New Console feature for Leaseweb Cloud and Virtual Private Servers

I am happy to announce the addition of the new Console feature for Leaseweb’s Cloud and Virtual Private Server products. This new feature allows you to control your instances as if you were physically connected to the server. It is available for all Cloud and Virtual Private Servers instances ordered after 19 March 2012 (instances ordered before that date were delivered on a different platform).

As the system works regardless of the network connectivity of your instance, you can use this to debug the network settings – even when the instance is disconnected. You can use the Console to resolve any Cloud or Virtual Private Server instance issues, for example, when remote access is accidentally disabled, or a local firewall is preventing you from connecting.

In order to access the Console, you need an up-to-date web browser with HTML5 Canvas support (such as the current versions of Firefox or Chrome). On most Linux and BSD instances, you get a text-based console, while on a Windows instance, you get a fully-functional graphical desktop. To access the Console feature, simply log on to the Customer Portal, navigate to the instance that you want to manage, click “Manage”, and click “Start console”.

You can also soft-reboot your instance from the Console screen. This action will issue a “reboot” command to your instance and allows your operating system to properly shut down before restarting.

We hope you will enjoy the new Console feature. Please feel free to provide us with your feedback in the comments.