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Vertical Scaling

Vertical scaling allows you to resize a running virtual server instance by changing its plan (CPU, RAM, and disk allocation). This is useful when your workload requirements change and you need more or fewer resources on an existing instance.

You can resize an individual VM from the NetActuate portal or through the API.

Portal Usage​

To resize a VM from the portal:

  1. Navigate to Infrastructure → Virtual Machines.
  2. Select the VM you want to resize to open its management sidebar.
  3. Open the Scale section in the VM menu.
  4. Choose the new CPU and RAM values.
  5. Confirm the scaling change.

Use the portal workflow when you are resizing a specific VM interactively. Use the API when you want to automate or script scaling operations.

How Vertical Scaling Works​

When you trigger a vertical scaling operation, the system:

  1. Stops the instance gracefully.
  2. Applies the new plan configuration (CPU, RAM, disk).
  3. Restarts the instance with the updated resources.

Note: Vertical scaling requires a brief downtime while the instance is resized. Plan your scaling operations during maintenance windows when possible.

API Usage​

Resize an Instance​

Use the cloud/scale/{mbpkgid} endpoint to change the plan for an existing instance, where {mbpkgid} is the package ID of the VM. Pass the target plan name in pkg_name. Set allow_reboot to true to permit the brief reboot the resize requires:

curl -X POST "https://api.netactuate.com/api/v2/cloud/scale/12345" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "pkg_name": "VR8192x4x100",
    "allow_reboot": true
  }'

To see which plans an instance can scale to before resizing, call GET /api/v2/cloud/scaling/{mbpkgid}.

Check Resize Status​

curl -X GET "https://api.netactuate.com/api/v2/cloud/server/12345" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

The response includes the current plan and server status. During a resize operation, the status will show as resizing.

Scaling Limits​

  • You can scale up to any available plan at your instance's location.
  • Disk size can only be increased, not decreased. If you need a smaller disk, deploy a new instance and migrate your data.
  • The new plan must be available at the instance's current location. Use the cloud/sizes/{location} endpoint to check availability.

Billing​

Billing adjusts automatically when you resize an instance:

  • Scale up: The new higher rate takes effect immediately. You are billed pro-rata for the remainder of the billing period.
  • Scale down: The new lower rate takes effect at the start of the next billing period.
  • There is no additional fee for the resize operation itself.

Vertical vs. Horizontal Scaling​

AspectVertical ScalingHorizontal Scaling
What changesInstance size (CPU/RAM/disk)Number of instances
DowntimeBrief (during resize)None (new instances added)
Use caseGrowing workload on a single serverDistributing load across multiple servers
LimitMaximum available plan sizeConfigurable instance ceiling

For automatic horizontal scaling, see Autoscaling.

Best Practices​

  • Monitor resource utilization before scaling to confirm the bottleneck (CPU, RAM, or disk).
  • Schedule vertical scaling during low-traffic periods to minimize the impact of the brief downtime.
  • Consider horizontal scaling with autoscaling if your workload is variable and you need zero-downtime scaling.
  • Test your application after scaling to verify it correctly uses the new resources.

Need Help?​

Contact support@netactuate.com or open a support ticket from the portal.