Bare Metal Cloud Portal Quick Start Guide

Introduction

The phoenixNAP Bare Metal Cloud offers unrestricted hardware-level access to compute and storage resources. With the intuitive UI, the Bare Metal Cloud portal allows for near-instant server deployment without compromises.

This quick start guide takes you through all the BMC Portal sections where you can:

• Buy and manage BMC servers.
• Create Rancher-managed Kubernetes clusters.
• View billing and usage reports.
• Manage reservations.
• Create and manage storage, networks, and IP allocations.
• View, add, or delete API credentials.
• Manage SSH keys.

Follow the links throughout the article to learn more about a specific feature.

Prerequisites

• BMC or PNCP portal credentials. If you are a new client, create an account for Bare Metal Cloud. Refer to the BMC account creation video instructions for assistance.

How to Access BMC Portal

To log in to the Bare Metal Cloud portal, navigate to https://bmc.phoenixnap.com and enter your credentials.

Once you log in, you are taken to the Servers page.

Servers

This section serves as the landing page after you log in. If you do not have a server yet, the Deploy New Server button appears.

Otherwise, the Servers table shows the list of deployed BMC servers and the columns with relevant location, billing, status, and configuration details. The IP address column shows a public IP address of a server if available. Otherwise, a private IP is shown.

1. Use the instant search bar to refine the search if you have many server instances.

2. The Deploy New Server button takes you to the server creation page.

3. The Buy Bandwidth Package button takes you to the bandwidth order page. The button is visible only if you do not have a bandwidth package on the locations where reserved instances are deployed.

4. Use the bulk action button to perform multiple actions on the selected servers.

5. The Manage column contains the Actions menu with various server functions.

Click the column names to sort the servers.

Deploy New Server

To create a new Bare Metal Cloud server, select the Deploy New Server button from the Servers page.

When the form loads, follow the steps below to create a new server.

1. Select a location where to deploy your new BMC server.

2. Choose a billing model:

• Hourly. Billed by the hour. Suitable for short-term projects, instant test environments, etc.
• Reservation. Reserve a server for a longer period and ensure resource availability. Longer reservations bring larger discounts. Auto-renew is turned on by default for one-month reservations.

3. Select a server from the pool of single or dual CPU instances. Use the tabs to refine the list. If a server is not available for the selected data center, click Available Locations to choose an alternative location. Use the toggle to show all immediately available instances.

4. Choose an operating system. Windows Server editions and Netris are charged extra. Click Next.

5. Enter a unique hostname and description. No spaces are allowed.

6. (Optional) The Remote Desktop and other remote access options appear if you previously selected Windows, ESXi, or Proxmox. The admin/root password appears once you click the Deploy New Server button at the end of the process. Copy the credentials and store them safely.

If you chose to deploy Netris Softgate, the section with Softgate configuration appears.

Read our How to Access BMC Windows Server and the Remote Console guides to learn more about accessing your servers.

7. Select a Public SSH Key from the list in the first field if you added one previously. Otherwise, use the + Add a new Public SSH Key button to add a key in the dedicated field. You must add at least one public SSH key to enable access to your server.

Read How to Enable SSH on ESXi if you chose VMware ESXi OS for your server.

8. Assign or purchase public IP allocation for the server if you to access it using public networks.

9. Optionally, select a public or private network to which you want to add the server. Skip the network steps if you do not want to add a server to another network.

10. The gateway step appears if you assigned a server to another network. Enter the gateway IP address from one of the specified IP ranges or leave the field blank for the BMC default gateway IP.

11. Review the configuration and select Deploy New Server using any of the two buttons. If you allowed remote access to your server, the pop-up window with credentials appears.

The server creation process takes from one to fifteen minutes, depending on the OS you selected. Follow the status on the Server page.

Server Manage Actions

Once you deploy your server, it appears on the server list.

To view the available actions, locate the row for your server and click Actions in the Manage column.

View Server Details

The View Details link takes you to the Server Details page. Clicking a hostname shows the same page. The Actions button is also available here, so you do not need to navigate back to the server list.

All the information about your server is in the Instance Details and Network & IP Settings tabs.

Instance Details

The server configuration details are on this screen. Note the server ID if you want to use the BMC API.

The billing part shows the pricing for your server without tax. The Additional Details section at the bottom of the page shows the description you entered during server deployment.

Network & IP Settings

This tab contains all networking-related details, such as bandwidth and public IP allocations.

Scroll down to view the Public Networks & IPs section to view the IP addresses assigned to your server. Use one of the listed public IP addresses for remote access.

At the bottom of the page is the Private Networks & IPs section where you can see all relevant details.

Clicking a network name takes you to the network details page.

Launch Console

To load the web-based remote console, select the Launch Console option under the Actions menu for the server you want to connect to.

Click the Launch Console button to launch the console in a new window.

For Linux-based servers, you must create a user with a password to access the server using the remote console. Refer to the BMC Remote Console guide to learn how to use this functionality.

Power Off Server

To cut power to the server, select Power Off under the Actions menu. Save your work before you proceed.

Confirm by clicking the Power Off Server button.

Reboot Server

To close all processes and restart the server, select Reboot under the Actions menu. Save your work before you proceed.

The status shows “Rebooting Server” until the server boots back up.

Shut Down Server

To perform an OS-level shutdown without cutting the power to the server, select Shut Down under the Actions menu.

Confirm the selection by clicking the Shut Down Server button.

The billing continues to be active when you shut down the server.

Change Billing

To change the billing model for your server, select the Change Billing option under the Actions menu. You can only upgrade to a longer-term reservation.

For 12-month periods and longer, you must agree to the MSA.

Click Confirm when you are ready to change the billing model.

Delete Server

To remove a BMC server from your account, select Delete under the Actions menu. As a safety measure, you must enter the hostname before clicking the Delete Server button.

This action cannot be undone, and you will lose all your data and settings. Select if you want to keep the public IP allocation for servers that have them.

Solutions

The Solutions tab lets you create and manage Kubernetes clusters. The Rancher integration with Bare Metal Cloud brings all the standard Rancher options to your server.

Navigate to the Solutions section to start working on your Kubernetes environment.

Click the Create Kubernetes Cluster button to get started. The process is seamless and intuitive. Refer to our guide to learn how to create a Rancher-controlled Kubernetes management cluster.

Read how to set up a Rancher management cluster with a workload cluster if you want to deploy a workload cluster directly from the portal.

To create, view, and manage your Kubernetes clusters, click the Manage Your Clusters link. The dashboard shows all cluster-related information:

The Actions menu lets you view cluster details, view nodes, delete a cluster, and launch Rancher UI.

Billing & Usage

The Billing & Usage section lets you view the statistics about the resources you used and how much you will be charged. The donut chart provides the month-to-date breakdown of prices for all services.

There are four tabs in this section:

• All – Shows the prices on one screen for every purchase on your account: server, bandwidth, OS licenses, and IP charges.
• Hourly – Shows hourly billed servers and Windows OS licenses.
• Reserved – Shows only the reserved instances.
• Other – Shows bandwidth and OS license prices.

Each tab shows the filtered results on the right side. Click a column name to change the sorting by category, purchase type, hostname, etc.

Use the search bar to narrow down the list. When a server is active, click the hostname to load the server details page.

If you see one server name two times on the report, this means the hourly billing was upgraded at one point. Click the info icon next to the expired hourly model to view the details.

The server list shows deleted instances as well. Click the trash can to view the server ID.

Reservations

The Reservation page lets you view and manage your server and bandwidth reservations. The list provides the necessary information such as instance configuration and location details, start and expiration and date, auto-renew status, and unit price.

The server manage column has the Actions link where you can view reservation details, disable or enable auto-renew, and deploy a new server.

The bandwidth table lets you view bandwidth details, change bandwidth, and disable or enable auto-renew.

Click a column name to change the sorting in the table.

Server Reservations

To view and manage server reservations, navigate to the Reservations page, and select the Servers tab.

View Server Reservation Details

To view server reservation details:

1. Locate the server reservation you want to view and click Actions under the Manage column.

2. Select View Details to view the available information. The screen shows all the pricing details for your reservation.

Disable Auto Renew

One-month server reservations have the auto-renew option enabled by default. To disable the auto-renew option:

1. Click Actions and select Disable Auto Renew for the server instance you want.

2. Add the cancellation reason and click Disable Auto Renew when ready. The reservation remains active until the expiration date. Then, the reservation switches to the hourly billing model until you delete the server.

Enable Auto Renew

You can enable auto-renew until the reservation’s expiration date.

To enable the auto-renew option:

1. Click Actions and select Enable Auto Renew for the instance you want.

2. Read the information and click the Enable Auto Renew button. This option allows uninterrupted service.

Deploy a New Server Using an Existing Reservation

To reuse a reservation and create a BMC server with the same configuration:

1. Navigate to the Reservations screen.

2. Select the Servers tab.

3. Locate the reservation and select Deploy New Server under the Actions menu.

4. Complete the OS, hostname, and network steps to create a new BMC server using an existing reservation.

Bandwidth Reservations

To buy, view, and manage bandwidth reservations, navigate to the Reservations->Bandwidth page.

Buy Bandwidth Package

To benefit from cheaper rates, buy a bandwidth package instead of being charged at a regular rate. The packages you purchase are tied to one account, and bandwidth can be shared across servers in the same data center.

To buy a bandwidth package:

1. Navigate to either the Reservations -> Bandwidth or Servers page.

2. Click the Buy Bandwidth Package button.

You get 15TB free of charge with the first server you deploy at each location. Click Continue to close the message box.

3. Select a data center location. You can only purchase one package per location. Only the locations where you have a server deployed are available.

4. Choose a preferred billing model. Savings are greater for longer terms. One-month bandwidth reservations have the auto-renew option enabled by default. If you select 12 months or longer, you must agree to the terms and conditions.

5. Select a bandwidth package ranging from 30 TB to 1000 TB per month. When you get 15TB free for your first server, the price will be deducted from the package you select.

If you need a larger package, click the contact sales link to start a live chat session. Any bandwidth used over the package you purchased is charged at the price for the selected location.

6. Review the package summary, especially the notes in blue.

7. Click Buy Bandwidth Package to confirm the purchase.

The bandwidth packages you purchased are listed in the Bandwidth tab.

View Bandwidth Reservation Details

To view bandwidth reservation details:

1. Locate the bandwidth reservation you want to view and click Actions under the Manage column.

2. Select View Details to view the available information. The screen shows all the bandwidth pricing details for your reservation.

Change Bandwidth

1. Locate the bandwidth reservation you want to change and click Actions under the Manage column.

2. Select Change Bandwidth to upgrade the package.

3. Select a longer reservation length and/or a larger bandwidth package.

4. Click the Change Bandwidth Package button. The button is available only when you make a change.

Disable Bandwidth Auto Renew

One-month bandwidth reservations have the auto-renew option enabled by default.

To disable the auto-renew option:

1. Click Actions and select Disable Auto Renew for the bandwidth package you want.

2. Add the cancellation reason and click Disable Auto Renew when ready. The reservation remains active until the expiration date. Then, you will be charged per GB at the standard rate for the data center location.

Enable Bandwidth Auto Renew

You can enable auto-renew until the reservation’s expiration date. To reenable the bandwidth auto-renew option:

1. Click Actions and select Enable Auto Renew for the bandwidth package you want.

2. Read the information and click the Enable Auto Renew button. By enabling auto-renew, you avoid higher costs if you forget to renew the package manually.

Storage

The Storage page lets you expand your BMC network storage. Use this feature to increase storage capacity on demand.

Navigate to the Storage page to create a network file storage. If storage exists, the Manage Your Network File Storage button also shows.

Create Network File Storage

Click the Create Network File Storage button to start the creation process.

1. Choose the data center location for the network file storage.

The network storage creates a private network. The storage and servers in the network must have a matching location.

2. Enter a name in the Storage Name field. Open the Add Description dropdown and add an optional description.

The end of the Storage section shows the maximum capacity in TB and GB. You can request a quota to increase by contacting sales or clicking the link.

3. Enter a Volume Name to help identify the storage volume.

4. Add a Path Suffix. The suffix represents a custom part of the volume path and helps identify a volume. The path suffix is optional but recommended. The Add Description dropdown allows adding an optional description for the volume.

5. Set the Volume Size in TB. The size cannot exceed the maximum capacity stated in the Storage section. The price per TB-Hour is next to the volume size. For more information, refer to the BMC billing models article.

6. Review the network file storage in the summary box. Click Create Network File Storage when ready to complete the process.

The network storage list loads. The Status column displays the state of the network file storage.

When done, the status changes to READY. If the status is ERROR, repeat the process or contact support for further assistance.

View Network Storage Details

To see the details of network storage:

1. Go to Storage -> Manage Your Network File Storage. The page shows brief details about your storage.

2. Locate the network file storage for which you want to view the details.

3. To view more details, click Actions -> Storage Details.

The storage details page loads with Storage Info and Volumes tabs.

Storage Info

The Storage Info tab shows the network file storage configuration details. Note the Storage ID in the Storage Configuration section to manage the storage via API.

The Storage Network section shows the network details of the storage. Click the Private Networks link to access the Private Networks page. Remove or add servers to the storage network to use the NFS.

The Billing section shows the billing model and prices without tax.

Volumes

The Volumes tab shows the volume details. Note the Volume ID to manage the volume via API.

The Action column contains the link to the mount command for Linux-based servers. For more details on how to mount the volume, visit the Bare Metal Cloud Storage Management page.

Delete Network File Storage

Deleting a network file storage deletes the storage network and all the data on it. Remove all servers residing on the network before deleting the storage.

To delete a network file storage, do the following:

1. Go to Storage -> Manage Your Network File Storage.

2. Find the network file storage on the list.

3. Click Actions -> Delete Storage.

4. Enter the storage name to confirm deletion and click Delete Storage.

Networking

The Networking section allows you to have control over your BMC public and private networks, as well as public IP allocations. Use this feature to create, manage, and view networks, and buy and manage public IP allocations.

Networks

The Networks section lets you create and manage public and private networks and add servers to them. Use the Private or Public tab to view the list of available networks, and create new and edit existing networks.

The table shows previously created networks, their network ID, name, location, CIDR, VLAN ID, IPs in use, and the creation date. The table for private networks has the column "Default" to show if a private network is the default network for the location.

Create a Network

Click the Create a Network button in the Networks section to create a network. This action takes you to the network creation page with three steps.

1. Choose a network location.

2. Select the network type. The wizard preselects the network type depending on where you clicked the Create a Network button.

Specify the network name and add an optional description.

For private networks, choose if you want to set it as default by selecting Set this network as default for all servers you will deploy in the selected location.

3. Enter a VLAN ID or leave the field blank, and the system will assign it.

4. This step shows different settings depending on the selected network type.

When creating a public network:

Specify public IP settings.

• Choose Assign my previously purchased public IP allocation to this public network to allow servers to join the public network. Click the field to see and select the available IP blocks. You can choose, paste, or type in up to 10 IP blocks.

• If you do not have IP blocks available for the selected location and have not purchased any public IP blocks, the Buy a public IP allocation for your network option appears. Click the Public IP Allocations link to purchase an IP block.

• Choose Do not assign a public IP allocation if you want to assign a public IP block later.

When creating a private network:

Specify Private Network Settings in step 3. Enter a network CIDR size between /31 and /22.

For example, 10.0.0.0/24.

Finally, review the network configuration summary on the right side and click Create Network when ready.

The confirmation message shows if the process is successful. The network appears on the list.

Click View More to view all IPs in use for the network.

View Network Details

To view details of ­a network:

1. Navigate to the Networking -> Networks page and choose Public or Private.

2. Locate the network for which you want to view the details.

3. Click the network name or select Actions -> View Details.

The page with network details loads. There are Network Info and Server in the Network tabs.

Network Info

The Network Info tab for public networks shows the following sections:

• Network configuration. Displays the network ID, type, and VLAN. Note the ID of your network if you want to use the API to manage the network.
• Public IP Allocations. View the assigned IP blocks and unassign them. Select the Assign Public IP Allocation button and choose the available IP blocks to assign them to the network.

• Additional details. This section appears if you entered a description during the network creation.

The Network Info tab for private networks displays:

• Network configuration. Shows the network ID, type, VLAN, and if the network is set as default. Note the ID of your network if you want to use the API to manage the network.
• Network CIDR. Shows the set CIDR and IP range.

The Actions button lets you edit or delete a network.

Servers in the Network

This tab lists all the servers assigned to the network in question, along with the basic information. Use the search bar to find a server quickly.

To view a server's details, click the server's name. To remove a server, use the Remove link.

To add more servers to a public or private network:

1. Select the Add Server to Network button.

2. Select a server from the list and assign a public or private IP address depending on the network type. Manual OS-level configuration on your BMC server is necessary for changes to take effect.

When adding a server to a private network, you can assign up to 10 private IPs. If you skip this step, the system assigns the first available IP. Additionally, one server can belong to multiple private networks.

3. Select Add to Network to complete the process.

Edit Network

The BMC portal lets you edit the network name and description.

To do so:

1. Navigate to the Networking -> Networks page and choose Public or Private.

2. Locate the network you want to edit.

3. Select Actions - > Edit.

4. Enter a new name and/or description. For private networks, you can set them as default.

5. Click Update. The changes are instant.

Delete Network

Deleting a network is an irreversible process.

To delete a network:

1. Navigate to the Networking -> Networks page and choose Public or Private.

2. Locate the network you want to delete.

3. Select Actions -> Delete.

4. Enter the network name to confirm the action and click Delete Network. For public networks, all public IP blocks will be in the unassigned state and stay in the account's ownership for future use. You will be charged for the unassigned IP allocations until you delete them, except for BYO IPs.

Public IP Allocations

The Public IP Allocations section lets you purchase and manage public IP blocks.

By using the Actions button in the Manage column, you can assign, unassign, and delete public IP allocations.

To buy a public IP allocation via the portal:

1. Navigate to the Networking->Public IP Allocations section.

2. Select Buy a Public IP Allocation.

3. Choose a location for the public IP block. You can only assign IP blocks to the servers in the same data center location.

4. Choose the public IP allocation size to purchase. The prices on the card are for the whole block.

5. Click Buy a Public IP Allocation to purchase the block.

The IP address appears on the list as Unassigned.

To learn how to assign, unassign, and delete a public IP block, read the BMC Public IP Management guide.

API Credentials

The API Credentials page holds the credentials for your APIs. The list shows the name, description, Client ID, and scopes for your credentials.

The Actions menu under the Manage column lets you view and delete credentials.

Create Credentials

To create new API credentials:

1. Navigate to the API Credentials page.

2. Click the Create Credentials button.

3. Add the credential name and optional description.

4. Assign permissions scopes. Check the box next to the permission level you want to grant to the credentials for each API set.

5. Click Create when ready.

6. The confirmation window shows the Client ID and Client Secret.

7. Copy the credentials and click Close. Your new credentials appear in the API credentials table.

You can create multiple API credentials with different scopes and permission levels. For every set of credentials, you get a unique Client ID and Client Secret to authorize API requests.

View Credentials

To view API credentials:

1. Navigate to the API Credentials page.

2. Locate the name of the entry and click Actions under the Manage column.

3. Select View Credentials to see the API credentials for the specific entry.

This screen lets you generate a new secret. Click the Regenerate Secret button to get a new secret. There is no confirmation message, except that your browser may ask you if you want to save your credentials.

Delete Credentials

To delete API credentials:

1. Navigate to the API Credentials page.

2. Locate the name of the entry and click Actions under the Manage column.

3. Select Delete to delete your API credentials. This action invalidates authorized access tokens and permissions.

4. Click Delete Credentials when ready. You cannot undo this action.

SSH Keys Management

The SSH Keys Management section is a repository for your public SSH keys. You can add, edit, and delete keys using the options on this screen.

The already uploaded public SSH keys are listed in a table with sortable columns. Sort the keys by name, fingerprint, whether they are marked as default and the creation date.

The Actions menu lets you edit and delete your keys.

Add Public SSH Key

To add a new public SSH key:

1. Navigate to the SSH Keys Management screen.

2. Click the Add a Public SSH Key button.

3. Enter the key name.

4. Paste your public SSH key content in the field.

5. Optionally, set the key as default, and the key will be preselected at the Deploy New Server screen.

6. Click Add. The key appears in the API credentials table.

Add as many keys as you want. To grant access to multiple accounts and applications, upload different public SSH keys.

Edit Public SSH Key

To edit an SSH key name:

1. Navigate to the SSH Keys Management page.

2. Locate the public SSH key and click Actions under the Manage column.

3. Select Edit from the menu.

4. Change the name and click Update Key. Optionally, set the key as default.

It is not possible to edit the public SSH key content. If you need to edit the content, delete the key, and create a new one.

Delete Public SSH Key

To delete a public SSH key:

1. Navigate to the SSH Keys Management page.

2. Locate the public SSH key and click Actions under the Manage column.

3. Select Delete from the menu.

4. Select Delete SSH Key to remove the key permanently.

Conclusion

You should now know how to use the Bare Metal Cloud portal. The steps listed in this guide helped you create and manage Bare Metal Cloud Servers and networks, view different reports, and add and manage API Credentials and public SSH keys.

For any questions or concerns about your BMC servers, contact the Support Team.