How-Tos

This section provides step-by-step guides to help you effectively create, manage, and delete your Confidential VMs within the DCD.

Prerequisites: Before setting up a Confidential VM, ensure you have the appropriate privileges. Only contract owners, administrators, or users with the Create Data Center privilege can set up a VDC. Other user types have read-only access and cannot provision changes.

Important: Confidential VMs are currently available in the Germany / Frankfurt am Main (de/fra/2) data center. To deploy, ensure you have an active IONOS CLOUD account in this location.

Quick links

Set Up a Confidential VM

Create an ENTERPRISE-type server using your uploaded Confidential VM image in the DCD.

Start a Confidential VM

Power on a stopped Confidential VM and run the hardware-enforced startup sequence.

Stop a Confidential VM

Deallocate resources and suspend billing for a Confidential VM from the DCD.

Reset a Confidential VM

Force a hardware restart of a Confidential VM from the DCD.

Delete a Confidential VM

Permanently remove a Confidential VM and its storage from the DCD.

Build a Hardened Kernel

Build a minimal Linux kernel that removes console, input, serial, USB, and management channel drivers at compile time for use in production Confidential VMs.