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Tutorial
Description
Log in to the Data Center Designer (DCD), explore the dashboard and menu options.
Create a data center and learn about individual user interface (UI) elements.
Create a server, add storage and a network. Provision changes.
Set user privileges; limit or extend access to chosen roles.
Manage general settings, payment and contract details.
Create, manage and delete an authentication token using the API/SDK Authentication Token Manager.
Access the DCD in your web browser by navigating to https://dcd.ionos.com.
Select your preferred language (DE | EN) in the top right corner of the Log in window.
Enter the Email and Password created during registration.
Select Log in.
Result: You will be successfully logged in to the DCD.
Note: By default, no code is required. The Verification code will be required if you have activated 2-Factor Authentication. We highly recommend enabling 2FA to improve the user security.
Once logged in, you will see the Dashboard. The Dashboard shows a concise overview of your data centers, resource allocation, and options for help and support. You can click on the IONOS logo in the Menu bar at any time to return to the Dashboard.
Inside the Dashboard, you can see the My Virtual Data Centers list and the Resource Allocation window. The Resource Allocation window shows the current usage of resources across your infrastructure.
Selecting a data center in the My Data Centers list opens the data center. However, if this is your first time using DCD, you need to create your first Virtual Data Center (VDC). For more information on creating the VDC, see Configure a Data Center.
The Menu bar at the top of the DCD screen allows you to access the DCD features, view notifications, visit the help section, and manage your user account.
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.
Drag the Dedicated Core server element from the palette into the workspace.
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.
CPU Architecture: Select either AMD or Intel cores.
Cores: Select the number of CPU cores.
Result: The Dedicated Core Server is now created and can be updated based on your requirements.
Drag a Storage element from the palette onto a Dedicated Core server in the workspace.
To configure your Storage element, enter the following details in the Inspector pane:
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.
Result: The storage will now be added to your Dedicated Core Server.
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.
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.
Result: The data center will now be connected to the internet.
Select PROVISION CHANGES in the Inspector pane to start the provisioning.
Review your changes in the Validation tab of the Provision Data Center window.
Confirm changes by entering your password. Resolve conflicts without a password.
When ready, select 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.
This tutorial contains a detailed description of how to manually configure your IONOS Cloud infrastructure for each server via the Virtual Data Center (). 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.
Availability Zone: Select a zone from the drop-down list to host the on the chosen zone.
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 and the . For more information about creating a full-fledged server, see .
For more information about adding storage to the server, see .
Drag a Network Interface Card () element from the palette into the workspace to connect the elements.
Firewall: It is Disabled by default. Select a value from the drop-down list to configure your firewall settings. For more information, see .
For more information about network configuration, see .
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 .
Menu option
Description
1. IONOS logo
Return link to the Dashboard.
2. Data Center Designer
List existing VDCs and/or create new ones.
2. Data Center Designer
List existing VDCs and/or create new ones.
3. Storage
List storage buckets and/or create new ones.
4. Containers
Manage Kubernetes and Container Registries.
5. Databases
Manage Databases.
6. Management
User, Group, and Resource settings and Security management.
7. Notification icon
Shows active notifications.
8. Help icon
Customer Support, Tutorials, FTP Upload Image access, and information about new features in the DCD.
9. Account Management
Account settings, resource usage, and billing methods.
Your IONOS Cloud infrastructure is set up in Virtual Data Centers (VDCs). You will find all the building blocks and resources required to configure and manage your products and services here.
Prerequisites: Make sure you have the appropriate permissions. Only contract administrators, owners, and users with the Create Data Center permission can create a VDC.
In the DCD, go to Menu > Data Center Designer. A drop-down window will open up.
Provide the following information:
Name: Enter an appropriate name for your VDC.
Description: (Optional) Describe your new VDC.
Region: Choose the physical location of your data center that will host your infrastructure.
Select Create Data Center to confirm.
Alternatively, go to the My Virtual Data Centers list and select Create new. You can also use the Start Center option to create new data centers. For more information, see Manage Start Center.
Result: The data center is now created and can be opened in the workspace. The newly created VDC is added to the My Data Centers list in your Dashboard.
You can set up your data center infrastructure by using a drag-and-drop visual interface. The DCD contains the following elements:
The square elements serve as building blocks for your VDC. Each element represents an IONOS Cloud product or service. Some elements are compatible, while others are not. For example, a Server icon can be combined with the Storage (HDD or SSD) icon. In practice, this would represent the physical act of connecting a hard drive to a server machine. For more information, see Set Up Storage.
The palette is a dynamic sidebar that contains VDC elements. You can click and drag each element from the palette into your workspace and position it as per your requirements.
All cloud products and services are compatible with each other. You may create a Server and add Storage to it. A LAN Network will interconnect your Servers.
Some elements may connect automatically via drag-and-drop. The DCD will then join the two if able. Otherwise, it will open configuration space for approval.
Right-click an element and select Delete from the drop-down menu. You can also select the element directly and hit Delete/Backspace from your keyboard.
The context menu offers different options depending on the element. To see the context menu, right-click on any element. For example, right-click a Cube or a Server to update it.
When an element is selected, the Inspector pane will appear on the right side of your screen. You can configure the element properties. For example, for a Server element, you can define its Name and Availability Zone, Preset, vCPUs and RAM.
This pane allows you to finalize the creation of your data center. Once your VDC is set up, select PROVISION CHANGES. This makes your infrastructure available for use.
The Start Center is an alternative option for VDC creation and management. You can access the manage the VDCs or create a new one from the Start Center window.
In the DCD, go to Menu > Data Center Designer > Open Start Center.
The following are the available options in the Start Center window:
The Start Center lists all your data centers in alphabetical order.
The Create Data Center on the right can also be used to create new VDCs.
The Region | Version are displayed for each VDC. Version numbers begin from 0 and are incremented by one each time the data center is provisioned.
The Details, to the right of each VDC, displays all associated servers, VMs, resources, and their statuses. The status of the resources could be on, off, or de-allocated. Here, you can either:
You can select a VDC from the Data Center list to open it.
Result: You can manage your VDC using the Start Center.
Attention:
Starting from March 15, 2024, authorization via Basic Auth will be discontinued for the users with 2-Factor Authentication enabled.
For users:
User accounts can authenticate to IONOS' APIs and SDKs only by generating authentication tokens via API/SDK Authentication Token Manager in the DCD if they:
have started the process of configuring 2FA on their account.
have completed the 2FA process on their account.
have a 2FA process obligated by the contract owner or administrator.
This change affects the other API actions in the following ways:
Note:
IONOS' APIs and SDKs support users to authenticate using the Basic Authentication support for non-2FA enabled and forced accounts, which will be available till this year's end.
For 2FA enabled and forced users, once the TTL expires, the tokens cannot be refreshed automatically. You need to generate a new authentication token via DCD.
Effective March 15, 2024, the Basic Authentication will not be supported for user accounts with 2FA enabled or forced, and only tokens generated from the Token Manager authenticate users to use the IONOS' APIs and SDKs. This update to APIs and SDKs authentication methods and token management is aimed at enhancing user security.
Impacted users are encouraged to try out generating authentication tokens via API/SDK Authentication Token Manager and familiarize themselves with the new authorization method and token generation. This transition ensures a more secure and hassle-free user experience.
You are encouraged to activate 2FA to ensure secure access to your infrastructure. The APIs/ SDKs will support account security by working with tokens that can only be retrieved from the Authentication Token Manager.
All user accounts with currently 2FA enabled or forced are impacted by the Basic Authentication deprecation. New users and existing users opting for the 2FA going forward will also be impacted by this change.
The significant changes to IONOS APIs and SDKs authentication methods and token management require impacted users with 2FA enabled or forced to take the following mandatory actions:
To get started with generating authorization tokens using the API/SDK Authentication Token Manager that is available in the DCD starting February 1, 2024.
The following are a few FAQs to provide insights into the Basic Authentication Deprecation notice and its impact on user accounts with 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) enabled or 2FA forced.
The Basic Authentication Deprecation notice is a notification that significant changes are being made to IONOS APIs and SDKs authentication methods. Starting from February 1, 2024, the newly introduced token management feature will generate authentication tokens from the DCD, and the Basic Authentication function will be disabled for all 2FA-enabled or 2FA-forced users effective March 15, 2024.
The 2FA is enabled or forced on user accounts to enforce improved security while accessing IONOS DCD, APIs an SDKs. Hence, when the 2FA is enabled, access to IONOS' APIs and SDKs is allowed only through an authentication token, and Basic Authentication is deprecated.
After March 15, 2024, users with 2FA enabled or forced will undergo the following changes:
The existing tokens created via the Auth API will not be supported anymore.
Authentication to IONOS' APIs and SDKs is only allowed by the Authorization token that is generated from the Token Manager in the DCD.
Requesting authorization via Basic Authentication across IONOS' APIs and SDKs will not be supported by the end of 2024.
No, users without 2FA enabled or forced are not impacted by the Basic Authentication deprecation. Such users can continue to use Basic Authentication to access IONOS' APIs and SDKs. However, it is recommended to use 2FA for improved user security and use the Token Manager to generate authentication tokens.
Using the API/SDK Authentication Token Manager, you can generate new tokens, list all tokens, and delete tokens. A new token is valid for its defined Time To Live (TTL) duration. Using these tokens, 2FA enabled or forced user accounts can authenticate to use IONOS' APIs and SDKs.
In the DCD, go to Management > Token Management. In the API/SDK Authentication Token Manager, use the Generate Token option to create a token.
You can continue using Basic Authentication till the end of 2024. However, a grace period is not possible for the users with 2FA enabled. The new token management is available effective February 1, 2024, and to continue using IONOS APIs and SDKs, you must transition to the new token management by March 15, 2024. If you do not take action by this date, you will no longer be able to access IONOS' APIs and SDKs.
Currently, the token generated from the Token Manager in the DCD is valid for a maximum of one year. There is no provision for extending this duration. You will need to renew your tokens as needed.
This change primarily applies to 2FA enabled or forced user accounts across IONOS' APIs and SDKs that were using Basic Authentication for authorization. Other services and APIs continue to have their authentication methods and policies.
No, after the deprecation date (March 15, 2024), Basic Authentication tokens will no longer be valid for authorization for 2FA-enabled and forced users. You must switch to using tokens provided by the Token Manager.
This change enhances user security by moving away from Basic Authentication, which is considered less secure, and by providing a more streamlined and user-friendly token management system for APIs and SDKs access. It helps protect user data and accounts.
For the Token Management APIs, if you have 2-Factor Authentication configured, then you are no longer allowed to create or delete tokens using this API. You can use the Token Manager in the Data Center Designer (DCD) to create or delete the tokens.
Prerequisites: Make sure you have the appropriate privileges. Only contract administrators and owners can manage users within a VDC.
A new VDC in the Data Center Designer (DCD) is manageable by contract owners. To assign resource management capabilities to other members in VDC, you can add users and groups and grant them appropriate privileges to work with the data center resources.
The User Manager lets you create new users, add them to user groups, and assign privileges to each group. Privileges either limit or increase your access based on the user role. The User Manager lets you control user access to specific areas of your VDC.
In the DCD, go to Menu > Management > Users & Groups.
Select + Create in the Users tab.
Enter the user's First Name, Last Name, Email, and Password.
Note: The email address of the new user must be unique.
Select Create to confirm.
Result: A user is successfully created and listed in the Users list.
The creation of groups is useful when you need to assign specific duties to the members of a group. You can create a group and add members to this group. You can then assign privileges to the entire group.
In the Groups tab, select + Create.
Enter a Group Name.
Select Create to confirm.
Result: The group is now created and visible in the Groups list. You can now assign permissions, users, and resources to your group.
In the Groups tab, select a group from the Groups list.
In the Privileges tab, select checkboxes next to the privilege name.
Note: You do not need to save your selections. This action automatically grants or removes privileges.
Result: The group has the required privileges now.
Note: To remove the privileges for a group, clear the checkbox next to the privilege name.
Users are added to your new group on an individual basis. Once you have created a new member, you must assign them to the group.
In the Groups tab, select the required group.
In the Members tab, add users from the + Add User drop-down list.
Result: The users are now assigned to the group. These users have privileges and access rights to the resources corresponding to their group.
When assigning a user to a group, whether you are a contract owner or an administrator, you can:
Determine the resources that members of this group can access. These resources could be:
IP blocks
Note: Administrators do not need to be managed in groups, as they automatically have access to all resources associated with the contract.
In the Resources tab, select a resource from the drop-down list.
In the Visible to Groups tab, click + Add Group.
Select a group from the drop-down list.
Result: This group can now access the allocated resource.
In the Groups tab, select the required group.
Select the Resources of Group tab.
Click + Grant Access and select the resource to be assigned to the group from the drop-down list.
Result: The group now has the newly assigned resources. You have enabled read access for the selected resource.
To enable access, select the Edit or Share checkbox for a resource.
To disable access, select the required resource. Clear either the Edit or Share checkboxes. You can also directly click Revoke Access.
Users can be removed from your group on an individual basis.
Select the Members tab.
Click Remove User.
Result: This user is now removed from the group.
Select the Remote Console using
Open the data center using
With 2-Factor Authentication disabled for their accounts, we will continue to support Basic Authentication till the end of 2024. We highly recommend to enable to improve the user security.
With 2-Factor Authentication enabled on their accounts, we recommend requesting token authorization through the Token Manager in the Data Center Designer (DCD). The Token Manager allows users to create, list, and delete tokens based on the defined Time To Live (TTL). For more information, see . This transition ensures a secure and hassle-free authorization process for enhanced account security.
For more information, see .
API actions such as , , will not be allowed.
Basic USERNAME
and PASSWORD
credentials will no longer work with tools such as , and .
via IonosCTL will not be allowed.
The new API/SDK Authentication Token Manager is available from February 1, 2024. For more information, see .
Effective March 15, 2024, only these tokens let users authenticate and use the IONOS' APIs and SDKs. The Token Manager allows you to create, list, and delete tokens. For more information, see .
Logging in using USERNAME
and PASSWORD
credentials will no longer work with tools such as , and .
To improve user security, use the Token Manager to .
via IonosCTL will not be allowed.
To continue using IONOS' APIs and SDKs, you must request authorization through tokens that can be generated from the new Token Manager in the DCD, available from February 1, 2024. For more information, see .
For more information or assistance with this transition, you can contact or see documentation.
This tutorial guides you through creating and managing Users, User Groups, and Resources in the .
within DCD.
Name
Description
1. Menu bar
Provides access to the DCD functions via drop-down menus.
2. Palette
Movable element icons that can be combined in the workspace.
3. Element
The icon represents a component of the virtual data center.
4. Workspace
You can arrange element icons in this space via drag-and-drop.
5. Inspector pane
View and configure properties of the selected element.
6. Context menu
Right-click an element to display additional options.
This tutorial guides you through generating and managing authentication tokens in the Data Center Designer (DCD).
Note: The API/SDK Authentication Token Manager can be used by any user but is mandatory for 2FA enabled and forced accounts.
In the DCD, you can now generate the authentication token to securely access IONOS Cloud APIs and SDKs by using the API/SDK Authentication Token Manager. Along with improved user security, the Token Manager offers a seamless user experience to generate tokens in a simplified way and use the token several times to access the APIs and SDKs. You can generate up to 100 authentication tokens and use any of these token values for authorizing access to APIs and SDKs.
To create a secure authentication token for authorizing to use APIs and SDKs, follow these steps:
In the DCD, go to Menu > Management > Token Management.
In the API/SDK Authentication Token Manager, select Generate Token.
Copy the Token ID and Close the token-generated window.
Warning: You must save the token value for future uses. You will not be able to see the token value again due to security reasons.
Note: You can download the token value as a text file for future uses by selecting the Download option next to the Token Value.
Result: An authentication token is generated and listed in the API/SDK Authentication Token Manager screen.
Each token has a Time To Live (TTL), which is the duration for which a token is valid before it expires and becomes inactive. Select a TTL value from the drop-down list. The following are the possible values:
1 Hour
4 Hours
1 Day
7 Days
30 Days
60 Days
90 Days
180 Days
365 Days
Each token consists of:
ID: This is the ID of the token which you can use in the Auth API. For example, to delete the token by ID.
Creation Date: The date and time stamp of the token.
Expiration Date: The date and time stamp when the token becomes invalid depending on the defined TTL at the time of token generation.
The generated token is listed in the API/SDK Authentication Token Manager screen.
The Token Value is displayed only once upon generation, and you must save this value for future use.
The token is valid based on the defined TTL field at the time of token generation.
Note: The deletion of a token in the Authentication Token Manager will result in the deactivation of the token even when it has not expired. It becomes invalid immediately.
To delete an authentication token, follow these steps:
In the DCD, go to Menu > Management > Token Management.
In the API/SDK Authentication Token Manager, select the authentication token to delete and select the Delete option.
Select Delete to confirm.
Result: The authentication token is successfully deleted and removed from the tokens list in the API/SDK Authentication Token Manager.
The Account Management panel is accessed by clicking on your name and email address. Here, you can perform key administrative tasks related to your account and contract. Only contract owners have complete access. The access levels depend on your user role.
You can set default values for future VDCs. Each time you open a new VDC, DCD will place your resources in the preset location, assigning them the same number of cores, memory size, storage capacity, and reserved IP addresses. For example, you can specify that all new VDCs must be located in Karlsruhe, or that all processors will use the Intel architecture.
In the DCD, go to Menu > Profile > My Settings.
In the My Settings panel, set default values for Session, Data Center, Server, and Storage.
Result: Your new values are valid immediately. You may undo your changes by clicking on Reset or the Reset All button.
Your IONOS Cloud account comes with a number of security features to protect you from unauthorized access:
You define the password for your IONOS account yourself during the registration process. Your password must contain at least eight characters and a mixture of upper and lowercase letters and special characters.
In the DCD, go to Menu > Profile > Account Management > Password & Security.
Enter your Current Password, New Password and then Repeat New Password.
Select Change Password.
Result: The password is changed and becomes effective with the next login.
In case if you forget your password, then you can reset it. For more information, see Resetting Your IONOS Account Password.
In addition to log-in credentials, this authentication method also requires an app-generated security code. Once 2-Factor Authentication has been activated, you can only access your account by receiving this code from the Google Authenticator App. This method can be extended to hide specific data centers and snapshots from users, even if they belong to an authorized group. This feature is only available in DCD.
Prerequisites: The Google Authenticator App is compatible with all Android or iOS mobile devices. You can install it on your device, free of charge, from the Google Play Store or from Apple iTunes. The app must be able to access your camera and the time on the mobile device needs to be set automatically.
You can turn on 2-Factor Authentication for your accounts. Make sure that it is not already activated by a contract owner or an administrator.
In the DCD, go to Menu > Profile > Password & Security.
Select the Enable 2-Factor Authentication option. The Set Up Assistant will open.
Proceed through each step by clicking Next.
Install the Google Authenticator app
Scan the QR code using the app
Enter the Security Token
Confirm
Contract owners or administrators can turn on 2-Factor Authentication for other user accounts to maintain high security.
In the DCD, go to Menu > Management > Users & Groups.
Select a required user in the User Manager window.
Select the Force 2-Factor Auth option in the Meta Data tab.
Select Save.
The Set Up Assistant will open up. Select the Activate for your own account tab in the documentation for completing these steps. The user may not circumvent this step, nor are they able to deactivate 2-Factor Authentication.
Result: 2-Factor Authentication is now on. You will need to provide a security code next time you log in.
To ensure support calls are made by authorized users, we usually ask for the support PIN to verify the account. You can set your support PIN in the DCD and change it at any time. To set or change your support PIN, follow these steps:
In the DCD, go to Menu > Profile > Password & Security.
In the Set Support PIN section, enter your support PIN in the PIN field.
Select Set Support PIN.
Result: The support PIN is now saved. You can use it to verify your account with Customer Support.
You can track the global usage of resources available in your account.
Furthermore, this page provides an overview of usage limits per virtual instance.
In this tab, you can view the breakdown of estimated costs for the next invoice. The costs displayed in the DCD are a non-binding extrapolation based on your resource allocation since the last invoice. Please refer to your invoice for the actual costs. For more pricing information, please visit our Features and prices page.
In the DCD, go to Menu > Profile > Cost and Usage.
Your Snapshot, IP address, and Data Center usage are listed. You can click the downward arrow to expand each section to view individual item charges.
Note: The total amount displayed excludes VAT.
As a contract owner, you can choose between two payment methods:
Direct debit
Credit card
In the DCD, go to Menu > Profile > Payment Method.
Choose either method, enter your information, and select Submit.
Credit card data is safely stored with our payment service provider. If you choose to pay by direct debit, you will receive a form from IONOS in which we ask you to give us direct debit authorization in writing.
Custom settings: If you wish to change your e-mail address or username, contact your sales representative. If you still have further questions or concerns about this, contact IONOS Cloud Support.
Remove a user account: As a contract owner or administrator, you can cancel a user account by removing the user from the User Manager. Resources created by the user are not deleted.
Cancel your account: If you wish to cancel your Enterprise Cloud (IaaS) contract and delete your account, including all VDCs completely, contact your IONOS account manager. If you still have further questions or concerns about this, contact IONOS Cloud Support.
If you are a 1&1 IONOS hosting customer, refer to Cancelling an IONOS Contract.
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