Table of Contents

• Fundamentals
• Virtual Data Center
• Virtual Server
• Virtual Storage
• Image
• Public LAN
• Private LAN
• Data Center Designer

Fundamentals

The following helps to define some of the core concepts of the ProfitBricks platform and API.

Virtual Data Center

An isolated environment that acts as a container for various virtual components -- servers, storage volumes, load balancers, etc. You can interact with your virtual data center through the Data Center Designer or through the API.

Virtual Server

A server instance that has a variety of configured attributes -- cores, memory, hostname. Virtual servers live within the virtual data center. Servers can use different operating systems.

Virtual Storage

A block device that can be connected to a server offering basic data storage capabilities.

Image

An image is a single file containing the complete contents and structure of a disk volume which can be used to initialize a storage volume. The user can either choose use a ProfitBricks default image or upload custom images via FTP.

Public LAN

A local area network which has access to the Internet. A random DHCP IP address is assigned to the NIC of a server in a LAN automatically by ProfitBricks. Since the IP is assigned via DHCP, certain actions could result in the IP being changed such as rebooting the server, disconnecting and reconnecting the LAN and so forth. If you do not wish to use DHCP you can reserve and assign a public IP address.

Private LAN

A network which has no access to the internet. Private IP's can be specified and assigned manually. Valid IP addresses for private networks are 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12 or 192.168.0.0/16.

Data Center Designer

The best way to plan and architect Internet environments is to use a large, blank whiteboard to outline, correct and improve the complete infrastructure design by hand using a pen.

ProfitBricks offers a 'virtual whiteboard' – the Data Center Designer (DCD) which does so much more than a whiteboard. Design your ProfitBricks Virtual Cloud Computing Data Center with servers, storage, load balancers, firewalls and associated networking using the DCD. Once complete, simply activate the data center design with a mouse-click. It’s that easy – without any complicated forms and tables.