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The Biggest Ubuntu 15.04 Differences: Vivid Vervet Now Available

Ubuntu 15.04 is now available for installation with all new and existing Linux VPS instances. Read on to learn more about the most important changes in Ubuntu 15.04.

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To setup a new Ubuntu VPS instance with 15.04 Vivid Vervet: Deploy a new Linux VPS

To reinstall a virtual server with Ubuntu 15.04 Vivid Vervet: Choose ‘Reinstall’ from the VPS Panel

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Some of the biggest differences between Ubuntu 15.04 and previous versions of Ubuntu include:

1) Switch from upstart to systemd init manager

Many people, including Linus Torvalds, hate systemd. Be that as it may, it’s become the default init system for almost all Linux distributions. Ubuntu’s developers weren’t going to make the shift as late as the first Vivid Vervet 15.04 beta.

Ubuntu’s developers decided that, even though they were a few days past the feature release freeze date, they would switch 15.04’s default to systemd. The change will affect “Ubuntu desktop/server/cloud and the flavors like Kubuntu, but *NOT* ubuntu-touch.” Ubuntu Touch, Canonical’s Ubuntu for smartphones and tablets, is sticking with upstart because, “Migration to systemd is blocked on touch (too old kernels, some unported jobs), and was not scheduled for vivid.”

2) Linux kernel upgrade

I’d love if Ubuntu 15.04 had been upgraded to the brand new Linux kernel 4.0 with its no reboot patching, but it came out too late. Instead, the new Ubuntu will be using the Linux 3.19.3 kernel. This kernel features improved graphics and file system support.

3) Local menus are now the default

One change you will notice is that all applications now use local menus rather than the global menu for the application with the focus. If you really like global menu, you can still switch to it.

Another visual difference is that instead of a variation of Ubuntu orange for the background, the desktop now uses a purplish color.

4) Still using Unity 7 for the desktop

You’ll see it but you won’t notice that Ubuntu is using the last iteration of Unity 7 for its desktop. Canonical, Ubuntu’s parent company, has been working on the more touch-friendly Unity 8 desktop using the Mir display technology for years and it’s still not ready.

5) Updated applications

As usual, Ubuntu comes with all its major applications refreshed to their newest versions. These include Firefox 37.0 for the web browser and LibreOffice 4.2.2.2 for the office suite.

Taken as a whole, easily the biggest change in this latest Ubuntu update is the switch to systemd. All together this is a good, solid upgrade with many improvements.

[Source: ZDNet]

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Debian 7.8 VPS Now Available

Debian 7.8 is now available for installation on all Linux VPS instances. Both 64-bit and 32-bit versions can be selected as the OS for new on-demand instances, and are also available to be used for reinstallation of existing instances through the VPS Panel (https://panel.solvps.com/).

Debian 7.8 is the latest stable release of Debian, an open source and community-supported Linux distribution.

Build a CentOS VPS instance now: Linux VPS Hosting

Reinstall an existing VPS instance: VPS Panel

debian-7.8-vps

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Windows VPS Features: RDP & Cloud Optimizations

If you use Windows Server for web hosting, development, or as a remote desktop host, you should consider using virtualized Windows infrastructure. Our Windows VM hosting platform supports instant, on-demand deployment a variety of different Windows versions, including both server and home OS’s.

We have designed our Windows VPS builds (see below for complete list) from the ground-up to offer the best performance and reliability possible on a virtualization-based (cloud) platform. With a range of key upgrades, enhancements, and built-in features that we have developed over several generations of virtualized Windows OS releases, we are confident that we are providing the most convenient, capable, and user-friendly Windows remote desktop server experience.

Enhancements

  • 5-minute deployment, with networking and system settings fully pre-configured
  • RDP (Remote Desktop) pre-configured and accessible over public network
  • Network drivers (virtual NIC) supporting up to 10Gbps
  • Storage drivers supporting high-speed I/O to solid-state (SSD) storage arrays
  • System paging and memory handling to perform well in low-memory VM environments
  • System performance optimized to benefit server applications and desktop applications, depending on OS
  • Minimized hard disk usage for convenient deployment
  • Security settings and Windows Update tweaked for convenient deployment
  • Included tools and programs like Chrome and WinSCP for easy setup

Each of the available Windows OS images has been optimized for deployment in the smallest disk footprint possible, and most images can be deployed with just 15GB of total storage space. We recommend some extra storage space for the system logs and page file to expand, applications, and other files.

Available Windows OS Images

Server 2012 R2 Standard

  • Installation Size: 9.7GB
  • Architecture: 64-bit

Server 2012 R2 Datacenter

  • Installation Size: 9.8GB
  • Architecture: 64-bit

Server 2008 R2 Standard

  • Installation size: 13.2GB
  • Architecture: 64-bit

Server 2008 R2 Datacenter

  • Installation Size: 9.7GB
  • Architecture: 64-bit

Server 2008 Enterprise SP2

  • Installation Size: 11.9GB
  • Architecture: 32-bit

Server 2003 R2 Enterprise

  • Installation Size: 4.9GB
  • Architecture: 32-bit

Windows XP Professional

  • Installation Size: 16GB
  • Architecture: 32-bit

7 Enterprise

  • Installation Size: 17GB
  • Architecture: 64-bit or 32-bit

8.1 Enterprise

  • Installation Size: 17GB
  • Architecture: 64-bit

Windows 10 Enterprise: Insider Preview

  • Installation Size: 11.3GB
  • Architecture: 64-bit

 


Build a Windows VPS instance now: Windows VPS Hosting

Questions about our service or compatibility? Please contact us!


Screenshots – Run Any Version of Windows

windows-2012-vps-screenshot-1 windows-10-vps-screenshot-2 Windows 2008 VPS Screenshot Windows 2003 VPS Screenshot Screen Shot 2015-05-30 at 3.37.06 PM

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32-bit Windows VPS Now Available with Server 2008 SP2

After receiving many requests for a 32-bit Windows VPS option, we have added a dedicated 32-bit version of Windows Server 2008 to the list of available instant-setup operating systems for Windows VPS instances.

Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition with SP2 (Service Pack 2) is now available for new Windows instances, and reinstallation of existing instances from the VPS Panel (https://panel.solvps.com/).

This build of Windows is non-R2, having been released before R2 (roughly the equivalent of Windows Vista). It was the last version of Windows Server to be released in a standalone 32-bit version. It is sometimes needed for running applications in a dedicated 32-bit environment.

We welcome users to install this version of Windows if needed. The pre-built operating system template includes all of the same features and performance improvements of our other Windows templates.

Build a Windows 2008 VPS instance now: Windows VPS Hosting

Reinstall an existing VPS instance: VPS Panel

Screen Shot 2015-05-30 at 4.06.43 PM Screen Shot 2015-05-30 at 4.08.52 PM Screen Shot 2015-05-30 at 4.07.38 PM

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CentOS 7.1 VPS Now Available

Just a quick update that CentOS 7.1 is now available for installation for all Linux VPS instances. It is now the default installation option for new Linux instances, and it can also be used to reinstall existing instances through the VPS Panel (https://panel.solvps.com/).

CentOS 7.1 is the latest stable release of CentOS, the community-supported version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and our choice Linux server operating system.

Build a CentOS VPS instance now: Linux VPS Hosting

Reinstall an existing VPS instance: VPS Panel

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How to Connect to a Windows Server or VPS with RDP

All of our Windows VPS hosting packages include easy remote management via remote desktop protocol (RDP). You can also connect directly through your web browser, using the Web RDP feature in the Secure Client Panel.

We have written the how-to guides below to demonstrate how to connect with RDP on a variety of different devices and operating systems.

How to Connect

Choose your operating system:

(Working with a Linux VPS instead? See our guide for how to connect to a Linux VPS with SSH.)

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How to use RDP (RDC) on Windows 8 and 8.1

It’s easy to connect to a Windows server or VPS from Windows 8, using Microsoft’s built-in Remote Desktop Connection program, also called RDC. Read on for a walkthrough of basic configuration to connect to your remote Windows server:

How to Connect

1. Open the Start menu and search for “remote desktop”. You should see Remote Desktop Connection. Open it.

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2. In the “Computer” field, enter your server’s public IP address. This address can be found by selecting your service from the Dashboard in the Secure Client Panel.

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3. RDC will prompt you for the remote system’s username and password (if the server is offline or inaccessible, you will receive an error message). You can find the username and password in the Secure Client Panel by selecting your Windows VM from the Dashboard.

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Select “Remember my credentials” for faster sign-ins in the future.

RDC may warn you about a security certificate, because the remote server uses a self-generated SSL certificate. This is OK.

That’s it! After clicking “OK”, RDC will connect to your remote Windows VPS or Windows server, and display the remote desktop. You can now interact with the remote desktop exactly like a local Windows PC.

If you experience any trouble with this process, or would like assistance connecting to a Windows server or Windows VPS, please contact our Technical Support team.

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Alternative RDP Clients for Windows 8, 7, XP

In most cases we recommend using RDC to connect to a remote Windows server. If you need to use an alternative RDP client for Windows, we suggest downloading one of these free programs:

Below we will demonstrate a RDP connection with 2X RDP Client.

How to Connect

1. Download and install 2X RDP Client (free). Open the application and select File > New Connection. Choose Standard RDP.

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2. In the “Primary Connection” field, enter the remote Windows server’s public IP address. The port should be 3389. In the “Logon” section, enter the username and password supplied with your Windows VPS or Windows server. The username is almost always “Administrator”. This info can be found in your service setup email titled “New Server Information,” or in the Secure Client Area.

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3. Click OK. That’s it! 2X Client should connect to your remote Windows server and display the remote desktop on your computer. You can control it exactly like another PC.

If you experience any trouble with this process, or would like assistance connecting to a Windows server or Windows VPS, please don’t hesitate to contact our Technical Support team.

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How to use RDP on Mac OS X (Microsoft RDC)

Fortunately, it’s very easy to connect to remote Windows PCs and servers on Mac OS X. Thanks to Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Connection (also called RDC), full RDP support is native on OS X. The program is available as a free download from Microsoft.

There are two available versions of Microsoft RDC for OS X:

We will demonstrate a connection with the updated RDC Version 8 for OS X, running on OS X 10.8.

How to Connect

1. Download and open Microsoft Remote Desktop. Select “New” to add a new connection profile.

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2. In the field “PC name”, enter the public IP address of your Windows VPS or Windows server. Fill in the Username and Password fields as well. The username is almost always “Administrator”, or “Admin” for Windows 8 and Windows 10. This info can be found in your service setup email titled “New Server Information,” or in the Secure Client Area.

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3. Close the settings box. Now double-click on the profile you created to initiate a remote desktop connection.

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4. You might see a prompt to “Verify Certificate,” because the remote server’s SSL certificate is self-generated. This is OK and you can click Continue.

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5. That’s it! RDC will connect to your remote desktop, and display the desktop on your Mac. You can interact it with it like a normal Windows PC, and you can even use full screen to completely integrate it, as if you were using a Windows PC natively.

Screen Shot 2015-05-27 at 3.02.42 PM

If you experience any trouble with this process, or would like assistance connecting to a Windows server or Windows VPS, please don’t hesitate to contact our Technical Support team.

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RDP Clients for Mac OS X (Alternatives to RDC)

In most cases we suggest using Microsoft RDC on OS X to connect to a Windows server. Occasionally there are compatibility issues with OS X, so if you need to use an alternative RDP client on your Mac, we suggest downloading one of these free programs:

We will demonstrate connecting with CoRD, a popular alternative for OS X, and a very good all-around RDP client.

How to Connect

1. Download and open CoRD. In the “Quick Connect” box, enter your remote Windows server’s public IP address. This address can be found in your service setup email titled “New Server Information,” or in the Secure Client AreaPress Enter.

Screen Shot 2015-05-27 at 3.05.05 PM

2. The remote desktop should appear in a new window, prompting for the Windows username and password. In most cases the username is “Administrator.”

Screen Shot 2015-05-27 at 3.05.20 PM

That’s it! You are now connected to the Windows server via RDP, and you can control it exactly like a ‘normal’ Windows PC.

If you experience any trouble with this process, or would like assistance connecting to a Windows server or Windows VPS, please don’t hesitate to contact our Technical Support team.

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