Machines
Create a machine, find it again, and read its status at a glance.
A machine is a virtual server with its own vCPUs, memory, disk and IP addresses. You create and manage machines in Super MachinesMachines.
Your account must be set up first: profile, payment method, and at least one prefix that is attached to you. Until then, the Machines screen shows a short checklist instead. See Set up your account.
Choose a prefix
Machines always live in a prefix (a group of services, for example "Production" or "Team A"). The Machines screen shows one prefix at a time.
- Open Super MachinesMachines.
- Pick a prefix in the Prefix list at the top.
The console remembers the last prefix you picked. If you only have one, it is selected for you. If the list is empty, nobody has attached a prefix to you yet: see Prefixes.
Create a machine
- Open Super MachinesMachines and select the prefix the machine should belong to. The new machine is created in the prefix shown at the top; the form has no prefix field.
- Click Add Machine.
- Fill in the form (details below).
- Click Add.
You'll see Added, and the machine appears with the status Creating. The list refreshes on its own every 10 seconds until it is Running.
If something is rejected (for example a limit on your plan), you'll see an error and the form closes without keeping what you typed. Note your choices before clicking Add for large setups.
The form
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Machine | A name you'll recognise, e.g. web-01. |
| Select Region | Where the machine runs. Pick the region closest to your users. |
| Tier | Standard or Premium. The tier sets the limits your machine can grow to. |
| Image | The operating system and size to start from. Required. Each option shows its memory, disk and vCPUs. |
| Disk Size | Starts at the image's size, which is also the minimum. Use + to add space (in GB). |
| Enable Auto Scaling | Optional. Lets the machine grow and shrink by itself. See Auto scaling. |
vCPUs and memory come from the image you pick. You can change them as soon as the machine is running, see Resize.
Find the right image
- Type in the Image box to search the images by their description.
- Click Browse Images to filter by Operating system (Ubuntu, Windows), Instance type (General Purpose, Memory Optimized) and vCPU, then click Select on the one you want.
- To start from one of your own images, set the first filter to CSI (custom images). See Build a custom image.
- Click Info next to the image to see its description, source and root password.
Every machine built from the same image starts with that image's root password, unless the console shows a password generated for your machine (Windows machines get one). Sign in once and change it, or use key pairs instead.
Cards and list
Switch between the two views with Cards and List at the top right. Both show the same machines, search and pages.
- Cards (live view): one card per machine with its status and bars for vCPU, memory and disk. The header totals what is running. Cards refresh every 30 seconds, and a card lights up when its size changes. Click a card to open its details.
- List: a table with Super Id, Name, OS, disk, memory, vCPUs, created date and status. Click the Super Id to open the details (it is also copied to your clipboard).
Use Refresh to reload at any time.
Statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Creating | Being set up. Takes a few minutes. |
| Starting | Booting. |
| Running | Up and reachable. |
| Updating | A change is being applied, for example a resize. |
| Stopped | Powered off. Your disk and settings are kept. |
| Paused | Suspended. |
| Terminated | Deleted. Hidden from the list by default. |
| Failed to provision | Creation didn't succeed. Hidden by default. |
| Failed to process | The last operation didn't succeed. Hidden by default. Try Force Start, or contact support. |
What you can do depends on the status: the Action menu only offers what is possible right now. See Manage machines.
Search and filter
- Type in Search to find machines by name.
- Click Filter to build conditions on any field (for example Region
=in-mum-1, or Memory>=8192). Use Add for more conditions and click Filter to apply. Separate several values with commas. - By default the list hides Terminated and failed machines. Click Clear to remove all filters and see everything, including them.
Machine details
Open a machine by clicking its card, its Super Id, or ActionView. The details panel opens at the bottom of the screen. You can drag it taller, dock it to the right or left, or expand it to full size.
| Tab | What you'll find |
|---|---|
| General | Name, Super Id, tier, memory, disk, vCPUs, auto scaling, OS, region, the password, and the private and public IP addresses. |
| Security/Access | The traffic profiles and key pairs attached to this machine. |
| Logs | Everything that happened to the machine, newest last. |
| Snapshots | Save and restore the disk. See Snapshots. |
| Live Stats | CPU, memory, disk and network use, updated every 5 seconds. See Monitor. |
Use the copy icons next to the Super Id and password to copy them.
Troubleshooting
- "Choose a prefix to see its machines." Pick a prefix at the top.
- The prefix list is empty. No prefix is attached to you. Ask an administrator, or see Prefixes.
- Nothing happens when I click Add. Select an Image first.
- "unauthorized" Your role doesn't allow this action in this prefix, or your session expired. Sign in again or ask an administrator for access (roles).