Step 1: Verify the VM Status in the Cloud Dashboard

• Log in to your Cloud Dashboard.
• Navigate to Virtual Machines.
• Locate the affected virtual machine.
• Check whether the VM is in the Running state.
• If the VM is stopped, start it.
• If it is already running but inaccessible, perform a reboot and wait for the VM to come back online.

Step 2: Connect Using the Console

• Open the Console from the Cloud Dashboard.
• Check whether the console opens successfully.
• If the console is accessible, the operating system is most likely running.
• If the console opens but responds very slowly or does not accept commands:
• Open the CMP Advanced Panel.
• Review the CPU and RAM utilization of the VPS.
• If CPU or memory usage is unusually high:
• Reboot the VPS.
• Wait a few minutes and try accessing the console again.
• If the console does not load or remains completely unresponsive, escalate the issue to the support team.

Step 3: Validate Network Connectivity

• Confirm that the VM has a Public IP Address assigned if remote access is required.
• From your local computer, test network connectivity by pinging the VM’s public IP.

ping <Public-IP>

• If the VM does not respond to ping even though a public IP is attached, contact the support team for further investigation.
• Verify that the required Security Group or firewall rules allow inbound traffic.
• Ensure that the necessary ports are open and listening.

Step 4: Check the Operating System Firewall

A firewall configured inside the VM may block incoming connections.

Ubuntu/Debian

sudo ufw status

AlmaLinux/CentOS/RHEL

sudo firewall-cmd –list-all

• Review the active firewall rules.
• Confirm that the SSH port (or any required service port) is allowed.
• If necessary, temporarily disable or adjust the firewall rules to verify whether the firewall is causing the connectivity issue.

Step 5: Verify the SSH Service

If the VM is accessible through the console but SSH connections fail, verify that the SSH daemon is running correctly.

Check SSH Service Status

sudo systemctl status sshd

or on Ubuntu:

sudo systemctl status ssh

Restart the SSH Service (if required)

sudo systemctl restart sshd

or

sudo systemctl restart ssh

Confirm SSH Is Listening on Port 22

ss -tlnp | grep 22

• If output is displayed, SSH is listening normally.
• If no output is returned, SSH is not listening on the expected port.

Review the SSH configuration file for incorrect settings.

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

After making changes, restart the SSH service.

Step 6: Check Disk Usage

A filesystem that is completely full can prevent services from functioning correctly and may make the VM inaccessible.

Run the following command:

df -h

Review the output carefully.

• If the root (/) partition is close to or at 100% usage, free up disk space by deleting unnecessary files, clearing logs, or expanding the disk if required.
• After reclaiming space, restart any affected services or reboot the VM if necessary.

SSH keys offer a secure and reliable way to access your Virtual Machines (VMs) over SSH. Instead of using passwords, SSH key authentication ensures that only users with the matching private key can log in. The Cloud Region Advanced Dashboard allows you to create, manage, and delete SSH public keys for your infrastructure.

Click the arrow to open the Region Advanced Dashboard, where you can manage your SSH keys.

Creating and Adding an SSH Public Key

You can add an SSH public key either while creating a new virtual machine or by using the SSH Keys section in the Cloud Region Advanced Dashboard.

Method 1: Add an SSH Key During VM Creation

While creating a new virtual machine, choose SSH Key Authentication as the login method, as described in Section – How to Create Virtual Machines.

Method 2: Add an SSH Key from the Dashboard

Step 1: Generate an SSH Key Pair

On your local computer or client machine, generate a new SSH key pair by running the following command:

ssh-keygen -t rsa

After executing the command, two files will be created:

• Private Key: Stored securely on your system (for example, /root/.ssh/id_rsa). Keep this file private and never share it.
• Public Key: Stored as /root/.ssh/id_rsa.pub. This key is uploaded to the CloudPe platform.

Step 2: Open the SSH Keys Page

Log in to the Cloud Region Advanced Dashboard.

From the left navigation menu, open the SSH Keys section.

Step 3: Add a New SSH Key

Click the Add Key button.

Step 4: Enter the SSH Key Details

In the Add SSH Key window:

• Enter a meaningful Name for the SSH key.
• Open the public key file (/root/.ssh/id_rsa.pub) using any text editor.
• Copy the complete contents of the public key.
• Paste the copied key into the Key Value field.
• (Optional) Enter a Description to help identify the key. Avoid including confidential or personal information.

Step 5: Save the SSH Key

After verifying the information, click Save.

The SSH public key will now be available and can be selected when creating new virtual machines.

Deleting an SSH Public Key

If an SSH key is no longer required, you can remove it from the dashboard.

Step 1: Open the SSH Keys Section

Navigate to the SSH Keys page in the Cloud Region Advanced Dashboard.

Step 2: Select the SSH Key

Locate the SSH key that you want to remove.

Click the Delete button corresponding to that key.

Step 3: Confirm the Deletion

A confirmation dialog will appear.

Click Confirm to permanently remove the SSH key from the dashboard.

Note: If the deleted key has already been injected into any VM, it will remain accessible within those VMs.

Step 1: Create a Virtual Machine

Create a new virtual machine by following the instructions provided in the How to Create Virtual Machines guide.

After the deployment is complete, the newly created virtual machine will be displayed in the Virtual Machines list.

Step 2: Open the Virtual Machine Details

From the list of available virtual machines, click on the name of the required VM to open its management and configuration page.

Virtual Machine Overview

The Overview section provides important information about the selected virtual machine.

Basic Information

Name
Displays the unique name assigned to the virtual machine.

Operating System
Shows the operating system currently installed on the VM.

Resource Configuration

The Resource Allocation section displays the hardware resources assigned to the virtual machine.

vCPU
Shows the number of virtual processors allocated to the VM.

RAM
Displays the total memory assigned to the virtual machine.

Storage
Indicates the total disk capacity available for the VM.

Network Details

The Networking section contains information related to the VM’s network connectivity.

IP Address
Displays the private or public IP address assigned to the virtual machine for network communication.

Region
Shows the data center location where the virtual machine is currently hosted.

VM Management Actions

Click the Actions dropdown menu to access the available management options for the virtual machine.

Console

Launch the VM console to directly access and manage the operating system.

Shut Down / Power Off

Gracefully stop the virtual machine and power it off safely.

Reboot

Restart the virtual machine without removing or recreating it.

Change Flavor

Update the VM’s hardware profile by increasing or decreasing resources such as vCPU and RAM.

Set Password

Assign a new login password for accessing the virtual machine.

Rename

Modify the display name of the virtual machine.

Delete

Permanently remove the virtual machine along with all of its associated resources.

Managing Volumes

Open the Volumes section to view all storage volumes currently attached to the virtual machine.

If required, you can safely detach an attached volume from the VM.

Network Interface

Go to the Network Interface section to review the virtual machine’s networking details.

This section displays the available network interfaces, IP configuration, and connectivity information.

Audit Log

The Audit Log records every activity performed on the virtual machine.

It helps administrators monitor configuration changes, user actions, and system events for troubleshooting and auditing purposes.

Cloud provides a flexible and scalable cloud platform that allows you to deploy virtual machines (VMs) quickly for hosting applications, development, testing, or other workloads.

If you want to create a Virtual Machine using the Advanced Panel, refer to the Advanced Panel documentation.

Follow the steps below to create a Virtual Machine from the Cloud Dashboard.

Step 1: Log in to the Cloud Dashboard

Sign in to your Cloud account using your registered credentials.

Step 2: Open the Virtual Machines Section

After logging in, navigate to the main dashboard and click Virtual Machines to open the VM management page.

Step 3: Select a Project

From the Project dropdown menu, choose the project where you want to deploy the new virtual machine.

If you haven’t created a project yet, create one first before proceeding.

Step 4: Choose the Deployment Location

The default deployment region is IN-WEST3, which is automatically selected.

As Cloud expands its infrastructure, additional regions will become available, allowing you to deploy your virtual machines closer to your users or applications.

Step 5: Select the Operating System Image

Choose the operating system image that you want to install on your virtual machine from the list of available images.

Supported operating systems include multiple Linux and Windows distributions.

Using a Custom Image

Custom Image: If you want to use your own custom image, you can upload it and create a virtual machine (VM) using that image.

Step 6: Select the Virtual Machine Flavor

Click the Flavor dropdown menu and select the hardware configuration that matches your workload.

Each flavor defines the available:

• General Purpose
• CPU Intensive
• Memory Intensive
• GPU Instances

Choose a flavor that satisfies the minimum hardware requirements of the operating system you selected earlier. More demanding operating systems may require additional CPU and memory resources.

Step 7: Configure Storage Volumes

The Volumes section contains the boot disk that will store the operating system and system files.

Modify the Boot Volume

Verify that the default boot disk provides enough storage.

If additional capacity is required:

• Click Edit Volume
• Enter the desired disk size
• Click Save

Add Additional Volumes

If your workload requires extra storage:

• Click Add Volume
• Specify the required size
• Click Save
• Attach the volume using the available dropdown option

Custom Volume Sizes

If you require a custom-sized disk such as:

• 30 GiB
• 50 GiB
• 100 GiB

You can first create the volume from the Cloud Advanced Dashboard and attach it while creating the virtual machine.

After deployment, you can resize volumes or attach additional non-boot disks whenever needed.

Step 8: Configure Network Interfaces

Click Add Network Interface and select the network that your virtual machine will use.

Public Network

A public network allows external access to your VM, making it suitable for hosting web servers, APIs, or any services requiring internet connectivity.

To configure a public IP:

• Click Add Network Interface
• Select a Public IP Pool
• Enable Assign Automatically
• Click Add

Cloud can automatically assign either:

• IPv4
• IPv6

You may also remove assigned addresses using the Delete icon whenever necessary.

Secondary IP Addresses

If your application requires multiple IP addresses, you can add secondary IPv4 or IPv6 addresses.

Unlike the primary IP address, secondary IPs are not automatically configured inside the operating system. You must configure them manually after the virtual machine is deployed.

Security Groups

If the selected network includes IP Address Management (IPAM), the following settings are automatically enabled:

• Spoofing Protection
• Default Security Group

The default security group allows inbound and outbound communication for the virtual machine.

Step 9: Enter the Virtual Machine Name

Provide a unique and meaningful name for the virtual machine.

Using descriptive names makes future management easier, especially when multiple virtual machines are deployed.

Step 10: Configure Advanced Settings

Set the Administrator Password

Create a strong password that will be used to access the virtual machine after deployment.

A secure password should contain:

• Uppercase letters
• Lowercase letters
• Numbers
• Special characters

If preferred, you may skip this step and configure or reset the password later from the Cloud Dashboard.

Configure SSH Authentication

SSH keys provide a secure way to access Linux virtual machines.

You can either:

• Use an existing SSH key pair
• Generate a new SSH key

Generate a New SSH Key:

Select one of the supported algorithms:

Click Generate.

Cloud automatically creates the key pair and downloads the private .pem key file to your computer.

Upload an Existing Public Key

If you already have an SSH key pair, click Add Public SSH Key and paste your existing public key.

This allows secure passwordless authentication when connecting to the virtual machine.

Add a Customization Script (Optional)

Provide user data to customize the VM after launch. User data can be in a YAML-based configuration file or a shell script that runs commands on the VM upon launch.

After configuring all of the VM parameters, click on the Create Button to create your Virtual Machine.

Overview

This Knowledge Base explains how rDNS (Reverse DNS) works on Cloud, how it is automatically created, and clarifies common doubts faced by customers and internal teams.

Cloud follows a fully automated rDNS creation process. Customers do not need to manually add or manage rDNS entries after creating a Virtual Machine (VM).

What is rDNS?

Reverse DNS (rDNS) maps an IP address back to a hostname.

• Forward DNS: hostname → IP address
• Reverse DNS (rDNS): IP address → hostname

rDNS is commonly used for:

• Email server reputation and spam checks
• Network identification
• Compliance with hosting and email best practices

How rDNS Works in Cloud

1. Client creates a VM from the Cloud CMP.
2. Client provides or updates the hostname for the VM in the CMP.
3. Cloud backend rDNS automation runs every 1 hour.
4. The automation reads VM IP and hostname details from the CMP.
5. rDNS entry is automatically created in DNS.

No manual action is required from the client or support team.

rDNS Creation Schedule

• rDNS is not created instantly.
• The backend automation runs on an hourly interval.
• rDNS entries are usually visible within 1 hour after VM creation or hostname update.

If rDNS is checked immediately after VM creation, it may not appear yet. This is expected behavior.

Backend Automation Details

Cloud runs an automated rDNS creation in the backend.

• Scans newly created or updated VMs
• Fetches IP address and hostname from the CMP
• Automatically adds or updates rDNS records in DNS

Key Points

• Automation runs hourly
• Fully automated
• Prevents manual errors
• Ensures consistency across the platform

Do Clients Need to Add rDNS Manually?

Cloud automatically handles rDNS creation.

Clients should NOT:

• Raise requests for manual rDNS creation
• Try to configure rDNS outside Cloud
• Expect instant rDNS creation

Clients SHOULD:

• Ensure the correct hostname is set in the Cloud CMP
• Wait up to 1 hour for rDNS propagation

Cloud provides a Customization Script option that lets you automatically configure a virtual machine during deployment. Instead of performing manual installation after the VM is created, you can execute a script that installs and configures the required software automatically.

Cloud supports two types of customization scripts:

• Shell Script (.sh)
• Cloud-Init Script (YAML format using #cloud-config)

This guide demonstrates how to use a Cloud-Init configuration to automatically install cPanel & WHM on a new virtual machine.

Important: cPanel must be installed on a clean installation of AlmaLinux or CloudLinux. The server should have a minimum of 2 GB RAM and a valid cPanel license.

Step 1: Verify the Requirements

Before creating the VM, make sure the following requirements are met.

• Deploy a supported operating system such as AlmaLinux or CloudLinux.
• Allocate at least 2 GB RAM.
• Allocate a minimum of 20 GB storage.
• Assign a public IP address to the VM.
• Allow ports 2087 (WHM) and 2083 (cPanel) in the Security Group or Firewall.
• (Optional but recommended) Point a domain or subdomain such as cpanel.example.com to the VM’s public IP for SSL.

Step 2: Prepare the Cloud-Init Script

Create the following Cloud-Init configuration and replace the hostname with your own domain.

#cloud-config
hostname: cpanel.example.com
fqdn: cpanel.example.com
packages:
– perl
– curl
write_files:
– path: /etc/resolv.conf
content: |
nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 8.8.4.4
runcmd:
– curl -o latest -L https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest
– sh latest

Step 3: Understand What the Script Performs

When the VM starts for the first time, the Cloud-Init script automatically performs the following tasks:

• Sets the server hostname.
• Configures the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN).
• Installs the required packages (Perl and Curl).
• Configures Google Public DNS servers.
• Downloads the latest cPanel installer.
• Starts the cPanel installation automatically.

No manual commands are required after the VM boots.

Step 4: Create a New Virtual Machine

• Sign in to your Cloud Dashboard.
• Click Create VM.
• Select a supported operating system.
• Choose the required CPU, RAM, storage, and network configuration.
• Locate the Customization Script section.
• Select Cloud-Init.
• Paste the Cloud-Init script into the provided text box.
• Review the configuration.
• Click Launch VM.

The VM will now be created with the customization script attached.

Step 5: Automatic Installation Process

After the virtual machine powers on:

• Cloud-Init executes automatically.
• The server installs the required packages.
• DNS configuration is applied.
• The latest cPanel installation package is downloaded.
• cPanel installation begins automatically.

The installation usually completes within 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the server specifications and internet speed.

Step 6: Access WHM

After installation finishes, open your browser and visit:

https://<VM_Public_IP>:2087

Step 7: Log in to WHM

Use the server’s root credentials.

Login with:

Username: root
Password: your VM’s root password (set during creation)

After authentication, the WHM interface will open.

Step 8: Complete the Initial Configuration

During the first login, WHM will launch its setup wizard.

Complete the following tasks:

• Accept the cPanel License Agreement.
• Verify the server hostname.
• Configure networking settings.
• Configure nameservers.
• Enter your contact email.
• Activate your cPanel license (Trial or Paid).

Once finished, the server is ready for hosting.

Step 9: Begin Using cPanel

After setup is complete, you can:

• Create new cPanel hosting accounts.
• Add websites and domains.
• Configure email services.
• Manage DNS zones.
• Install SSL certificates.
• Upload website files.
• Manage databases.

Troubleshooting Tips

• If DNS resolution fails, verify that /etc/resolv.conf contains valid nameservers.
• If cPanel fails to install, check logs at /var/log/cpanel-install.log.
• Ensure the server has no existing control panel or conflicting services.

Summary

By using a cloud-init cloud-config script in the Cloud VM creation wizard, you can automatically:

• Set system hostname
• Configure DNS
• Install cPanel with a single script

This reduces manual work and ensures consistent deployments.