Servers

Connect your own server or provision one at a cloud provider, then keep it healthy.

Guides

Connect an existing serverRegister a machine you already rent (any provider that gives you root and SSH), authorise SrvYard's key with one command and let SrvYard install the stack for you.Provision a server at a cloud providerLet SrvYard create the machine for you at DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Akamai (Linode), Vultr, AWS or Proxmox, then install and secure the stack, all from one form.Add a server provider and its API tokenConnect your DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Akamai (Linode), Vultr, AWS or Proxmox account so SrvYard can create servers there, and learn how to reconnect it when a token expires.Read the server overviewFind your way around a server's page: status badge, Actions menu, tabs, shortcut cards, usage, activity, deploy key, settings, identity and team access.Manage services and restartsSee what software runs on a server, restart, reload, stop or start it, change whether it starts at boot, edit its configuration, read its logs and install or uninstall services.Add SSH keys to a server and to your accountSave a public key once, authorise it on the servers that need it, choose the login user, rename or remove it again, and have organisation keys added to every new server.Open and close ports with the firewallAllow or deny traffic to a port, limit it to trusted addresses, import rules you added by hand and understand why SrvYard will never let you lock yourself out over SSH.Scheduled commands on a serverRun a command every minute, hour, night or on a custom cron schedule, choose the user it runs as, read its output, pause it, and get told when a run is missed.Keep long-running processes alive with daemonsRun queue workers and other long-running commands under Supervisor so they start with the server, restart when they crash and can be started, stopped, restarted and read from the dashboard.Install system packages and apply updatesSee how many operating system updates are waiting, apply them and install extra packages with a recipe, and give Composer and npm the credentials they need for private packages.Customise Nginx with templatesWrite your own Nginx server block once, check it with nginx -t, and pick it for new sites on that server, for long uploads, extra headers or special routing.Rename, resize, delete or forget a serverRename a server, change its address, generate credentials, allow private-network access, and choose between archiving, transferring and deleting it, with or without destroying the machine at the provider.

Frequently asked

How does SrvYard log in to my server?

Over SSH, with a key it generated for the purpose. You run one command as root once to authorise that key, and afterwards SrvYard works as its own management user, srvyard, rather than root. See Connect an existing server.

Which cloud providers can SrvYard create servers at?

DigitalOcean, Hetzner Cloud, Akamai (Linode), Vultr, Amazon EC2 and Lightsail, and Proxmox VE 8.1 or newer. You connect an account with an API token or access key under Settings > Server providers. See Add a server provider and its API token.

How many servers does my plan allow?

Hobby includes 1 server, Pro 10 and Business has no limit. Archived servers do not count, so archiving one frees a place. When you reach the limit the form says Your plan's server limit is reached. See Compare plans and know your limits.

My server shows Disconnected. Are my sites down?

Almost certainly not. SrvYard only manages the server; it does not serve your sites, so they keep running. Anything that needs SSH, such as deploying, waits until the connection returns. Work through Fix a server that will not connect.

Can I lock myself out with a firewall rule?

Not through SrvYard. It keeps SSH open however you edit the rules, rebuilds the whole ruleset in one go and restores the previous firewall if the new one fails. A firewall at your provider is separate, and a port must be open in both. See Open and close ports with the firewall.

Does SrvYard apply operating system updates for me?

A provisioned server starts with automatic security updates switched on. SrvYard also shows how many updates are waiting and lets you apply them with a recipe, but it has no button that runs apt upgrade. See Install system packages and apply updates.

If I delete a server in SrvYard, is the machine deleted too?

For a cloud server you choose. Switch Preserve on to remove it from SrvYard and keep the machine, or leave it off to destroy the machine at the provider as well. Archiving never touches the machine. See Rename, resize, delete or forget a server.

Which timezone do scheduled commands use?

The server's timezone, shown in the page description, not yours. Change it in the server's Settings card if you want local times. Cron also has a minimal environment, so use full paths in your commands. See Scheduled commands on a server.