Configure a Data Center

This tutorial contains a detailed description of how to manually configure your IONOS Cloud infrastructure for each server via the Virtual Data Center (VDC). It comprises all the building blocks and the necessary resources required to configure, operate, and manage your products and services. You can configure and manage multiple VDCs.

Prerequisites: Only contract owners, administrators, and users having Create Data Center permission can configure a data center. Other user types have read-only access.

It is also possible to configure settings for each server automatically.

Create a Dedicated Core Server

1. Drag the Dedicated Core server element from the palette into the workspace.

2. To configure your Dedicated Core server, enter the following details in the Settings tab of the Inspector pane:

   • Name: Enter a unique name for your server.

   • Availability Zone: Select a zone from the drop-down list to host the server on the chosen zone.

   • CPU Architecture: Select either AMD or Intel cores.

   • Cores: Select the number of CPU cores.

   • RAM: Select any size starting from 0.25 GB to the maximum limit allotted to you. The size can be increased or reduced in steps of 0.25 GB. The maximum limit varies based on your contract resource limits and the chosen data center. For more information about creating a full-fledged server, see Create a Dedicated Core Server.

Drag a Dedicated Core server element from the palette onto the workspace and configure its properties on the right

Result: The Dedicated Core Server is now created and can be updated based on your requirements.

Add storage to the Dedicated Core Server

1. Drag a Storage element from the palette onto a Dedicated Core server in the workspace.

2. To configure your Storage element, enter the following details in the Inspector pane:

Combining a Storage element with the Dedicated Core server in the workspace joins two elements

• Name: Enter a storage name unique to the VDC.

• Availability Zone: Select a zone from the drop-down list to host the storage element associated with the server.

• Size in GB: Choose the required storage capacity.

• Performance: Select a value from the drop-down list based on the requirement. You can either select Premium or Standard, and the performance of your storage element varies accordingly.

• Image: Select an image from the drop-down list. You can select one of IONOS images or choose your own.

• Password: Enter a password for the chosen image on the server—a root or an administrator password.

• Backup Unit: Select a backup unit from the drop-down list. Click Create Backup Unit to instantly create a new backup unit if unavailable.

  

  Combining a Storage element with the Dedicated Core server in the workspace joins two elements

For more information about adding storage to the server, see Block Storage Overview.

Result: The storage will now be added to your Dedicated Core Server.

Connect to the internet

1. Drag a Network Interface Card (NIC) element from the palette into the workspace to connect the elements.

2. To configure your NIC element, enter the following details in the Network tab of the Inspector pane:

   • Name: Enter a NIC name unique to this VDC.

   • MAC: Media Access Control Address field is populated automatically upon provisioning and cannot be changed.

   • LAN: The name of the configured LAN is displayed. To select another network, select a value from the drop-down list.

   • Firewall: It is Disabled by default. Select a value from the drop-down list to configure your firewall settings. For more information, see Configure a Firewall.

   • IPv4 Configuration:

     • Primary IP: The primary IP address is automatically assigned by the IONOS DHCP server. You can, however, enter an IP address for manual assignment by selecting one of the reserved IP addresses from the drop-down list. Private IP addresses (according to RFC 1918) must be entered manually.

     • DHCP: It is often necessary to run a DHCP server in your virtual data center (e.g., PXE boot for fast rollout of VMs). If you use your own DHCP server, clear this check box so that the IONOS DHCP server does not reassign your IPs.

For more information about network configuration, see Configure a Network.

Connect your Dedicated Core server to the internet by configuring the Network settings in the Inspector pane

Result: The data center will now be connected to the internet.

Provision Changes

1. Select PROVISION CHANGES in the Inspector pane to start the provisioning.

2. Review your changes in the Validation tab of the Provision Data Center window.

3. Confirm changes by entering your password. Resolve conflicts without a password.

4. When ready, select Provision Now.

Finalize the setup by requesting that the resources are provisioned

Confirm by selecting Provision Now

Result: The data center will now be provisioned. DCD will display a Provisioning Complete notification when your cloud infrastructure is ready.

You may configure the MAC and IP addresses once the resource is provisioned.

Next steps

After configuring data centers, you can specify a preferred default data center location, IP settings, and resource capacity for future VDCs. For more information about configuring VDC defaults, see Create a Dedicated Core Server.