Activate Windows Server and store license – step-by-step guide
Our servers are shipped with a 180 day trial license from Microsoft by default. In order to use the server according to the EULA of Microsoft Windows, you must deposit a Windows license.
To activate Windows Server, it is necessary to have a license key. This must be either Windows Server 2019 Standard or Windows Server 2022 Standard. Depending on which operating system you have installed.
To be able to install the standard license, you have to convert the evaluation version to standard. So you can’t just enter the key in the ProductKey mask. A little command line is needed.
Convert evaluation to standard via CMD
Log in to your Windows server via RDP.
Open the console as administrator. Open the search, type cmd. Right click on the entry and you will get the option to open the console as administrator. Click on it.
If you have installed Mailcow (dockerized) on your server and don’t know your admin login password anymore, you don’t have to worry about your data. You can easily reset the admin password yourself.
Log in to the server via SSH
To reset the password, you must log in to the server via SSH using Putty or similar. Use the root access for this.
Change to the Mailcow directory
Now you need to change to the directory where you installed Mailcow. By default this is /opt/mailcow-dockerized.
cd /opt/mailcow-dockerized
Reset password
Next you can use the script that comes with Mailcow to reset the admin password.
./helper-scripts/mailcow-reset-admin.sh
Run the script. You will be asked if you really want to reset the password. Acknowledge the question with a “Y” or “yes” followed by [Enter].
After that you will see the new password.
root@14640-21671:/opt/mailcow-dockerized# ./helper-scripts/mailcow-reset-admin.sh
Checking MySQL service... OK
Are you sure you want to reset the mailcow administrator account? [y/N] yes
Working, please wait...
Reset credentials:
---
Username: admin
Password: T2Kj9TtM1ZhngAWD
TFA: none
The password was reset
Your password has now been changed to “T2Kj9TtM1ZhngAWD”. You can now log in to Mailcow. Please note that this only changes the administrator password and not your password for SoGo or IMAP/SMTP logins.
By default, OpenVZ virtual servers use an older kernel (version 3.10) which still receives security updates but may not offer all the features of newer kernels. Please note that in OpenVZ virtual servers, the kernel is shared with all other virtual servers on the host system, so we cannot make changes to the kernel on an individual basis.
Using KVM servers
If you need a newer kernel, you should consider switching to a KVM server. KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is a virtualization technology that allows you to install your own kernel on your server. This gives you the opportunity to use a newer kernel that may offer better features and compatibility with specific applications. However, please note that switching to a KVM server may incur additional costs, as KVM servers are generally more expensive than OpenVZ servers.
Using an older kernel
Checking the required features
If you do not need specific features provided by a newer kernel, it may not be necessary to update the kernel. Please check the requirements of your applications and services to determine if a newer kernel is really necessary.
If you have any further questions or concerns regarding the kernel version on your virtual server, please feel free to contact our customer support. We are happy to assist you in selecting the right option for your needs.
Problem solution: Install Guest Agent on KVM server
It can happen that the Guest Agent was not installed correctly after setting up your server. This is responsible for the connection between your server and Vionity.
You can install the Guest Agent by logging into your server via SSH.
Your server will now install the Guest Agent. After that you should be able to access the server via Vionity.
If you have problems, the server is not accessible via SSH or you do not feel up to the task, you can contact our support. We will take care of it for you as soon as possible.
What is the Guest Agent used for on a KVM server?
On a KVM server, the Guest Agent is used to collect data about the VMs running on the server. This data is then used to provide users with information about the status and performance of the VMs via the KVM server’s web interface.
The data that the Guest Agent collects can include information about CPU utilization, memory usage, network activity, and other important performance parameters. By making this information available through the web interface, KVM server users can monitor VM performance and detect problems early.
New installation and operating system change for virtual servers in Cloud Manager
Reinstalling your virtual server via the web interface is very simple. In the Cloud Manager you will find the option “Reinstall” under the actions. There you can reinstall the server or change the operating system. Please note that a new installation will delete all data and the server will be reset. However, it is possible to perform a new installation at any time.
New installation – resetting the server dialog
How does the reinstallation of my virtual server work?
To reinstall your virtual server, navigate to the actions in the Cloud Manager and select “Reinstall”. There you can select the desired operating system or reinstall the server completely. Please note that all data will be deleted during a reinstallation, so you should make a backup beforehand.
Actions in the web interface
Can I change the operating system of my virtual server?
Yes, in Cloud Manager you have the option to change the operating system of your virtual server. Simply select the “Reinstall” option and choose the desired operating system. However, please note that when you change the operating system, all data on the server will be deleted and you should perform a data backup.
Is it possible to reinstall my virtual server at any time?
Yes, reinstalling your virtual server is possible at any time. Simply navigate to the Cloud Manager and select the “Reinstall” option to reset the server or change the operating system. However, please note that a reinstallation will delete all data and you should perform a backup if you have important data on the server.
If your IP address is on a block list, it means that it has been identified as a source of spam or other unwanted content. This can cause emails sent from your server to be blocked by certain email providers, such as Gmail or Yahoo.
The error message may look something like this:
SMTP error 550: 5.7.1
Recipient not authorized, your IP has been found on a block list
Why can’t I send emails to Gmail or other email providers if my IP address is on a block list?
Email providers use block lists to filter unwanted emails and spam. If your IP address is on a block list, this can cause the emails sent from your server to be blocked by these providers. This can lead to important emails not being delivered and your communication being affected.
What can I do if my IP address is on a block list?
If your IP address is on a block list, you should contact our customer support. We can provide you with “clean” IP addresses that are not on block lists. This will ensure that your emails are delivered and your communication goes smoothly. Note, however, that in this case we need to know what kind of mail traffic you are sending. For private applications, we are guaranteed to always find a solution. For larger projects, such as transactional mails, we recommend other solutions.
Use DKIM & SPF
The use of DKIM and SPF can improve email delivery by verifying the authenticity of emails and ensuring that they come from a trusted sender.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is a method of verifying the authenticity of emails using digital signatures. It involves embedding a digital signature in the header of the email, which is verified by the receiving domain. If the signature is valid, the e-mail is classified as authentic and delivery is facilitated.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework), on the other hand, is a system that prevents emails from being sent from unauthorized servers. It involves creating an entry in the domain’s DNS record that specifies which servers are authorized to send email on behalf of the domain. When the receiving domain verifies that the server sending the email is listed in the SPF record of the sender domain, the email is delivered.
Using DKIM and SPF can improve email delivery because these systems verify the authenticity of the email and ensure that it comes from a trusted sender. This reduces the risk of emails being blocked by spam filters or moved to the spam folder, resulting in a higher delivery rate and improved communication.
A Windows server running KVM does not have a dedicated graphics card. For this reason, it is not possible to play or access games on the server because they require a graphics card.
Are there workarounds?
Thus, rendering complex 3D models or running graphics-intensive applications on a Windows server under KVM is also limited. While there are certain workarounds and solutions such as using remote desktop services or GPU passthrough technologies to provision graphics cards on virtual machines. However, these do not fit into our infrastructure.
An effective solution for accessing a graphics unit is to use a dedicated server. Here you have access to an integrated graphics unit in the processor, but its performance varies depending on the processor type.
KVM server unsuitable
Please note that KVM is a virtualization technology and is designed to host server-based applications and services. It is not intended to host desktop applications or games. If you need a server for games, we recommend that you use a dedicated game server or another dedicated hosting solution designed specifically for this purpose.
Using an SSH key has many benefits. But how do you do it? We’ll gladly explain it to you in this post. We’ll show you how to create a new SSH key on Windows and then use it for a secure connection to your vServer.
First, you need to download PuTTY in order to connect to your SSH server. You also need the puttygen.exe.
Create Private/Public Key
Launch the downloaded puttygen.exe.
To generate an SSH key, click on “Generate”. Then, move the mouse cursor randomly across the empty area. This will generate a random code for your key.
Putty Key Generator
In the “Key comment” field, enter your name or a comment for the key. In the “Key Passphrase” and “Confirm passphrase” fields, enter a secure password for your key. You can leave it blank, but it is not recommended.
All you have to do now is save the Public Key (e.g. public-key.txt) and the Private Key (e.g. private.ppk) on your hard drive.
Now connect to your vServer. Log in as Root.
Create the folder “/root/.ssh”. This folder will store the public keys. In the newly created folder, create a file called authorized_keys.
Install Key on the Server
Now open your Public Key on your computer using an editor (such as Notepad or Windows Editor) and copy its contents. The public key can be seen by others because it will be stored on the server. It is the counterpart to your private key, which you will use to log in to the server later.
Open the file with, for example, nano (nano /root/.ssh/authorized_keys), and insert the public key there.
Important: The key must start with “ssh-rsa” and must not contain new lines. Everything must be in one line. Please remove any unnecessary “new lines”.
Example key:
ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAABJQAAAQEArmkSugnahfqXyCeuxbHjOjTqx7VFt1l4KLY+/zTe4IgIJY+xs8TkWDi+CFaMAJlMQdknbV7v/Suio7/7fS9cvsumu0XpRsRn/hZmBQPhIZlkjJeG9lGUYS1Jr09eyT2fRUEUyb9Qqc8Wdz5eWWBk2y52/xWScgR9nbMzABmv5ucH9z1d2od8rqm93B5haLmVljxRJG3OsYPFB93M4vByj/bptcSroZhJoyKcmIvKsV+6a8HDVw47KSub4wRdACcpHjYdKIDubtEQM8z8y0pdSDxcfi/SVxD2eTewhT6j1uAT1wrTes6EO0V69EwWAa5L+n/oiMnXwSgu9Xd2AXZgRw== Dennis Ziolkowski
Save and finish. Now you just need to establish a connection using the Private Key.
To do this, open PuTTY. Click on the entry under “Configuration > Connection > SSH > Auth” and search for your private key in the field “Private key file for authentication”.
Choose SSH Key
Go back to the “Session” entry and connect to your server as usual. It’s best to save the data under “Saved Sessions” so you don’t have to repeat the step every time.
Now the connection to your server opens. You should now be prompted to enter the passphrase for your private key. Enter the password, confirm with Enter, and voilà : you have successfully logged in to your server using your key.
Disable Password Authentication
To ensure that you can now only log in to your server using the keys from authorized_keys, you need to disable password authentication in the SSH server configuration. To do this, open the configuration file at /etc/ssh/sshd_config.
Find the line “PasswordAuthentication” and set the value to “no”. Save the configuration and restart the SSH server with “service sshd restart”. Your server is now more secure.
Take Further Security Measures
You are not 100% secure yet. For example, you should definitely change the default port of the SSH server. We also recommend installing fail2ban.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
If you use a KVM server, you may not be able to shrink your hard disk. This is because we use virtualization technology to offer you a flexible and scalable hosting solution. Our technology is based on so-called QCOW images, which are a virtual representation of your hard disk.
What is QCOW?
QCOW (QEMU Copy-On-Write) is a virtual disk file format used by QEMU and KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine). We would like to point out that due to the way QCOW images work, they usually do not allow for disk size reduction. This is because changes to the base disk of QCOW images are usually saved in a separate file, so it is difficult to undo changes to the base disk without rebuilding the entire QCOW image.
If you use Paysafecard to directly top up your account, a 13% fee will now be charged. The good news is that you can decide if this fee should be added to the transaction or deducted from your future balance. For example: if you want to add 50 Euro to your balance, you will either pay an additional fee of 6.50 Euro, bringing the total to 56.50 Euro, or you can opt to pay 50 Euro and receive a balance of 43.50 Euro.
In the past, we set all prices so that the fees charged by Paysafecard Wertkarten GmbH were covered by all customers. After 8 years, we decided not to pass these fees on to all customers in our service price calculations any longer. Only a small portion of our customers use Paysafecard for topping up. Thus, we believe this is a fair approach to continue offering fair pricing in the hosting industry.
If you prefer not to pay additional fees, you can use other payment methods like PayPal, instant bank transfer, credit card, or bank transfer to top up your balance.
