# Install Plesk on IONOS Cloud Virtual Machines (VMs)
## Overview
In this tutorial, you will learn how to install [Plesk](https://docs.plesk.com/en-US/obsidian/) on an IONOS Cloud [Virtual Machine (VM)](#user-content-fn-1)[^1] using either a Plesk image or the installer. Plesk is a powerful web hosting control panel that simplifies server management through a user-friendly graphical interface. It allows you to easily manage every aspect of your website, including domains, email accounts, files, and databases, without using the command line.
## Target audience
This tutorial is intended to help both developers and technical decision-makers.
## What you will learn
You will learn how to deploy a virtual machine on IONOS Cloud and install Plesk using either a pre-built image or the official installer. This tutorial guides you through the setup, configuration, and initial access to your Plesk control panel.
## Before you begin
Ensure you have already created a **Data Center** on IONOS Cloud. For more information, see [Create a Data Center](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/set-up-ionos-cloud/get-started/create-data-center).
## Procedure
The execution process is divided into the following steps:
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**Set Up your IONOS Cloud instance for Plesk installation**
1\. In the **DCD**, go to **Menu** > **Virtual Data Centers**.
2\. Select the data center where you want to install Plesk.
3\. Select a virtual instance, such as [Dedicated Core servers](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/compute-services/compute-engine/how-tos/set-up-dedicated-core), [vCPU servers](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/compute-services/compute-engine/how-tos/set-up-vcpu), or [Cubes](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/compute-services/cubes), and drag and drop it into your workspace to create the VM.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
**Install Plesk**
You can either install Plesk with a [Plesk QCOW image](https://docs.plesk.com/en-US/obsidian/deployment-guide/plesk-installation-and-upgrade-on-single-server/installing-plesk-using-qcow2-images.76451/) or use the [Plesk Installer](https://docs.plesk.com/en-US/obsidian/deployment-guide/plesk-installation-and-upgrade-on-single-server/1click-plesk-installation.76843/). The steps for each option are explained below:
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Install Plesk with a Pre-installed QCOW Image" %}
1. Upload an official [Plesk QCOW image](https://docs.plesk.com/en-US/obsidian/deployment-guide/plesk-installation-and-upgrade-on-single-server/installing-plesk-using-qcow2-images.76451/) to the IONOS Cloud platform.\
For more information about file upload, see [Private images](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/storage-and-backup/images-snapshots/private-images/how-tos/upload-image-via-ftp).
{% hint style="warning" %}
**Important**: Ensure that the uploaded image supports `cloud-init`. For more information, see [Access and Manage Private images](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/storage-and-backup/images-snapshots/private-images/how-tos/access-and-manage-private-image).
{% endhint %}
2. Select your newly created VM and enter a **Name** for it in the **Inspector** pane.
3. Select a preset configuration, or configure your VM manually. Make sure your VM meets the following requirements:
| **Type** | **RAM** | **Disk Space** |
| ----------- | ---------------------- | -------------- |
| **Linux** | `1 GB` and `1 GB swap` | `0 GB` |
| **Windows** | `2 GB` | `32 GB` |
4. In the **Storage** tab, click **HDD** or **SSD** to configure storage for your VM.
5. In the **Create New Attached Storage** window, enter a **Name** and **Size in GB**.
6. Under **Image**, select **Own Images** and choose one of your uploaded **Plesk QCOW images**.
7. Click **Cloud-Init user data** to enter your public SSH key for VM access.
8. Enter your user data and then click **OK**. It might resemble the following example:
```bash
#cloud-config
ssh_pwauth: True
users:
- name: root
ssh_authorized_keys:
- ssh-rsa YOUR_PUBLIC_SSH_KEY
```
9. Click **Create HDD Storage** or **Create SSD Storage** to finish storage creation.
10. Connect your VM to the Internet.
11. Click **Provision Changes** to complete the setup of your VM.
12. Connect to your VM via SSH.
13. Generate the Plesk login URL with the following command:
```bash
plesk login
```
14. Paste the generated URL into your web browser to initialize Plesk. Enter your **contact information**, **admin password**, and **license** to use your installation.
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Install Plesk with the Plesk Installer" %}
1. Select your newly created VM and enter a **Name** for it in the **Inspector** pane.
2. Select a preset configuration, or configure your VM manually. Make sure your VM meets these requirements:
| **Type** | **RAM** | **Disk Space** |
| ----------- | ---------------------- | -------------- |
| **Linux** | `1 GB` and `1 GB swap` | `0 GB` |
| **Windows** | `2 GB` | `32 GB` |
3. In the **Storage** tab, click **HDD** or **SSD** to configure storage for your VM.
4. In the **Create New Attached Storage** window, enter a **Name** and **Size in GB**.
5. Under **Image**, select **Linux Images** or **Microsoft Images**, then select an operating system.
6. Set a **root** or **Administrator password** and select an **SSH key**. For more information, see [generating and uploading SSH key](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/compute-services/compute-engine/how-tos/connect-vm-via-ssh).
7. Click **Create HDD Storage** or **Create SSD Storage** to finish storage creation.
8. Connect your VM to the Internet.
9. Click **Provision Changes** to complete the setup of your VM.
10. Log in to your VM via SSH.
11. [Install Plesk](https://docs.plesk.com/en-US/obsidian/deployment-guide/plesk-installation-and-upgrade-on-single-server/1click-plesk-installation.76843/) on your server.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
### Final result
After completing the steps above, your IONOS Cloud VM will have Plesk installed and ready for use. You can access the Plesk control panel via your browser using the login URL generated during installation. From here, you can start configuring websites, domains, email accounts, and other hosting features through Plesk’s intuitive interface.
## Conclusion
By the end of this tutorial, you have successfully installed Plesk on an IONOS Cloud VM.
[^1]: The virtualization or emulation of a computer system is based on computer architectures and provides the functionality of a physical computer. Virtual machines are based on computer architectures and provide the functionality of a physical computer.