.
For Linux distributions, each Cloud Server is assigned four virtual cores (for servers up to 15GB) or eight virtual cores for the 30GB server size. The amount of CPU cycles allocated to these cores is weighted based on the size of the Cloud Server.
All Cloud Servers receive a guaranteed minimum amount of CPU cycles with the ability to burst when excess cycles are available.
Can I upgrade my storage without upgrading the entire plan?
Currently, Cloud Servers are tied to specific CPU, memory and storage. At this time, you would have to upgrade these together.
Currently, you would have to upgrade the RAM in order to get more storage and vice versa.
Can Cloud Files be mounted as storage?
Cloud Files is not block level storage, so it cannot be mounted. Customers do use Cloud Files to offload static files, such as media files for example. Typically media files do not change and will not need to be written to as a database would.
Can I import my own image or export an image on a Server?
At this time, you would have to pick from our Linux distributions or Windows images. You can save an image and use it within cloud; however, you would not be able to export it.
You have several options:
1. Scale In or Out: Scale out by taking an image of your Cloud Server and then adding new Cloud Servers based on that image. Scale In by deleting Cloud Servers to remove computing capacity. Scaling in or out is frequently used for web servers.
2. Scale Up or Down - You can increase the size of your server image (e.g. CPU, disk, memory) or you can resize down. Scaling up or down is frequently used for database servers. Note: Windows Cloud Servers cannot be resized down.
How much CPU do I get?
For Windows images, each Cloud Server is assigned a number of virtual cores based on the size of the Cloud Server. A 1 GB Cloud Server receives 1 virtual core, 2 GB and 4 GB Cloud Servers receive 2 virtual cores, 8 GB and 15.5 GB Cloud Servers receive 4 virtual cores, and 30GB Cloud Servers receive 8 virtual cores . Each of these cores is given equal weight when allocating CPU cycles.
For Linux distributions, each Cloud Server is assigned four virtual cores (for servers up to 15GB) or eight virtual cores for the 30GB server size. The amount of CPU cycles allocated to these cores is weighted based on the size of the Cloud Server.
All Cloud Servers receive a guaranteed minimum amount of CPU cycles with the ability to burst when excess cycles are available.
Can I upgrade my storage without upgrading the entire plan?
Currently, Cloud Servers are tied to specific CPU, memory and storage. At this time, you would have to upgrade these together.
Currently, you would have to upgrade the RAM in order to get more storage and vice versa.
Can Cloud Files be mounted as storage?
Cloud Files is not block level storage, so it cannot be mounted. Customers do use Cloud Files to offload static files, such as media files for example. Typically media files do not change and will not need to be written to as a database would.
Can I import my own image or export an image on a Server?
At this time, you would have to pick from our Linux distributions or Windows images. You can save an image and use it within cloud; however, you would not be able to export it.
What Hypervisor does Rackspace Cloud Servers use?
We use Xen and XenServer hypervisors for Linux Cloud Servers and XenServer for Windows Cloud Servers.
What is RackConnect™?
You dont have to choose between dedicated hardware and cloud-based servers at Rackspace. RackConnect lets you run both on the same network. So, if you need Dedicated Servers for performance or compliance requirements and the flexibility to quickly scale with Cloud Servers, Rackspace makes it all work together seamlessly with our RackConnect Product.
Will Rackspace continue to support existing Cloud Servers using Windows Server 2003?
Rackspace will continue to support existing cloud servers that use Windows 2003 as their operating system until 2015.
Why do you no longer offer Windows 2003 Base Image?
Microsoft has discontinued sales and mainstream support for Windows 2003. In addition, Windows 2003 has limited implementation of IPv6, which does not offer the level of functionality Rackspace requires for IPv6.
My Application will not run on later versions of windows, how can I keep using my Application while I make the changes necessary to move it to a later version of windows?
You will have the ability to add new Windows Server 2003 images by copying or cloning your current image and performing restores from backups. To read more about copying or cloning an existing image, please visit our Knowledge Center. To learn how to perform a restore from a backup, please read our article on restoring a server.
Is Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 available on Cloud Servers?
Yes, we currently have several images that include SQL Server 2008 R2, Standard and Web Editions —see link. If you are interested in our Cloud Servers with a managed service level, be sure to check out the Windows Server 2008 R2 with SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard and Web edition images. If you add SQL 2008 R2 to our Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 plug-in, the Rackspace Cloud is ready for application development based on the .NET platform. Find out which SQL edition is right for you.
Can I purchase a Cloud Server in which I am the sole Customer on the Host Server?
Our 30GB Cloud Server is our largest cloud server (e.g. CPU, memory and disk space). At present, a 30GB Cloud Server consumes an entire host machine and will be the only instance on the host. Please note that this is subject to change in the future as host hardware is upgraded.
What Cloud Server would you recommend for database nodes or CPU, disk and memory intensive applications?
We would recommend our 30GB Cloud Server for maximum CPU, disk, and memory.
We use Xen and XenServer hypervisors for Linux Cloud Servers and XenServer for Windows Cloud Servers.
What is RackConnect™?
You dont have to choose between dedicated hardware and cloud-based servers at Rackspace. RackConnect lets you run both on the same network. So, if you need Dedicated Servers for performance or compliance requirements and the flexibility to quickly scale with Cloud Servers, Rackspace makes it all work together seamlessly with our RackConnect Product.
Will Rackspace continue to support existing Cloud Servers using Windows Server 2003?
Rackspace will continue to support existing cloud servers that use Windows 2003 as their operating system until 2015.
Why do you no longer offer Windows 2003 Base Image?
Microsoft has discontinued sales and mainstream support for Windows 2003. In addition, Windows 2003 has limited implementation of IPv6, which does not offer the level of functionality Rackspace requires for IPv6.
My Application will not run on later versions of windows, how can I keep using my Application while I make the changes necessary to move it to a later version of windows?
You will have the ability to add new Windows Server 2003 images by copying or cloning your current image and performing restores from backups. To read more about copying or cloning an existing image, please visit our Knowledge Center. To learn how to perform a restore from a backup, please read our article on restoring a server.
Is Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 available on Cloud Servers?
Yes, we currently have several images that include SQL Server 2008 R2, Standard and Web Editions —see link. If you are interested in our Cloud Servers with a managed service level, be sure to check out the Windows Server 2008 R2 with SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard and Web edition images. If you add SQL 2008 R2 to our Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 plug-in, the Rackspace Cloud is ready for application development based on the .NET platform. Find out which SQL edition is right for you.
Can I purchase a Cloud Server in which I am the sole Customer on the Host Server?
Our 30GB Cloud Server is our largest cloud server (e.g. CPU, memory and disk space). At present, a 30GB Cloud Server consumes an entire host machine and will be the only instance on the host. Please note that this is subject to change in the future as host hardware is upgraded.
What Cloud Server would you recommend for database nodes or CPU, disk and memory intensive applications?
We would recommend our 30GB Cloud Server for maximum CPU, disk, and memory.