Getting Started Guide

From GoGrid



Contents

Logging Onto the User Interface

You can log onto the GoGrid User Interface at the secure customer portal. From here, you can deploy your web/app servers, database servers, image sandbox servers, cloud storage and F5 enterprise-class load balancers.

Your username and password are the credentials you signed up with on www.gogrid.com during the sign-up process.

Depending on your User Role, you will have various permissions to perform certain functions. View a Flash-based tutorial here.

NOTE: Some browsers are not supported in the my.gogrid.com user interface. Apple's Safari Web Browser is known to experience issues on certain tabs in the my.gogrid.com portal.

Resetting Your Password

To reset your password, select the "Forgot your Password?" link on the home page at http://my.gogrid.com and do the following:

  1. Fill in the CAPTCHA image test and provide your email address. Select "Submit".
  2. You will receive and email with a link to reset your password. The link is only active for 1 hour. If you do not click on the link within one hour and reset your password, you will need to start over and request another password reset.
  3. Click on the link and fill in the CAPTCHA image text once more. Enter your new password twice in the available fields and hit submit.
  4. You will be returned to the log in screen at http://my.gogrid.com. You can now log in using your new password.

Deploying a Server

You can easily deploy a multi-server architecture in a matter of minutes. To deploy cloud (virtual) or dedicated ("bare metal") servers, simply follow the instructions below.

Deploying a Cloud Server

To create your own server image, please see the MyGSI instructions.

  1. Click the Add button from the Grid or List View.
  2. In the Add Object dialog, select the data center you wish to deploy your server in, then click Cloud Server.
  3. The Add Server screen will open. You can select a Cloud Server Image or perform the following operations to filter the list of images:
    1. Search by image name
    2. Filter by image type (Web or Database)
    3. Filter by image Operating System
    4. Filter by image architecture (32- or 64-bit)
  4. Select the image you want to deploy, then click the Next button.
  5. Name your server and add a description.
  6. Enter an IP Address from your list of available IPs. The system will automatically display all unused IP addresses that are currently available to you.
  7. Select the amount of RAM for the server. RAM is a fixed 2GB for Image Sandbox Servers.
  8. Click the Save button.
  9. Your server will be deployed within 2-15 minutes.


View an instructional Flash-based tutorial here.

Deploying a Dedicated Server

  1. Click the Add button from the Grid or List View.
  2. In the Add Object dialog, select the data center you wish to deploy your Dedicated Server in, then click Dedicated Server.
  3. Name your server and add a description.
  4. Enter an IP Address from your list of available IPs. The system will automatically display all unused IP addresses that are currently available to you.
  5. Select a server configuration (Processor, RAM, and Storage) and payment plan (Monthly or Annual), then click Next.
  6. Select a Dedicated Server Image or perform the following operations to filter the list of images:
      • Search by image name
      • Filter by image type (Web or Database)
      • Filter by image Operating System
      • Filter by image architecture (32 or 64-bit)
  7. Read the plan terms and confirm by clicking Yes.
  8. Your dedicated server will be deployed within 2 business days.

Deploying F5 Load Balancers

Deploy F5 Load Balancing to your architecture in a matter of minutes by doing the following:


  1. Click the Add button from the Grid or List View.
  2. In the Add Object dialog, select the data center you wish to deploy your Load Balancer in, then click Load Balancer.
  3. Name your Load Balancer and provide a description.
  4. Add a Virtual IP from the list of available IPs. The system will automatically suggest the next available Virtual IP from your IP block for you.
  5. Add a Virtual Port number for the port you wish to balance.
  6. Add Real IPs and Real Ports to the pool. These are the IP addresses and corresponding ports you wish to load balance. The system will automatically suggest real IP addresses you currently have deployed in the same data center as your load balancer.
  7. You can add additional IPs and ports to the pool by clicking on the "+" button or by tabbing down a line.
  8. Select the type and persistence for the Load Balancing Algorithm.
  9. Click Save. Your Load Balancer will be completely deployed within a few minutes.


View an instructional Flash-based tutorial here.

GoGrid Cloud Storage

GoGrid Cloud Storage is automatically available to all GoGrid customers at no additional charge. The Cloud Storage allotment is configured on each GoGrid account's private network. Cloud Storage allotments up to 10GB are free. Users must elect to use more than 10GB by doing the following:


  1. Click the Add button from the Grid or List View.
  2. In the Add Object dialog, select the data center you wish to deploy your Cloud Storage in, then click Cloud Storage.
  3. In the Add Cloud Storage dialog, click Save to confirm the addition.


See the Cloud Storage Getting Started Guide for more information.

Network Information

The Network panel of the List View contains information regarding your public and private IPs, as well as some network configuration options.

Server IP Addresses

GoGrid gives you static IPs, and every account comes with a public and private VLAN (more on this below). Each account comes with a block of 8 usable public IPs and 251 usable private IPs in each data center, though you can request more public IPs at any time.


Keep in mind that all servers must be assigned a public IP address to be deployed. This means that assigning a public IP to a database server may cause overages if not properly configured. Therefore, it is best to manually assign an IP to the network interface on your databases to ensure that all data transfer is done on the private network.


If you use the public IP on a database, not only does this potentially pose some security risks if you have customer-sensitive information, but the data traveling between your web/app servers and your database first has to go out to the network switches and then come back into the GoGrid environment, meaning that you will be charged for outbound data transfer (from database server, out to the switch, and then back into the web/app server). We are currently working to ensure that database servers have the option of being deployed with a public or a private IP.

Server Network Interfaces

Each GoGrid Cloud Server comes with 3 network interfaces (NICs). Two NICs are physically attached to the public facing switch fabric, and the third NIC is connected to a private switch fabric. GoGrid Dedicated Servers come with 2 NICs, one attached to the public switch fabric and the other attached to the private switch fabric. Please note that the two switch fabrics are completely separate and are supported by separate switching & routing infrastructures:

Physical VLAN Configuration Interface Name in Windows Interface Name in Linux
Public Public DHCP Local Area Connection 1 eth0
Private Private Static Local Area Connection 2 eth1


In order to provide network access to a GoGrid server when it is first added, the Public_1 VNIC is configured for DHCP. The MAC address of the Public_1 VNIC will be associated with the IP you chose when the server was first added to our DHCP server. This means that an attempt to get a new DHCP lease will always result in the same IP address being bound to the interface. Please note that the Public_1 interface can be shut down or disabled at any time, but doing so will place you at risk of losing access to your GoGrid server.


GoGrid users have the option to bind their assigned IP addresses to the Public_2 and Private interfaces at their convenience. This is similar to how IP address bindings are managed on a dedicated server.

Network Configuration

The Network panel has several controls:

  • Add additional IPs - Order additional IP addresses. Your account will be charged $1 per IP address per month.
  • Manage DNS - See your primary and secondary nameservers and submit DNS requests to the Support team.
  • Unblock SMTP - Port 25 is blocked by default on all GoGrid servers. If you wish to send email from a GoGrid server (and you're not a spammer), click here to find out how to unblock the port.

The Billing Widget

The billing widget contains all of the information regarding your account. It updates hourly and displays the following information:


  • RAM Plan - Displays the RAM Plan you have chosen (Pay as You Go, Professional Cloud, Business Cloud, Corporate Cloud or Enterprise Cloud). The default is the "Pay as You Go " plan.
  • RAM Allotment - The number of Server RAM Hours associated with your Memory Plan.
  • GB in Use - The number of Server RAM Hours you have have currently deployed on your grid, updated hourly.
  • GB Hours to Date - How many Server RAM Hours you have used month-to-date.


  • Transfer Plan - Displays the Transfer Plan you have chosen (Pay as You Go, Transfer 500 GB, Transfer 3.6 TB, Transfer 20 TB, Transfer 57 TB). The default is the "Pay as You Go " plan.
  • Transfer Allotment - The number GB of transfer allotted to your account. All inbound transfer is FREE.
  • GB Transfer to Date - How many GB of transfer you have used month-to-date.


NOTE: To avoid overage charges, you can upgrade your account at any time by going to the Billing tab, then by clicking on “Upgrade/Downgrade Plan” to send an email to our billing department.

Logging in to Your Server

You can log into your server by using SSH for Linux servers or Remote Desktop for Windows servers. Any third party remote connectivity client, such as PuTTY, will also work.

Windows Servers

For Windows servers, the default user name is "Administrator". The server password is generated randomly and is stored in the GoGrid user interface. You can access the server's password by clicking on the server and selecting "Password" in the left pane, or by clicking on the "Support" navigation button and then on the "Passwords" tab.


You can change your passwords on the server once you have logged into your servers, but please note that these are not reflected in the GoGrid user interface unless you manually update your passwords by editing the password in the user interface. Not updating the password management interface in the GoGrid user interface may result in serious delays in Support if we are unable to log into your servers.

Linux Servers

For Linux servers (CentOS and Red Hat) the default user name is "root". The server password is generated randomly and is stored in the GoGrid user interface. You can access the server's password by right-clicking on the server and selecting "Password" in the left pane, or by clicking on the "Support" navigation button and then on the "Passwords" tab.


You can change your passwords on the server once you have logged into your servers, but please note that these are not reflected in the GoGrid user interface unless you manually update your passwords by editing the password in the user interface. Not updating the password management interface in the GoGrid user interface may result in serious delays in Support if we are unable to log into your servers.

NOTE: Passwords do not read or update passwords on your instantiated servers. They are a support mechanism to communicate initial root / Administrator passwords to you. They also serve as a facility to send pertinent passwords to GoGrid Support for any support issues that may arise. Adding, editing, or deleting a password through the API or User Interface WILL NOT change any passwords on your server.
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