Table of contents

     

    Knowledge base

    1. Server operations

      1. How long do I have to wait before I can use my server?

        Tilaa has fully automated the setup process for new servers. Once your payment has been received, your server is ready for installation.

      2. How do I use my server for the first time?

        After you order a Tilaa server, you will be asked to submit your payment. After this has been received, your server will be released. Your server will show the status ‘not installed yet‘. You then click on the ‘Install’ button to install your server.

      3. Can I change the operating system?

        Yes, you can. Open the Servers tab, select your server and click on Software. There you'll find the 'Change OS' option. Then you have to choose a new OS and confirm your choice. Please note that all the information on your server will be lost in this process.

      4. Can I reinstall my server?

        Yes, you can. Open the Servers tab, select your server and click on Software. There you'll find the 'Reinstall' option. After selecting the option you have to confirm your choice. Please note that all the information on your server will be lost in this process.

      5. Can I increase the capacity of my server?

        Yes, you can do that without having to reinstall your server. All the information on your server will remain intact. Open the Servers tab, select your server and click on 'Server size' You can then use the button ‘Change’ to modify your server. Just follow the steps indicated.

      6. I increased the disk capacity of my Windows server, but I can’t see this in Windows. How do I fix this?

        In a Windows server, you have to increase the partition yourself using the disk management tool. You can do this as follows:

        • Right click on ‘My computer’, select ‘Server manager’, and then ‘Manage’.
        • Scroll down until you find the heading ‘Storage’.
        • Click on ‘Disk Management Console’.
        • Select the C drive.
        • Right click on the C drive and select ‘Extend volume’.

      7. How can I log in to my server?

        Tilaa offers you two options to connect with your server.

        Using the website:
        For Linux and FreeBSD users, Tilaa offers a serial console and a video display. For Windows users, only a video display is available. It can be useful to directly connect through the website if you have a firewall or network problems on your server. The communication runs through the serial port and is therefore accessible at all times.

        Directly:
        For Windows users, the remote desktop is on as the standard setting. You can connect by starting up the remote desktop application (start → run → mstsc ) and then connecting to your server’s IP address. The login name is ‘Administrator’ and the password can be found in the Tilaa service menu. For Linux and FreeBSD users, SSH is enabled. The login name is ‘root’ and the password can be found in the Tilaa service menu.

      8. Where can I find my server password?

        Go to the Servers tab and select your server. The password will be displayed when you hover over 'show password' below the 'Login details server' heading.

      9. Help, I can’t connect using the video display. How can I resolve this?

        To use the video display, you need the Java plugin. You can download this for free at http://www.java.com. It is also possible that you are unable to use the video display because you opened it repeatedly in a short period of time. In that case, Tilaa will block access for 30 minutes due to security reasons. You will be able to access the console again after this time.

    2. Software

      1. What software is installed on the server as standard?

        Tilaa’s goal is to modify the operating systems we offer as little as possible. The principle here is the basic installation of the operating system on a physical server, except for a DirectAdmin or cPanel server. We have made a few modifications for security and performance reasons:

        • We install VirtIO drivers. These are necessary to ensure your operating system works optimally with KVM, our virtualization system.
        • We equip the server with a firewall for security purposes.
        • We set an IP address and a hostname on the server, so that you are connected with both Tilaa’s internal network and the internet.
        • We set a password on your server. You can find this password in the Tilaa service menu. Of course, you can change this password as desired.

      2. Does Tilaa have access to my server?

        A limited number of Tilaa staff members have access to your server using the standard password we provided to you. Once you have changed your password, Tilaa no longer has access to your server. Please take this into consideration in the event of any support requests in which you ask Tilaa to take a look at your server.

      3. Is there a firewall on my server?

        Yes, a firewall is included on your server. On Linux IPtables is enabled by default, and for Windows, the integrated firewall is on. (We don't configure a firewall for FreeBSD by default.) If desired, you can configure these firewalls differently or turn them off. However, we recommend that you always use a firewall on your server. You can find more information about IPtables at http://www.netfilter.org/ and about the Windows firewall at http://technet.microsoft.com.

      4. Is DirectAdmin or cPanel automatically installed on my server?

        No, one of the Tilaa support staff members does this for you upon request. If you have purchased a server with DirectAdmin or cPanel, you can submit an installation request. We install the DirectAdmin or cPanel licence free of charge.

      5. How do I log in on a server that has DirectAdmin or cPanel installed?

        Once the installation is complete, the Tilaa helpdesk will send you an email with your login information. We recommend that you immediately change the password that we issued to you. The email will include a link to your server’s admin panel. For DirectAdmin installations, the admin panel operates on http://server-ip-adres:2222, and for cPanel installations, on https://server-ip-adres:2087.

      6. Can I install DirectAdmin or cPanel myself?

        Yes, you can. If, after purchasing a DirectAdmin or cPanel server, you indicate that you want to perform the installation yourself, we will provide you with the licence information. You can find the installation directions for DirectAdmin here.
        You can install cPanel as follows:

        • setenforce 0
        • yum update
        • yum install rdate
        • wget -N http://httpupdate.cpanel.net/latest
        • bash latest
        • reboot

    3. Network

      1. Does Tilaa block ports or services?

        No, Tilaa does not block any ports or services. If you experience problems when setting up a connection using a certain port, this may be due to the firewall settings on your Tilaa server. We recommend that you check your firewall settings.

      2. Do I have a permanent IP address?

        Yes, each Tilaa VPS has a permanent IPv4 and IPv6 address. These addresses are automatically assigned to your server.

      3. Is the Tilaa network ready for IPv6?

        Yes, a Tilaa server receives one IPv6 address as standard through router advertisements. Please note, however, that the IPv6 connectivity is still in the experimental phase. Setting up reverse hostnames for IPv6 is not possible at this time.

      4. Can I get additional IP addresses?

        Yes, but there are certain conditions for this. At present, there is an IPv4 shortage on the internet, while the rollout of IPv6 is not yet to the point where IPv4 can be phased out. For this reason, we ask that you have a valid technical reason if you want to use multiple IPv4 addresses. Additional IPv4 addresses cost € 2 per month each.

      5. Can I modify or set up reverse DNS names?

        Yes, you can do this yourself using the Tilaa service menu. Go to the Servers tab and select your server. Then click on Network and choose the right network interface. Now you have three choices:

        • no DNS-record (default)
        • use a Tilaa domain. Tilaa creates a forward and a reverse DNS record
        • use your own domain. Tilaa just creates the reverse DNS record. Forward DNS (A-record) you have to create yourself

    4. How is the Tilaa network set up?

      1. Switching:

        Tilaa’s network structure consists of four layers and is fully redundant in terms of structure:

        • Layer 1 — the access layer: The physical server on which your virtual server runs is connected to two different access switches using two uplinks. Tilaa uses HP Procurve switches for this access layer.
        • Layer 2 — the core layer: All access switches are connected to at least two core/aggregation switches. Tilaa uses Juniper EX switches for this layer.
        • Layer 3 — the storage layer: Tilaa has a separate, fully redundant storage network for private cloud services in combination with central storage. The central storage nodes are connected to at least two storage switches using 10 GbE. This layer utilizes HP Procurve switches.
        • Layer 4 — the management layer: For security reasons, Tilaa uses a separate management network.

        All switches are equipped with a redundant power supply system. Network connectivity is maintained even if a switch malfunctions.

      2. Routing and connections with the internet

        Tilaa has its own network and performs all the routing itself. Thanks to redundant connections between the data centres, the routers are directly connected with one another, so that each one can take over the other’s tasks in the event of disruption or maintenance. Each router has various uplinks to the internet. These uplinks are provided by different network suppliers to guarantee maximum redundancy. If an uplink stops working, the traffic is immediately routed to the final destination using an alternative path.

      3. Can I purchase network services too?

        Yes, you can. Tilaa also allows other parties to access its network. In addition, Tilaa can take care of the application for and management of your own IP ranges. For more information, please contact our sales department at sales@tilaa.nl.

      4. Can the redundancy be spread across multiple locations?

        Yes, this is possible. Tilaa is one of the few providers to have a flat layer 2 network on multiple data centres. This offers you the option of a failover solution spread across multiple data centres. We would be happy to assist you in designing this type of solution.

      5. Which virtualization solution does Tilaa use?

        Tilaa uses KVM as its virtualization solution. This is a kernel-based virtualization system that is known for its high reliability and excellent performance. In private cloud environments, other virtualization solutions are also possible, such as VMware, Xen and OracleVM.

    5. Hardware

      1. What requirements does Tilaa place on hardware?

        Because the Tilaa engineers have a great deal of experience with virtualization, we know exactly what ratios are needed between CPU power, the amount of RAM, disk speed and disk capacity. The configurations of the Tilaa platform have been optimized for their specific task.

      2. Is spare hardware available?

        Yes, each location has at least one hot spare server connected in the rack. This means that Tilaa can respond quickly in the event of a hardware emergency. If a certain location has more servers running, there are also additional spare servers available (in proportion to the total amount).

      3. What kind of storage does Tilaa use?

        Tilaa uses local storage based on RAID 10 hardware. Each physical host has a hot spare disk. All hosts are equipped with battery backup so that no data loss occurs if the power supply is disrupted. For that matter, Tilaa also uses a double power supply system for each host. We prefer local storage above a central storage system. This means that the impact would be limited if something were to go wrong with the hardware, and only part of the platform would go offline.

      4. What kind of processors does Tilaa use?

        Tilaa uses 2.4 Ghz quad core Intel Westmere processors. We use multiple processors for each physical host.

      5. Why do I see an Intel Core 2 Duo processor?

        The reason why you see an Intel Core 2 Duo processor has to do with the virtualization layer. The virtualization software that Tilaa uses recognizes the Intel Westmere processors as Intel Core 2 Duo processors. This does not affect the speed or the performance of the processors.

      6. How does Tilaa allocate the CPU capacity?

        Tilaa has set up its hardware configuration so that sufficient computing power is always available. We allocate a number of CPU cores to a virtual server. These are shared with the other users on the physical server. The number of CPU cores is matched with the amount of RAMC allocated.

        To ensure that the use of the different cores is divided fairly, each virtual server has a number of allocated CPU shares. If your server needs more CPU power, unused CPU shares from other servers are tapped. However, this extra capacity not guaranteed and is immediately returned to the first server entitled to it as soon as it is required.

      7. How does Tilaa allocate RAM?

        The amount of allocated RAM is guaranteed and always assigned to your server, even if it is not being used. Tilaa does not overbook RAM. Many operating systems utilize this unused memory for optimization purposes. Tilaa’s policy allows them the space to do this.

      8. Where is my server hosted?

        Tilaa uses several data centres in and around Amsterdam. We only use hardware that is actually owned by Tilaa. This means that your data will not be stored on hardware belonging to third parties and won't leave The Netherlands. Only Tilaa engineers can access our racks.

      9. What requirements does Tilaa place on its locations?

        Tilaa only works with data centres that are qualified as TIER 3+, the highest grade possible in the Netherlands. This means that we use separate UPS and generator lines per power feed, double power supply systems for each rack and N+1 cooling and ventilation. The data centre facilities are monitored 24 hours a day.

      10. Are there any differences between the Tilaa locations?

        Yes, there are differences in terms of the network. For two of the three data centres, you will use the Tilaa network. Your server will be hosted on one of these two locations. Some customers are still hosted in a data centre where Tilaa doesn't have it's own network. This location is not available for provisioning new servers anymore.

    6. Invoicing

      1. Why is the first invoice for an amount different than the normal monthly rate?

        Tilaa invoices per calendar month. If you open a server account before the 20th of the month, you will receive an invoice from this date to the end of the month. This is a prorated amount, which will be less than the normal monthly rate for this month only.

        If you order a server on or after the 20th of the month, then Tilaa will invoice you for both the prorated part of the current month and the next full month. The invoice amount of the first invoice will therefore be higher than the normal monthly rate this one time.

      2. What is Tilaa’s monthly invoice date?

        On the 25th of the month, Tilaa will invoice you for your subscription costs for the next month. Tilaa will process your payment automatically if you have provided a direct debit authorization or a credit card number.

      3. Will Tilaa retain your credit card information?

        No, Tilaa does not retain or save any logs with your credit card information. If you pay with a credit card, your authorization data will be passed on to our payment partner Buckaroo. Tilaa only reuses this information for automatic payments.

      4. Is it possible to pay for a longer period?

        At present, Tilaa only supports invoicing on a monthly basis. However, you can also deposit extra money on your account. If you do this, Tilaa will settle the monthly invoices with the balance on the account. Once your balance has been used up, Tilaa will again ask you to pay your invoice on a monthly basis.

      5. What payment methods does Tilaa support?

        Tilaa supports payment with the following credit cards: American Express, Visa and MasterCard. Customers in the Netherlands can also pay using iDeal and automatic direct debit.

      6. I want to change my bank account number for the automatic direct debit. How do I do this?

        If you do not yet have an active direct debit authorization, you can submit an authorization for this by making an iDeal payment. During the payment process, you have the option of providing a bank account number for automatic direct debit. If you have already submitted a direct debit authorization, but want to change your bank account number, please contact us. The Tilaa helpdesk will delete your current direct debit authorization so you can submit a new one.

      7. Can I change my credit card number?

        Yes. Just click on ‘Finance’, and then on 'Change' in the Payments box.

    7. Statistics

      1. What is Root disk I/O?

        This is the number of read and write operations on the hard disk of your server. There are no limits on the use of the hard disk.

      2. What is Swap disk I/O?

        Each server has a swap partition. Swap capacity is used if your server runs out of free memory, and this prevents the server from crashing at that point in time. The sole purpose of swap capacity is to prevent a server crash. If the swap disk is used frequently, you will notice your server slowing down. This is because the working memory of a server is much faster than the swap disk. A solution for this is to increase the amount of available memory or to reduce the memory use.

        Because the use of the swap partition requires a lot of disk activity from the physical host and other servers can potentially be disadvantaged by this, Tilaa strictly monitors excessive use of the swap partition.

      3. What is Network traffic?

        A Tilaa server has at least two network interfaces, one for internal traffic and one for external traffic. In Network traffic, you see the data traffic that is received and sent by the different network interfaces. The external network traffic counts toward your data traffic quota, but the internal network traffic does not.

    8. Cancellation

      1. How can I cancel my server?

        You can cancel your server using the Tilaa service menu. Select the server and click on Status. Below 'Subscription status' there's an option to cancel your server.

        Please note: Destroying your server is not considered cancellation. If you destroy your server, there is still capacity reserved for you on the Tilaa platform.

      2. What does Tilaa’s money-back satisfaction guarantee entail?

        Tilaa will refund your money within two weeks if you are not satisfied with the product or service. If this is the case, please contact us. We will automatically refund your invoice amount.

      3. What is the notice period for cancellation?

        Unless otherwise agreed, Tilaa’s notice period for cancellation is equal to the period for which we've last invoiced you. Your server will automatically be deleted at the end of the notice period.

      4. I cancelled my server, but now I have changed my mind. Can I stop the cancellation?

        Yes, you can. Select your server and click on Status. You'll find the 'Abort Cancellation' in the 'Subscription Status' box.

    9. About Tilaa

      1. What does Tilaa mean?

        Tilaa is the Finnish word for ‘space’.

      2. What does the wolf in your logo have to do with Tilaa?

        In Finland, the wolf is the ruler of the open space.