Cloud Servers

Built for Developers

Pricing for Cloud Servers images

You can create an image of any Cloud Server, and use this image to restore the server or clone a new one. You can create an unlimited number of images on-demand, or schedule automatic daily or weekly images (scheduled images available on first generation Cloud Servers only at present).

Images will be compressed and stored on Rackspace Cloud Files at standard prices. If you delete a Cloud Server, any associated images will persist in Cloud Files until you specifically delete them. This allows you to recreate the server at any time.

Pricing for file level Backup

Rackspace Cloud Backup is a file level backup service available for use with Cloud Servers. Cloud Backup containers will be compressed, de-duped, and stored on Rackspace Cloud Files and charged at standard Cloud Files prices.

In addition, there is a monthly charge of £8 per Cloud Server backed up, however for customers with a Managed Service level this is included at no extra charge in your monthly account fee. 

Rackspace Cloud Backup utilises the internal Rackspace infrastructure, so you won't incur outbound bandwidth charges. If you delete a Cloud Server, the associated backup container stored on Cloud Files will persist in your account unless the backup container is explicitly removed. 

Pricing for additional IP addresses 

Additional public IPv4 addresses can be purchased for both first generation and next generation Cloud Servers. Restrictions apply; read this Knowledge Centre article for more details.

Additional IPv4 addresses for first generation Cloud Servers are priced at £2 per IP per month. Please contact us for relevant next generation Cloud Server pricing.

Bandwidth Pricing

 RedHat Enterprise Linux images are available for an additional £12.50 a month. 

What is Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack?

The scalability of Cloud Servers, built on open standards, is here. The next generation Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack provides the reliability and on-demand scalability you need, while eliminating worries about vendor lock-in.

• Scalable, reliable and responsive
• Add hundreds of servers in minutes, and pay only for what you use
• Cloud Servers are built on the OpenStack platform, which benefits from the innovations of hundreds of contributors and allows Rackspace to bring you products faster

What does Unlimited Availability (UA) mean?

In short, we've removed the wait list and Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack is now the default. At Rackspace we have four release phases: Preview, Early Access Program, Limited Availability and Unlimited Availability. You can think about our release phases this way:

General Availability (GA)
Includes 24x7x365 support, a full SLA, and billing and is production ready.

Limited Availability: A production workload ready product. Ramp is being limited and tested for cloud scale.
Unlimited Availability: Wait list is removed and product is available to all.

Beta
Varied support levels, no SLA, no pricing, often API only and is not production ready.

Preview: Access granted to a very small number of customers and partners.
Early Access Program: Access expanded to a larger number of customers.

Should I migrate my production applications over to next generation Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack?

Migrating your servers to our “next generation” open cloud will give you access to a number of additional products and features, such as Cloud Block Storage, isolated networking, and enhanced monitoring. You’ll have all the power and flexibility you need to grow your business on the cloud. Going forwards, most of our new product features and innovations will only be available on “next generation” Cloud Servers

How do I go about migrating to your next generation Cloud Servers?

We’ve produced a range of material to help with your migration, which is available here.

Is the API the same as first generation Cloud Servers?

No. The API has evolved for the new system. The new API is the OpenStack Compute API 2.0 plus Rackspace Extensions. While similar to the previous API, it isn't backward compatible and some similar API calls function differently now.

Can my first generation resources communicate with my next generation Cloud Servers?

Yes, with some caveats. In the US, next generation Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack can be created in either the DFW or ORD region. So next generation Cloud Servers compute instances can only communicate with first-generation Cloud Servers in a different region through the public Internet. Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack can also communicate with resources in the same region over ServiceNet (the Rackspace private network). Any bandwidth charges incurred from inter-region communication via the public Internet will be charged at normal rates. Users may want to use caution to create next generation Cloud Servers in their first generation home region. To determine this region, look at details for a specific first generation Cloud Server in the control panel.

Does Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack support my hybrid RackConnect environment?

Yes. RackConnect 2.0 is fully supported in next generation Cloud Servers.

I have a managed service level. Can I use next generation Cloud Servers?

Yes. Our managed service level (Managed Cloud) is fully supported in next generation Cloud Servers.

When authenticating, do I use the same API user & key that I use when connecting to other Cloud APIs?

Yes. Customers who don't have a Cloud account (e.g., dedicated hosting customers) will have to create a cloud account to use the next generation Cloud Server environment.

What is the difference between US and UK next generation Cloud Servers?

Every US region and the UK each have their own separate API endpoint. US customers can access any US endpoint and UK customers can access the LON endpoint.

Will there be a new control panel for next generation Cloud Servers?

Yes, we’ve launched a completely redesigned control panel for the Rackspace open cloud. You can manage both your first generation and next generation Cloud Servers through it, as well as all our other open cloud products.

Are the vCPU allocations the same on your next generation Cloud Servers?

We’ve changed the way vCPU is allocated to Cloud Servers, which are explained in detail here. This is to provide a more consistent experience for all cloud customers.

Is the 256MB flavor available on next generation Cloud Servers?

After careful analysis, we have decided to retire the 256MB flavor from Next Generation Cloud Servers. While these smallest instances were appropriate in certain use cases, we have found that they were often misused, causing performance problems for applications and placing undue stress on underlying host machines. We believe this change will reduce the number of application performance issues and improve the overall Cloud Servers experience.

How do I back up my next generation Cloud Server?

Your next generation Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack does not get backed up until you configure backups. To learn how, please visit the knowledge center article here.

I don't see my backup images in Cloud Files. Did the backup fail?

Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack no longer stores backups in your individual Cloud Files container. You can use the 'List Images' API call to view your images or you can list them in the Cloud Control Panel.

How many servers can I create?

All accounts, by default, have a preconfigured limit of 65GB of total memory or approximately 130 individual 512MB servers — per region. If you have a need to utilize more resources, simply contact support and we will raise your limits.

Are there API rate limits?

All accounts, by default, have a preconfigured set of thresholds (or limits) to manage capacity and prevent abuse of the system. The system recognizes two kinds of limits: rate limits and absolute limits. Rate limits are thresholds that are reset after a certain amount of time passes. Absolute limits are fixed and can be determined through the API. See the developers guide for more information on rate limits. The absolute limits are also reported via the API.

If you bill hourly then why do you show a monthly charge? Do you charge both hourly and by the month?

We show an estimated monthly charge so it's easier for you to compare the hourly costs to a monthly equivalent and to help with your budgeting process. We bill on an hourly basis once a month on the anniversary of your signup date.

If I am not using my server or do not have traffic to it, do I still have to pay for it?

Yes. Currently the server would either be running or you would have to delete it altogether. There is no "suspension" mode where you are not charged while not receiving traffic to the server.

If you want to stop paying for the server, another option is to take a snapshot of the Cloud Server, store the snapshot in Cloud Files, and then delete the Cloud Server. If you want to use the server again, you would restore the Cloud Server by creating a new cloud server from the stored Cloud Files snapshot.

If I create a Cloud Server in one account, can I transfer it to another?

We do not have the ability to transfer servers between accounts and encourage you to plan accordingly.

What is the difference between Cloud Servers and dedicated servers?

With Cloud Servers, you can deploy a server in a few minutes, versus waiting for a physical server deployment. You can also resize the plan and bring up multiple Cloud Servers quickly and easily for much less money. Dedicated servers usually involve contracts and setup fees while they take time to alter the RAM, etc.

Is bandwidth free between Cloud Servers?

Yes, you will get a private IP for each Cloud Server, and bandwidth between them is free. If, however, you use a public IP, there is a cost for outgoing bandwidth.

How do I scale with Cloud Servers?

You have several options: 1) Scale In or Out: Scale out by taking an image of your Cloud Server and then adding new Cloud Servers based on that image. Scale In by deleting Cloud Servers to remove computing capacity. Scaling in or out is frequently used for web servers. 2) Scale Up or Down: You can increase the size of your server image (e.g. CPU, disk, memory) or you can resize down. Scaling up or down is frequently used for database servers. Note: Windows Cloud Servers can not be resized down.

How much CPU do I get?

Virtual cores are assigned to next generation Cloud Servers based on the server RAM, as detailed below. The same number of virtual cores are allocated for both Linux and Windows distributions.

This represents a change to the way virtual cores were assigned to first generation Cloud Servers. For more details on this please read this Knowledge Centre article.

Does Rackspace back up my Cloud Server?

No, your Cloud Server does not get backed up until you configure and schedule backups. To learn how, please visit the knowledge center article here.

Can I purchase a Cloud Server in which I am the sole customer on the host server?

Our 30GB Cloud Server is our largest cloud server (e.g. CPU, memory and disk space). At present, a 30GB Cloud Server consumes an entire host machine and will be the only instance on the host. Please note that this is subject to change in the future as host hardware is upgraded.

What Cloud Server would you recommend for database nodes or CPU, disk, & memory intensive applications?

We would recommend our 30GB Cloud Server for maximum CPU, disk, and memory.

Can I add additional storage to my Cloud Server?

Yes, with Cloud Block Storage you can add additional storage volumes to your Cloud Servers without having to scale the RAM.

Can I purchase additional IP addresses?

Additional public IPv4 addresses can be purchased for both first generation and next generation Cloud Servers. Restrictions apply; read this Knowledge Centre article for more details.

Additional IPv4 addresses for first generation Cloud Servers are priced at £2 per IP per month. Please contact us for relevant next generation Cloud Server pricing.

Is Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 and Microsoft SQL Server 2012 available on Cloud Servers?

Yes, we currently have several images that include SQL Server 2008 R2 and 2012, Standard and Web Editions. If you are interested in our Cloud Servers with a managed service level, be sure to check out the Windows Server 2008 R2 with SQL Server 2008 R2 and 2012 Standard and Web edition images. If you add SQL 2008 R2 or 2012 to our Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 plug-in, the Rackspace Cloud is ready for application development based on the .NET platform.

Can Cloud Files be mounted as storage?

Cloud Files™ is not block level storage, so it cannot be mounted. Customers do, however, use Cloud Files to offload static files, such as media files, for example.

Can I import my own image or export an image of a server?

At this time, you would have to pick from our Linux distributions or Windows images. You can save an image and use it within the cloud; however, you would not be able to export it.

Do you have Cloud Servers, Cloud Servers with SQL 2008 and 2012, and Cloud Files in the UK?

Yes, you can purchase UK Cloud Servers, UK Cloud Servers with SQL 2008/2012, and UK Cloud Files here. For additional information, check out the following link.

What hypervisor does Rackspace Cloud Servers use?

We use Xen and XenServer hypervisors for Linux Cloud Servers and XenServer for Windows Cloud Servers.

What is RackConnect™?

You don't have to choose between dedicated hardware and cloud-based servers at Rackspace. RackConnect lets you run both on the same network. So, if you need Dedicated Servers for performance or compliance requirements and the flexibility to quickly scale with Cloud Servers, Rackspace makes it all work together seamlessly with our RackConnect product. View sample configurations and product details here.

Will Rackspace continue to support existing Cloud Servers using Windows Server 2003?

Rackspace will continue to support existing cloud servers that use Windows 2003 as their operating system until 2012.

Why do you no longer offer a Windows 2003 base image?

Microsoft has discontinued sales and mainstream support for Windows 2003. In addition, Windows 2003 has limited implementation of IPv6, which does not offer the level of functionality Rackspace requires for IPv6.

My application will not run on later versions of Windows, how can I keep using my application while I make the changes necessary to move it to a later version of Windows?

You will have the ability to add new Windows Server 2003 images by copying or cloning your current image and performing restores from backups. To read more about copying or cloning an existing image, please visit our Knowledge Center. To learn how to perform a restore from a backup, please visit this article.