Virtual server FAQ

These are Questions and answers we have gathered across the various forums talking about our Virtual server products.

What is the bandwidth limitation for Virtual server devices and what does throttling look like after that limit has been reached?
We offer 10TB of bandwidth on our Virtual server products. There is no throttling past 10TB and you can use as much as you like. There is just an overage charge (one penny) for every GB over the initial 10TB.

Is there a looking glass?
We have a looking glass at all of our locations here: https://www.hivelocity.net/about/network/

Any plans for alma linux 8, ubuntu X, other operating system?
We appreciate your interest in deploying with that Operating System! While it's not currently part of our standard OS lineup, we're adding it to our list of requested operating systems. While we get that implemented, you're more than welcome to use our 'Custom ISO' feature. This option allows you to install any operating system, to tailor your hosting experience to your specific needs.

Are Windows OS options available?
Yes, on Virtual server devices with at least 2 cores, Windows Server OS options are available.

What is the reason for not allowing Windows for below SM Virtual servers? Why is Windows so expensive?
Windows requires at least 2 Cores to function properly. This hardware requirement makes it infeasible to offer Windows on these specific plans. This is a limitation of Windows, not of the Virtual server products and any plan of small or larger will support Windows.
Our pricing for Windows licenses reflects the rates we receive from Microsoft. We don’t lose money on them, but we also don’t make anything significant either. We want you to get the the most fair and transparent pricing possible.

Will cPanel licenses be available?
Yes, we currently offer cPanel with Virtual server devices sized Small and up when Ubuntu 20.04 is selected as the operating system.

Are the AMD VPS devices EPYC?
Yes, we are using EPYCs for our AMD versions.

Are NVMe drives going to be offered for Virtual servers?
Yes, we are currently working on testing NVMe drives in our new hypervisors and plan on having these available in the future.

What locations are currently available for Virtual servers?
We currently have locations in LAX2, TPA2 and NYC1.

Will there be locations in the EU available soon?
We are working on a roadmap for our next locations and will share soon.

How are upgrades and downgrades handled for Virtual server accounts?
To upgrade your Virtual server account, simply use our user-friendly portal. Go to the details page of your Virtual server and click either “Upgrade VPS” or "Upgrade VDS" depending on which Virtual server product you have. Your data will be safe during the upgrade process. Upgrades usually take less than a minute. Please note, downgrades are not available to ensure the integrity of your data.
It's important to note that downscaling isn't available as a standard practice of Virtual server providers. Once a Virtual server is scaled up, reducing its size could risk data integrity. Therefore, we recommend choosing the size that best fits your current needs. If you must downgrade, we recommend taking a backup and restoring your backup to a newly launched Virtual server. As always, our team is ready to assist with any other support you may require to ensure a smooth transition.

How can I get more disk storage?
Customers can add storage to their Virtual server devices post purchase in myV by navigating to the “Storage” tab and selecting the “Add Disk” button. These are the available additional storage options:

Possibility to merge disk types, e.g., one NVMe and a second one SSD Standard, in the same Virtual server?
As of now, we don't support combining different disk types, such as NVMe and standard SSDs, in a single Virtual server setup. We continuously evaluate our services based on customer feedback, so we'll keep your suggestion in mind for future updates.

Is port 25 open?
No, Port 25 is blocked on our Virtual server hosting servers. This security measure is adopted by the majority of hosting providers to prevent abuse. To send emails from your Virtual server, you can either use alternative ports such as 587 or 465, employ a third-party email service, or consider upgrading to one of our dedicated server solutions.

How can BGP be enabled for testing?
BGP announcements for Virtual servers are an advanced feature we offer for accounts with a monthly spend over $200. Once your account meets this threshold, we can arrange for our networking team to assist you, including an initial setup for announcing your IP block.

Are higher speeds available for Virtual servers?
Currently, the Virtual server devices are capped at 1Gbps to prevent saturation, but it is on our roadmap to be able to provide higher speeds on Virtual server devices.

What is the process for handling IP address requests? Are subnets supported on Virtual servers?
For IP and Subnet requests, login to the portal and click “Request IPs” from the Virtual server detail page in myV. Then simply fill out our IP request form. This form is a requirement from ICANN to release new IPs. Then our teams will add the IPs to your Virtual server, just like we do for dedicated servers. This process could take up to 48 hours depending on your request.

If the host node has the power pulled, what happens to my Virtual server?
We developed the systems to use local disk storage for the best performance. While we do everything in our power not to lose nodes (Dual power supplies, RAID disks, dual NIC in LACP, etc.), if the local storage is offline, so is the Virtual server, but also the Virtual servers are restorable from the backup solution.

If you need to take a host down due to maintenance (ie. dying drive, loss of redundancy in power supplies), what happens to my Virtual server?
If a host node is in need of maintenance, we will hot migrate the storage and the Virtual servers to another host. From our testing, we don't even lose a ping and it's seamless from the Virtual server connection side.

Will it be possible to migrate zones? LA to Miami for example
At this time, migrating your Virtual servers between zones, like from LA to Miami, isn't available. To move your Virtual server to a new location, we suggest backing up your current setup, ordering a new Virtual server in the desired location, and then restoring your data there. Our support team is here to help you with this process to ensure a smooth transition.

Are IPs portable between locations?
IPs are not portable between locations.

Are VLANs / Private Networking options available for Virtual servers?
Yes! In myV, under the Networking section, the Virtual server networks page allows for private networking between Virtual server devices in the same facility and it can also be attached to existing VLANs that are in the same facility.

Can I use the API to set my password at deployment time, and at a later time to change the password of the Virtual server?
No, this is not currently supported, but we will be making an evaluation at a later time to see if we can support this feature.

Are Snapshots automatic?
In myV, you can create a “Snapshot Schedule” by navigating to the “Snapshots” tab and selecting the “Create Snapshot” button.

My order will not verify, what should I do?
Please reach out to our billing department for further assistance: https://www.hivelocity.net/about/contact-us/

How are the new Virtual server products different from previous offerings (like SpeedyKVM or Sparknode)?
Our new Virtual server products stand out in many ways! First, they're incredibly budget-friendly, offering the same high-quality specs at a quarter of the price of our previous Virtual server offerings, ensuring you get the best value for your money. Secondly, our Virtual server products are integrated with the renowned Hivelocity network. This not only is an improvement on latency for faster, more reliable performance but also allows seamless networking between Virtual server and Bare Metal solutions (this feature is in development).

How will customer issues be addressed for combined dedicated server and Virtual server setups?
Whether you are using dedicated servers or Virtual servers, you can expect the same high-quality support from our team. We are prepared to assist you with any issues across both platforms.

Will each Virtual server account have a dedicated sales representative?
Our Virtual server accounts are designed to be self-serviced for your convenience. However, we're always here to help should you need assistance. If you want to place a bulk order for Virtual servers, we can connect you with an account manager who would be more than happy to assist you in getting a quote.

If a client buys a Virtual server and cancels their dedicated server, can they keep their IP if the Virtual server and Dedicated Server are in the same datacenter location?
If you're considering transitioning from a dedicated server to a Virtual server, retaining the same IP address isn't possible in this scenario. That said, we understand the importance of seamless transitions and are here to assist with any other aspects of your switch to ensure it's as smooth as possible.

What do we use for our Virtual server hypervisors? What do we run our Virtual servers on?
Our Virtual server platform is built on robust, battle tested technology used by some of the largest cloud providers in the world. While we keep the specific details of our infrastructure confidential to maintain security and integrity, rest assured that our systems are designed to be HA and ensure high performance and stability for your applications.

What can customers use to verify if they use a “virtual” credit card? How does verification work?
To ensure the security and verification of virtual credit card usage, we're in the process of implementing 3D Secure (3DS) technology. This advanced system will provide an extra layer of authentication for your transactions, making your online payments safer. We're currently coordinating with our payment processor for this integration and will update you as soon as it's available for an enhanced and secure payment experience.
In the meantime, you can use the “verification charge" to validate ownership of your credit card. After your purchase just choose this method and enter the pre-auth charge amount on your credit card. It will be a value less than $5.00 that will be credited to your account on successful verification.

Should we expect disk I/O to be equivalent to bare-metal? Network throughput the full 1Gb?
Absolutely! With our Virtual servers, you'll get disk I/O performance on par with bare-metal systems, thanks to our use of local disks. Plus, we offer full network throughput up to 1Gbps without any restrictions, ensuring swift and efficient data transfer. Just keep in mind the overage charge for data use beyond your 10GB monthly quota – only a penny per extra GB used.

Are the disks you can add, network disks or local disks?
For attachable storage, we provide network-based storage solutions. You can find these under Virtual server Details > Storage in the myV control panel. Unlike other providers (OVH, Hetzner, Contabo, etc) All our standard Virtual server storage utilizes local disks, offering you disk I/O speeds akin to bare-metal systems

Can I use the API to set my password at deployment time, and at a later time to change the password of the Virtual server?
At this moment, our API doesn't support setting or changing Virtual server passwords during or after deployment. However, we're looking forward to introducing this feature in the upcoming version. In the meantime, we suggest using SSH Keys or CloudInit for secure and efficient password management.

Auto Snapshot? Where are Snapshots stored?
Yes, setting up automatic snapshots for your Virtual server is straightforward. Just navigate to the 'Snapshots' tab in the Virtual server details page of your control panel and use the 'Create Snapshot' button to schedule regular snapshots. These snapshots are stored in network attached storage that is regularly replicated and backed up to ensure you always have the ability to recover from a snapshot

When will NVMe be available? DDR5 Memory/RAM
We're working on incorporating NVMe technology into our services, which is currently in the proof of concept stage. While we don't have a specific timeline for its availability in our production environment, please know that we're actively exploring it along with including DDR5 RAM, to provide you with even faster and more efficient Virtual server solutions. We'll keep you updated via newsletter on our progress and when this feature becomes available.