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Getting started

A VPS Ultra goes into service in four steps: you choose your size and your system, you send us your public SSH key, you pay, and our team prepares your server.

1. Choose your size and your system​

On the VPS Ultra page, each size carries a button, Choose Ultra 1 to Choose Ultra 3: it opens the contact form, already filled in with the chosen size. From your client area my.simafri.com, the Our services section also shows the VPS Ultra family: See the offer, then Write to us.

In your message, specify:

  • the size you want, or what your project needs, so that we can advise you;
  • the system: the Linux distribution of your choice (Ubuntu, Debian, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux...), or Windows Server, whose licence is added to the subscription;
  • the cycle: monthly, or yearly with one month free;
  • your project's domain name, if there is one;
  • whether your project needs to send mail directly from the server (see Network and sending email).

Our team then sends you your proforma, which you find in the Billing section of your client area.

2. Send your public SSH key​

Your Linux server opens with your SSH key. Create it on your computer if you do not have one yet:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519

then send us the content of the id_ed25519.pub file, your public key, in reply to our message or from the Support section. Your private key, the file without .pub, stays on your computer and is shared with no one. The details are in Connecting.

For a server running Windows Server, our team tells you on delivery how to open your first session.

3. Pay the proforma​

Pay your proforma from the Billing section, with one of the payment methods it shows for your country (see Invoices and payments). No setup fee is added.

4. Preparing your server​

As soon as your payment is recorded, our team prepares your VPS Ultra: the virtual machine, its system, its dedicated IPv4 address and your key. Meanwhile, your server's card, VPS section of your client area, shows Being prepared.

As soon as it is ready, the card moves to Running, with its IPv4 and IPv6 addresses and its SSH connection command, and we write to you. Your subscription runs from the date the server goes into service, shown in the card: In service since.

Your first connection​

Copy the SSH connection command from your card into your computer's terminal. It has the form:

ssh root@203.0.113.20

The address is your server's dedicated IPv4 address: use the one from your card. On the first connection, your computer asks you to confirm the server's fingerprint: answer yes.

You are now the administrator of your server. To begin, on Ubuntu or Debian:

apt update && apt upgrade

then install what your project needs, with the help of the guides Putting a site or an application online and System and security.

Frequently asked questions​

Can I order a VPS Ultra without a domain name?​

Yes. Your server can be reached at its dedicated IPv4 address as soon as it goes into service, and you add your domains whenever you wish.

Can I install Windows?​

Yes. The VPS Ultra runs Windows Server, with the licence billed separately. Say so when ordering: your server is delivered with Windows Server installed.