Cloud Hosting FAQ
What is the Atlantic.Net Cloud Platform?
The ultra-fast Atlantic.Net Cloud Platform allows our users to deploy virtual machines in a matter of seconds. The platform is fully redundant, highly available, and available in eight locations inside the United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe, with more coming online soon.
You can scale up when needed, you only have to pay for what you use, and you can cancel your cloud server at any time with no commitments, saving you significant time and money.
Our Cloud servers are built to stringent security best practices, and all servers have root access (or Windows Administrator) privileges enabled and available upon launch. The Atlantic.Net Cloud Platform combines simplicity, security, and scalability with the reliability of the latest virtualization and cloud hosting platform technology.
What Is VPS Hosting in the Cloud?
A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a viable alternative to dedicated server hosting, which allows users to take advantage of the latest cloud technology backed by redundant systems.
Many clients prefer VPS for hosting to a physical machine because they get the same full root access and administrative server control as they would with a dedicated machine without incurring the costs associated with running a dedicated environment.
What sets VPS hosting in the cloud apart from old-fashioned VPSes is speed, agility, reliability, and affordability. All of these benefits are a result of virtually managing numerous physical servers that work together to process, store, and transfer client data.
What is the difference between a Cloud Server and a Dedicated Server?
A Cloud Server is a virtual server hosted on a shared platform with guaranteed system resources (CPU, Disk, and Memory). A dedicated host is a physical host dedicated to a single user, and the user has all the resources on the server.
The Atlantic.Net cloud service offers both cloud and dedicated hosts within the same environment, so you get all the perks on either platform. The workload of a cloud server varies from running websites, workstations, or general-purpose servers. A dedicated host is usually used for hosting a significant number of websites or intensive workloads, such as a production database server.
The choice on offer is paramount to our customer’s satisfaction. All cloud servers will be available in a matter of seconds after being deployed, but if you want a dedicated host, then we need to do a little extra work behind the scenes. Contact the Atlantic.Net team to find out more about our Dedicated Hosts.
What is the difference between Atlantic.Net’s Cloud VPS and a traditional VPS?
Cloud VPS hosting is usually much more affordable and cost-effective than traditional dedicated hosting, as system administrators can control costs until your company grows into needing a more advanced Dedicated Host environment.
Traditional VPS is offered as a contracted service with fixed features (CPU, RAM, and Hard Drive). With most VPS offerings, the resources you pay for are not guaranteed and are often oversold. Our Cloud VPS allows you to pay for only what you use and easily scale RAM, CPU, and Storage with a simple click or API call.
We guarantee access to the defined system resources that you are paying for when you need them, but you can also burst to use additional resources when we have spare capacity available.
How easy is it to use a cloud server?
If you know how to use a server in your day-to-day business operations, then you will know how to use a cloud server. The only major difference that the Virtual Machine is cloud-based. Many of our customers choose Windows Server as their operating system of choice; most do this as it provides a user-friendly and familiar platform that is compatible with all the popular Microsoft products and every mainstream application.
Our more experienced customers may choose to opt for a Linux platform, Linux can certainly be a more difficult platform to grasp; however, you only need to know the basics to get ahead, and the benefits that Linux offers are absolutely worth the extra effort. With Linux, you do not pay extra for licensing your operating system, and the overwhelming majority of applications are free (open-source) on all Linux Distributions.
Deploying a cloud server using the Atlantic.Net cloud management platform is an intuitive, extremely user-friendly process to follow. The clean design and clearly labeled sections present you with the tools and options you need. Point, click, deploy - it’s that easy!
Why should I choose cloud hosting?
Cloud hosting is best defined as an intermediary hosting solution that offers the affordability of shared hosting with the power and performance of dedicated hosting. To recap, shared hosting is when your server shares unreserved resources on a host. Dedicated hosting is exactly the opposite; your server has 100% access to all resources on the host.
Cloud hosting strikes a great balance between the two, as you get the benefits of having guaranteed resources on a host despite sharing with other clients. If you buy 2 vCPU, you get 2 vCPU to use exclusively. If you buy 64GB Ram, no other server can use that but you. The resources are always there, no matter what. A server also offers the cost benefits of shared hosting, as VPS hosting is only a small percentage more expensive than shared hosting but is significantly cheaper than dedicated hosting.
Where is the Atlantic.Net Cloud Hosting available?
Our cloud platform is available in eight global data center locations.
- Orlando
- New York
- Dallas
- San Francisco
- Ashburn
- Toronto
- London
- Amsterdam [coming soon]
- Singapore
Can I scale up my Cloud Server?
Yes, you can scale up your Cloud Server to a larger configuration anytime you wish. If you would like to scale up your server, please do so from the control panel by selecting “Reprovision.” To ensure your data remains persistent, you can utilize the Atlantic.Net snapshot service to migrate your data, or you can restore using the Backup Service.
A scale down option is not currently available.
Do you provide console access—and if so, why might I need it?
Yes, we provide console access to all of our Linux and Windows Cloud Servers using a VNC client/server configuration. This is an extremely useful feature if you are troubleshooting or accidentally block yourself via firewall rules from accessing your box via SSH (Linux) or terminal services (Windows).
Once connected, simply log on with your credentials and you will have full control of the server to resolve any server-side issue. Need any extra help? Get in touch with us.
Can I purchase additional IPs?
Yes, they are $0.003 per hour per IP address. You can acquire and manage additional IP addresses via the Atlantic.Net Cloud Server control panel.
Do you offer private IPs?
Yes, private IPs are available. If your Cloud Server does not have a dedicated private IP address assigned and you would like one, please contact support.
Do you offer Data Backup?
Yes, Optional Daily Server Backup is available and can be enabled via the Atlantic.Net Cloud Control Panel for 20% of the server’s price.
There are two ways you can enable the backup:
- When building a new server, click the checkbox at the bottom of the page to enable backups. Navigate to Servers > Add Server > Locate the checkbox at bottom of the form:
- To add a backup to an existing server, navigate to your cloud server and select the server you want to back up. Locate “Backup Status” and click the status link "Disabled" and amend to "Enabled"
This includes the ability to restore your server from a given backup via the Atlantic.Net Cloud Server Control Panel.
I have a suggestion, to whom do I send it?
If you have recommendations on how we can improve our Cloud Server experience, please let us know by emailing [email protected].
How am I billed?
You will be billed monthly on the anniversary of the date you registered for the Atlantic.Net Cloud. You will only be billed for the cloud servers you deploy and the data transfer used in the previous month.
For a detailed billing section on the Cloud Control Panel Navigate to Account Info > Payment and Billings.
Here you can update your payment information and view your entire billing history and activity. You can also create billing alerts for added peace of mind.
Please refer to our cloud server pricing section for details.
How is data transfer billed?
In-bound (ingress) data transfer is free. If the free amount of outbound data transfer included in your plan is exceeded, you pay for the additional outbound data transfer you use during a billing cycle.
Please refer to our cloud server pricing section for details.
Unlimited inbound bandwidth. If free outbound bandwidth is exceeded, each additional GB is $0.02
Why do Windows servers cost more than Linux servers?
All of the Linux Distributions we feature on the Atlantic.Net cloud have zero licensing costs to provision. Linux fosters an open-source community, and you will find an abundance of enterprise-grade applications available online that are completely free to use.
Microsoft charges a license fee for each Windows Server instance. We pay Microsoft on your behalf, and the amount you are billed each month includes the licensing fee. We provide the following versions of Microsoft Windows Server:
- 2008 R2 SP1 Datacenter
- 2012 R2 Datacenter (Desktop Experience and Server Core Editions)
- 2016 Datacenter Edition (Desktop Experience, Server Core and Containers Editions)
- 2019 Datacenter (Desktop Experience and Server Core Editions)
How will I be billed for my use of Atlantic.Net Cloud Services?
Atlantic.Net offers a clear breakdown of billing costs prior to deploying a server. The cost of each cloud plan is available right before you click deploy.
We offer three types of payment terms:
- A pay-as-you-go pricing model
- One year commitment discounted rate
- Three-year commitment discounted rate
The pay-as-you-go pricing model comes with no minimum fee; you can spin up a server for 5 hours or 5 months and you will only be charged what you use.
You pay for the services you need for as long as you want to use them, and there is no need for long-term contracts or complex licensing agreements.
Cloud Services are billed on an hourly basis up to the monthly cap rate. The hourly rate is determined by dividing the monthly rate by 672 hours (28 days). If you use a service for more than 672 hours in a month, you will only be billed for the monthly rate (672 hours).
Visit our VPS Pricing page to compare plans and discover the great discount rates for committed usage terms.
If I power my Cloud Server off, will I still be charged for it?
Yes, we bill for your cloud server from the time you create it until you delete it.
If you stop your server, we still have to reserve CPU, memory, and storage resources even though the server is not running.
Can I take advantage of multiple promotional offers and stack the promotional credits for free service?
Promotional credits are non-refundable with no cash value, and cannot be combined with other promotional credit offers.
What level of support can I expect?
Atlantic.Net is available to assist you 24/7/365 via phone and email. We have a team of experts dedicated to our Cloud Platform that can help with any Cloud Server query. We actively monitor and maintain the data center, network, and all the hardware that powers your cloud servers. You have full control to manage your cloud servers, including the operating system, server applications, and code.
Need assistance beyond Atlantic.Net’s covered support items listed below? No problem! We offer hourly support — just call us to discuss your needs.
Atlantic.Net Fully Supports:
- Data Center
- Network Server
- Cloud Platform Hardware
You Are Responsible For:
- Your Application Code and Content
- Applications
- Operation System
- Security Patches
- Custom Applications
Need help with Billing? email [email protected]
How safe is my data?
The integrity of our customer’s data is something we take very seriously. We have architected highly redundant Cloud Platforms that are designed to protect your data in the event of any technical issues.
All data is stored on a highly redundant infrastructure that is backed up on a daily basis.
What operating system distributions do you offer?
Currently we offer those Operating Systems listed below and have many more planned.
Linux/UNIX
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS Server 32-Bit
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS Server 64-Bit
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS Server 64-Bit
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Server 64-Bit
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Server 64-Bit
Debian 9.13.0 Server 32-Bit
Debian 9.13.0 Server 64-Bit
Debian 10.13.0 Server 32-Bit
Debian 10.13.0 Server 64-Bit
Debian 11.6.0 Server 32-Bit
Debian 11.6.0 Server 64-Bit
CentOS 6.9 Server 32-Bit
CentOS 6.9 Server 64-Bit
CentOS 7.8 Server 64-bit
CentOS 7.9 Server 64-bit
CentOS 8.2 Server 64-Bit
Fedora 33 Server 64-Bit
Fedora 34 Server 64-Bit
FreeBSD 11.4 Server 64-Bit
FreeBSD 12.2 Server 64-Bit
FreeBSD 13.0 Server 64-Bit
Arch Linux Server 64-Bit
Rocky Linux 8.5 64-bit
Rocky Linux 9.2 Server 64-Bit
Oracle Linux 7.9 64-bit
Oracle Linux 8.5 64-bit
Windows Server
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Datacenter
Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter
Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter (Desktop Experience)
Windows Server 2016 Datacenter
Windows Server 2016 Datacenter (with Containers/Docker)
Windows Server 2019 Datacenter
Windows Server 2019 Datacenter (Desktop Experience)
Windows Server 2022 Datacenter
Windows Server 2022 Datacenter (Desktop Experience)
One Click Apps
LAMP on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Server 64-Bit
LEMP on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Server 64-Bit
WordPress on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Server 64-Bit
NextCloud on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Server 64-Bit
Node.js on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Server 64-Bit
Docker on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Server 64-Bit
cPanel/WHM on CentOS 7.7 Server 64bit
MySQL on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS Server 64-Bit
What is the network throughput for a Cloud Server?
TThe network throughput to each server varies depending on which cloud plan you select. The larger the Cloud Server chosen, the larger your Internet connection will be. Please refer to our Cloud Server pricing section for details.
Why does my Processor display as QEMU when it is a genuine Intel Xeon Processor?
Our Cloud utilizes a technology called QEMU, an extremely efficient platform that manages physical CPU sockets fantastically.
This technology allows the Cloud Servers to achieve near-native performance by processing requests directly on the Cloud Host’s Intel Xeon CPUs using host-passthrough technology. We use core isolation to guarantee your server the CPU performance you pay for. Thus, the processor(s) in your Cloud Server display as QEMU.
How much CPU power do I have with my Cloud Server?
Each Cloud Server has a pre-defined number of virtual CPUs. Each virtual CPU is allocated a number of CPU cycles based on the size of the cloud plan. The bigger the plan, the more CPU cycles you are allocated. It does not matter if you choose a small or large plan, the CPU cycles you pay for are guaranteed to your server.
As an example:
- a 2048 MB Cloud Server has double the amount of CPU cycles of a 1024 MB Cloud Server,
- and a 4096 MB Cloud Server has double the amount of CPU cycles of a 2048 MB Cloud Server,
- and so on.
Additionally, with Atlantic.Net’s Cloud Servers, you can also burst to use additional CPU cycles when they are not in use.
How many users reside on each Cloud node?
The number of users on each Cloud node (the hardware that powers your Cloud Servers) varies depending on the type of Cloud Server each user purchases. Our proprietary Cloud technology intelligently allocates a cloud node (host) according to resource demands.
The server load is balanced between every Cloud Node we own, and we do not oversell the resources of the Cloud node. This ensures the resources you are paying for are always available to you.
Where can I read more about the Atlantic.Net Cloud API?
Our Cloud API is a RESTful Query interface designed to allow users to programmatically manage Atlantic.Net Cloud services. Calls are made over the Internet by sending HTTPS requests to the Atlantic.Net Cloud API Server.
You can learn more about our API Documentation.
What is your Service Level Agreement (SLA)?
Atlantic.Net Cloud Servers come with a 100% Uptime SLA which includes the following:
- 100% Network Uptime SLA with Money Back Guarantee
- 100% Hardware Replacement SLA with Money Back Guarantee
- 100% Infrastructure Uptime SLA with Money Back Guarantee
What is the Network Uptime –100% SLA?
Atlantic.Net guarantees the network will be available 100% of the time in a given month. If it takes us more than 30 minutes to resolve the network issue from the time the trouble ticket is opened, Atlantic.Net will credit 5% of the monthly usage fee for each additional 30 minutes of downtime (up to 100% of customer’s monthly usage fee for the specific Cloud Server affected).
Network uptime includes functioning of all network infrastructures such as routers, switches, and cabling, but does not include software and services running on your Cloud Server. Network downtime exists when your Cloud Server is unable to transmit and receive data and Atlantic.Net records such failure in the Atlantic.Net trouble ticket system. Network downtime is measured from the time a trouble ticket is opened.
What is the Cloud Server Hardware – 100% SLA
Atlantic.Net guarantees all hardware components that power your cloud server and will replace any failed components at no cost to you. Once Atlantic.Net determines the cause of the problem, hardware replacement begins.
If it takes us more than one hour from the time the cause is identified to replace the faulty hardware, Atlantic.Net will credit 5% of the monthly usage fee per additional hour of downtime (up to 100% of your monthly usage fee for the specific Cloud Server affected).
What is the Infrastructure – 100% SLA
Atlantic.Net guarantees all critical infrastructure components, including power supplied to your Cloud Server and HVAC, will be available 100% of the time in a given month. If it takes us more than 30 minutes to resolve the infrastructure issue from the time the trouble ticket is opened, Atlantic.Net will credit 5% of the monthly usage fee per additional 30 minutes of downtime (up to 100% of your monthly usage fee for the specific Cloud Server affected).
Critical infrastructure includes functioning of all power, HVAC, and cabling. Infrastructure downtime exists when your Cloud Server is shut down due to power or cooling issues and is measured from the time a trouble ticket is opened.
What is Exempt from the SLA Guarantee?
- SLA credits will not be issued if the downtime has been caused by scheduled maintenance or if a cloud customer is in breach of any Atlantic.Net service agreements.
- Events of force majeure, including acts of war, god, earthquake, flood, embargo, riot, sabotage, labor disputes, government act, or failure of the Internet are exempt from the Service Level Guarantee.
- Downtime that resulted from modifications or changes of the operating system, database, application code, or other custom code not provided by Atlantic.Net will be exempt from the Service Level Guarantee.
How does the referral program work?
Customers have a unique referral code link assigned to their account. Anyone you refer to Atlantic.Net that completes the signup using the referral link will receive a $15 service credit instantly. In appreciation for you referring us new business, we will provide you with a $30 service credit automatically after the referred person bills (and pays) $30. Your unique referral code can be viewed in the Account section of the Atlantic.Net control panel by clicking on your email address > account > and scrolling down to the Referral section.
Is there a limit on how many people I can refer?
There is no limit on the amount of people you can refer. The more you refer, the more you can earn.
When will I receive an account credit?
When a customer you referred bills (and pays) $30 on their account, you will receive a $30 service credit on your next billing cycle.
Can I promote my referral link using Google Adwords or other Advertising networks?
No. You may not bid on branded keywords that include Atlantic.Net.
Where can I download logos and badges to help promote my referral link?
You can download logos, badges and banners of Atlantic.Net from our Branding page.
Will my credit expire?
Any unused credits will expire one year after the time they applied if not used.
What is EU VAT?
EU VAT (European Union Value Added Tax) is a tax on consumer spending within the territory of a European Union (EU) Member State.
VAT is not included in the prices displayed on Atlantic.Net's website. When applicable, VAT is charged and will be itemized on invoices and billing information.
Who is charged EU VAT?
Atlantic.Net is required to charge VAT on all sales to non-business European Union customers. The collected VAT is then paid to the appropriate EU country. EU based Customers can view their VAT charges by visiting their Account Page and reviewing their monthly invoices.
However, if you are a registered business inside of the EU, you may enter your VAT ID by updating your Account information on the Account page. Once your VAT ID is verified, Atlantic.Net will not include a VAT charge on your future invoices. Please note that, registered businesses may still be required to manually account for this tax.
Instructions on how to enter your VAT ID:
- Login to cloud.atlantic.net
- Click your email address
- Click "Account"
- Click "Update Account Information"
- Enter your VAT ID
What are the EU VAT rates for each member country?
Below is a list of the VAT rates applicable to each EU member country as of January 1, 2016 that may be charged to EU customers.
Austria 20%
Belgium 21%
Bulgaria 20%
Croatia 25%
Cyprus 19%
Czech Republic 21%
Denmark 25%
Estonia 20%
Finland 24%
France 20%
Germany 19%
Greece 24%
Hungary 27%
Ireland 23%
Italy 22%
Latvia 21%
Lithuania 21%
Luxembourg 17%
Malta 18%
Netherlands 21%
Poland 23%
Portugal 23%
Romania 19%
Slovakia 20%
Slovenia 22%
Spain 21%
Sweden 25%
United Kingdom 20%
What is Secure Block Storage (SBS)?
Atlantic.Net's Secure Block Storage allows you to easily attach additional storage to your Atlantic.Net Cloud Servers. You can use SBS for your file, database, application, and backup storage needs.
How can I add an SBS to a Cloud Server?
You can attach a SBS to your Cloud Server through the Atlantic.Net Cloud Control Panel (https://cloud.atlantic.net/?page=userlogin) or by contacting our sales department.
How redundant is SBS?
Designed for 99.999% availability, SBS is automatically replicated multiple times across a redundant and highly available cluster of storage servers to protect your data from component failure.
Can I move my SBS between servers in the same location?
Yes, you can move your SBS between your servers in the same location.
Can I move my SBS between servers in different locations?
Not currently, but it is on our roadmap.
Is there a limit on how many SBS volumes I can connect to my Cloud Server?
You can connect up to eight volumes per Cloud Server
Can a SBS be attached to more than one Cloud Server at the same time?
No, SBS can only be attached to one server at a time. However, SBS can be used as the backing storage for a shared file system, like NFS, that multiple servers/clients can connect to.
Will I be able to take on-demand snapshots of my SBS and restore my volume from them?
No. However, we plan to offer this feature soon.
If I pay for backups for my Cloud Server, does that include backups of my attached SBS?
No. However, we plan to offer this feature soon.
Can I add an SBS on the Add Server page when creating a new Cloud Server?
No. However, we plan to offer this feature soon.
You mentioned that you can scale Volumes with no downtime, but I noticed the asterisks there. Can you please explain?
Currently, all of our Cloud Server operating systems, except Windows Server 2016, support live scaling of Block Storage Volumes. This means that for all other Cloud Server operating systems, you can resize your Volume while it is connected to your running server. For Windows Server 2016, you will either have to reboot your Cloud Server or detach and reattach the Volume to get your Cloud Server to recognize the additional space after resizing a volume. This is a limitation of Windows Server 2016.
Is the storage that backs SBS hard disk (HDD) or solid state disk-based (SSD)?
Both! Data stored on volumes are first written to NVMe SSDs and then transferred to HDDs. This allows customers to take advantage of the large storage capacities that HDDs provide while benefiting from the amazing speed that comes with NVMe SSDs. NVMe, if you are not familiar, stands for non-volatile memory express and is the successor to the SATA drive interface. It allows SSDs to transfer data directly over the server's PCIe bus instead of going over the much slower SATA interface.
What are the specs of SBS?
Volume Size: 50 GB - 16 TB per volume
Max volumes per server: 8
Max IOPS per volume: 500
Max throughput per volume: 500 MB/s
Max throughput per server: 1,750 MB/s
Burst up to 250 MB/s per TB
Note: 1 TB = 1,000 GB
Is SBS encrypted?
Yes, every SBS is automatically encrypted at rest using LUKS encryption and is connected to your Cloud Server over an isolated storage network to ensure a secure environment for customer data.Are volume or term discounts available for SBS?
Yes, please contact sales for details.
What is the minimum increment when scaling the capacity of SBS?
The minimum scaling increment is 50 GB.
How does SBS compare to a SAN?
A SAN is typically defined as dedicated storage area network that provides direct access to block-level storage devices with a finite amount of capacity and performance. SBS offers block storage as well, with clear advantages over a SAN in that SBS provides easily scalable capacity, performance, and redundancy coupled with no management costs.
How does SBS compare to a NAS?
A NAS is typically defined as network attached storage that provides a shared file system, such as NFS, that multiple servers can connect to at the same time. In contrast, SBS is a block level device that can only be directly attached to one server at a time but provides more flexibility. For example, SBS can be used to provide additional storage capacity for a Cloud Server or can be used as the backing storage for a shared file system, like NFS, that multiple clients can connect to.
Do you plan to offer SBS at additional locations?
Yes, we plan to offer SBS at our other Cloud locations. Currently, SBS is available in our USA-EAST-1 (Orlando, FL) location. Details regarding the launch of SBS at additional locations will be released in the coming months.
How does SBS compare to AWS EBS ST1?
Atlantic.Net Cloud (ANC) SBS is a similar, but more flexible, feature-rich, and performant solution than AWS EBS ST1. AWS EBS ST1 has a minimum volume size of 500 GB, ANC SBS has a minimum size of 50 GB. ANC SBS has been benchmarked to show it is on average 2.7x faster than AWS EBS ST1 for a 2 TB volume size. Additionally, ANC SBS will soon release additional features that are not available with AWS EBS ST1 such as scheduled backups, and off-site replication.
How does SBS compare to Azure's Managed Disks?
Atlantic.Net Cloud (ANC) SBS is a similar, but more flexible, feature-rich, and performant solution than Azure Managed Disks. In addition to the cost of your volume, with Azure Managed Disks you are billed for the number of IOPS you perform on your Volume, with ANC SBS you are not billed for the IOPS you use, which greatly simplifies planning and billing. ANC SBS has been benchmarked to show it is on average 11x faster than Azure Managed Disks for a 2 TB volume size. Additionally, ANC SBS will soon release additional features that are not available with Azure Managed Disks such as off-site replication.
