Error message

Deprecated function: implode(): Passing glue string after array is deprecated. Swap the parameters in drupal_get_feeds() (line 394 of /home4/is2shrit/public_html/abstultus.com/includes/common.inc).

Getting Started Guide for Abstultus Virtual Machines

This guide will familiarize you with the common management tasks and usage of cloud based virtual machines (VMs) from Abstultus. If you just want to access your VMs for the first time see the Quick Start Guide.

Contents

Purchasing

Abstultus virtual machines are purchased through our secure webstore at abstultus.com. Virtual machines will be assigned to the Abstultus account used during checkout and made available though the control panel. Free virtual machines are automatically assigned to you during account creation and do not need to be purchased.

  1. Go to Abstultus.com to access the secure web store.
  2. Click the Order link in the top right menu.
  3. Choose the virtual machines you want to add to your cart.
  4. Access your cart using the Cart link in the top right menu.
  5. Confirm your order and click the Checkout button. Virtual machines will be assigned to the Abstultus account used during checkout.
  6. Process your payment.
Notes on Purchasing
  • Alternatively you may contact us directly for custom orders.

Provisioning

Provisioning is the process of preparing a virtual machine for use. Here you select configuration options such as the operating system that you want to apply to your virtual machines.

Virtual machines are provisioned from the Manage section of the Abstultus control panel.

How to Provision:

  1. Go to the Abstultus control panel.
  2. Navigate to the Manage tab.
  3. Locate the virtual machine provisioning panel.
  4. Press the Provision VMs button.
  5. Use the dropdown to choose a VM type that has been allocated to your account. Only one type of VM may be provisioned in a single transaction.
  6. Additional VM configuration options will appear depending on the VM type selected such as:
    1. the operating system to install on the the virtual machine. The available operating systems is dependent on the virtual machine type.
    2. the quantity of virtual machines to provision in this transaction.
  7. Press the Provision VMs button to confirm and begin the provisioning process. Once provisioned, the virtual machines will appear in the “Provisioned VMs” section.
Notes on Provisioning
  • A virtual machine can be provisioned and un-provisioned an unlimited number of times.

Unprovisioning

Unprovisioning is the process of cleaning and decommissioning a virtual machine so that it may be reprovisioned with new settings and a fresh disk. When a virtual machine is unprovisioned it is removed from the provisioned VMs panel and returns to your pool of provisionable virtual machines.

Unprovisioning does not remove virtual machines from your account. Unprovisioned virtual machines may be billed. To stop billing, remove the virtual machines from your account (see: Removing from Account).

How to Unprovision:

  1. Power off the virtual machines that you want to unprovision.
  2. Go to the Abstultus control panel.
  3. Navigate to the Manage tab.
  4. Locate the provisioned VMs panel.
  5. Select the virtual machines that you want to unprovision from the table of provisioned vms.
  6. Press the Unprovision VMs button.
  7. Confirm the virtual machines that will be unprovisioned.
Notes on Unprovisioning
  • A virtual machine can’t be unprovisioned if it is still running. You must shut down or kill the virtual machine in order to unprovision it.
  • The virtual machine disks will be destroyed and the data on them lost.
  • You will lose access to the virtual machines until they are reprovisioned.

Assigning

You can assign your virtual machines to other Abstultus accounts so they may be launched by other people while you maintain ownership.

Virtual machines are assigned from the Manage section of the Abstultus control panel.

How to Assign:

  1. Go to the Abstultus control panel.
  2. Navigate to the Manage tab.
  3. Locate the provisioned VMs panel.
  4. Select the virtual machines that you want to assign from the table of provisioned vms.
  5. Press the Assign VMs button. An Assign VMs modal should appear.
  6. Enter a list of emails (one per line) for the users you want to assign to the virtual machines. Each user will receive an email from Abstultus notifying them of the assignment and ask them to create an Abstultus account if they don’t have one already.
Notes on Assigning
  • Free Abstultus virtual machines cannot be assigned.
  • You can only assign virtual machines that you own.
  • You maintain ownership of any virtual machines that you have assigned. As owner of the VM you are responsible for the cost of the virtual machine and not the assignee.
  • Assigned virtual machines can still be managed and accessed by the owner.

Unassigning

You can unassign any virtual machine that you have assigned to another user. This will revoke the user’s the ability to launch the virtual machine.

Virtual machines are unassigned from the Manage section of the Abstultus control panel.

How to Unassign:

  1. Go to the Abstultus control panel.
  2. Navigate to the Manage tab.
  3. Locate the provisioned VMs panel.
  4. Select the assigned virtual machines that you want to unassign from the table of provisioned vms.
  5. Press the Unassign VMs button.
Notes on Unassigning
  • User home folders are retained after unassignment. To clean a disk you can unprovision.

Launching

You can power cycle and access any virtual machine that you have provisioned or has been assigned to you.

Virtual machines are power cycled and accessed from Launch section of the Abstultus control panel.

How to Power Cycle:

  1. Go to the Abstultus control panel.
  2. Navigate to the Launch tab.
  3. Find the virtual machine you want to power cycle then:
    1. If the machine is Stopped:
      1. use the Power On button to turn the machine on.
    2. If the machine is Running:
      1. use the Shutdown button to cleanly power down the machine (equivalent to issuing a shutdown command from the operating system).
      2. use the Kill button to abruptly turn the machine off (equivalent to pulling the plug).
      3. use the Suspend button to put the virtual machine into a suspended state that saves energy but can be quickly resumed. A virtual machine is inaccessible while suspended.
    3. If the machine is Suspended:
      1. use the Shutdown button to cleanly power down the machine (equivalent to issuing a shutdown command from the operating system).
      2. use the Kill button to abruptly turn the machine off (equivalent to pulling the plug).
      3. use the Resume button to return the virtual machine to a normal accessible state.

    How to Access:

    1. Go to the Abstultus control panel.
    2. Navigate to the Launch tab.
    3. Find the virtual machine you want to access and press the Launch button for one of the available access types (console, ssh, rdp, vnc, etc). Some launch types may open a new browser tab.
      1. Launch SSH: Access the virtual machine using your web browser. Uses the SSH connection protocol which is generally used for Linux servers that do not have a graphical user interface.
      2. Launch VNC: Access the virtual machine using your web browser. Uses the VNC connection protocol which is generally used for Linux desktops that have a graphical user interface.
      3. Launch RDP: Access the virtual machine using your web browser. Uses the RDP connection protocol which is generally used for Microsoft Windows computers.
      4. Advanced Modes:
        1. Launch Console: Access the virtual machine using your web browser. Establishes a connection to the virtual machine’s console as if you were viewing a connected monitor. Useful for observing boot sequences and for virtual machines that do not have a connection protocol (ssh, vnc, rdp, etc) configured or available.
        2. Download RDP: Downloads an RDP client connection file that can be used to directly connect to a virtual machine if RDP is publicly configured. Caution: Publically configuring RDP may expose your virtual machine to attack.
        3. Download VNC: Downloads a VNC client connection file that can be used to directly connect to a virtual machine if VNC is publicly configured. Caution: Publically configuring VNC may expose your virtual machine to attack.
    Notes on Power Cycling and Accessing
    • Powering on a virtual machine for the first time takes longer than normal. It may take several minutes for the virtual machine to become available for the first time.
    • The available launch types are dependent on the virtual machine type and configuration.

    Removing from Account

    Virtual machines may be permanently removed from your account to stop future billing. Free virtual machines are always free and do not need to be removed from your account. You can not use or manage virtual machines that have been removed from your account.

    How to Remove from Account:

    1. Go to the Abstultus control panel.
    2. Navigate to the Manage tab.
    3. Locate the virtual machine provisioning panel.
    4. Press the Remove VMs from Account button. A Remove VMs modal should appear.
    5. Use the dropdowns to select the virtual machine type and quantity to remove.
    6. Press the Remove VMs from Account button.
    7. Confirm the virtual machines that will be removed.
    Notes on Removing from Account
    • You will lose the ability to use or manage removed virtual machines.
    • Any future billing for removed virtual machines will be canceled.
    • Free Linux VM types are free, so we recommend not removing them.