# Prerequisites

IONOS is focused on ensuring an uninterrupted and cost-efficient operation of your services. We offer a selection of tested operating systems for immediate use in your virtual cloud instances. To ensure uninterrupted, secure, and stable performance, all Operating Systems (OS), regardless of their source, must meet the following requirements:

* [<mark style="color:blue;">VirtIO drivers</mark>](../how-tos/install-windows-virtio-drivers) are essential for the operation of virtual network cards.
* The following are the recommended drivers for the operation of virtual storage:
  * VirtIO (maximum performance).
  * Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE).

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**Note:** For vStorage, an alternative connection by IDE is available; however, we recommend using IDE to deliver the potential performance offered by IONOS.
{% endhint %}

* QXL drivers are required to use the remote console.

## Best practices

* The older an OS version, the greater the risk of performance and stability losses. We recommend that you switch to the current versions well before the manufacturer's support for your old version expires. Using current versions significantly improve your OS security and functionality.
* When operating software appliances, we recommend that you use the images that have been specially prepared for the KVM hypervisor.
* In general, all current Linux distributions and their derivatives are supported.

If you are using special software appliances or OS that are not listed here, contact [<mark style="color:blue;">IONOS Cloud Support</mark>](https://docs.ionos.com/support/general-information/contact-information). We could explore the possibility of using such systems within the IONOS Enterprise Cloud and advise you on the best possible implementation.
