Console access
Reach a VM's console from the dashboard when SSH is not possible.
Open the VM and choose the Console tab. What you get depends on the provider, because each one offers a different kind of console.
| Provider | What the Console tab shows |
|---|---|
| AWS | No graphical console. The tab shows text instructions for using the serial console. |
| OVHcloud | The VM's screen right in the page (choose Show console here), or in a new tab. Click inside it to type. |
| Alibaba Cloud | A VNC link. It is a WebSocket address, so it needs a VNC client that supports WebSockets, such as noVNC. A normal browser tab cannot open it. |
Short-lived links
Console links are requested at the moment you open the tab and are never stored. Some expire within seconds (Alibaba Cloud's, for example). When a link has expired, choose Refresh to fetch a new one, and use it straight away. The tab shows when a link expires.
When to use it
- You locked yourself out with a firewall rule or a wrong SSH setting.
- The VM does not answer on the network.
- You need to watch a boot or a reinstall.
The console is available while the VM exists at the provider. For a VM that is still provisioning or already deleted, the tab cannot load a console.