Managing Bare Metal
Once your bare metal server is deployed, you can manage it from the NetActuate Customer Portal. This page covers the full set of management capabilities available from the bare metal detail view.
Overview
To access the management panel for a bare metal server:
- Navigate to Infrastructure > Bare Metal.
- Click on the server you want to manage.
The detail view provides tabs and controls for monitoring, configuring, and maintaining your server.
Control Panel
The control panel shows the current status of your server and provides quick access to power management actions.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Power On | Start the server |
| Power Off | Shut down the server |
| Reboot | Restart the server |
| Power Cycle | Hard reset the server (equivalent to pulling and re-inserting the power cable) |
Note: Power cycle performs a hard reset and should only be used when the server is unresponsive to graceful reboot commands.
Overview Tab
The Overview tab displays key information about your server:
- Server hostname and label
- IP addresses (IPv4 and IPv6)
- Hardware configuration (CPU, RAM, disk)
- Operating system
- Location (POP)
- Provisioning date
- Current status
Networking
The Networking tab lets you manage IP addresses and DNS settings for your bare metal server.
IP Addresses
View all assigned IP addresses and request additional allocations as needed.
PTR Records
Set reverse DNS (PTR) records for any IP address assigned to your server:
- Navigate to Infrastructure > Bare Metal > [Your Server] > Networking.
- Locate the IP address you want to configure.
- Enter the desired PTR record value.
- Click Save.
Reports
The Reports tab provides bandwidth and traffic data for your server:
- View bandwidth usage over configurable time periods
- Monitor inbound and outbound traffic
- Track usage against your plan allocation
IPMI
IPMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface) provides out-of-band management access to your bare metal server. This allows you to:
- Access the server console remotely, even when the OS is unresponsive
- Monitor hardware health (temperatures, fan speeds, power status)
- Perform power actions independently of the operating system
To access IPMI:
- Navigate to Infrastructure > Bare Metal > [Your Server] > IPMI.
- Use the provided IPMI credentials and endpoint to connect.
Note: IPMI access is available for all bare metal servers. Keep your IPMI credentials secure, as they provide direct hardware-level access to your server.
Tools
The Tools section provides maintenance and recovery utilities.
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Reprovision | Reinstall the operating system on the server |
| Reconfigure Network | Reset and reconfigure the server's network settings |
| Reset Password | Generate a new root password |
| Cancel | Cancel and remove the server from your account |
Note: Reprovisioning will erase all data on the server's disks. Ensure you have backups before proceeding.
To access tools, navigate to Infrastructure > Bare Metal > [Your Server] > Tools.