A virtual server (also called a Virtual Machine or VM) is a software-based computer running inside a cloud provider’s data center.
It works like a physical server but is created, managed, and scaled using the cloud.
- No need to buy physical hardware
- Fast deployment in minutes
- Easy scaling (CPU, RAM, disk)
- High availability and reliability
- Pay only for what you use
¶ 3. Main Components of a Cloud Virtual Server
- Compute (VM Instance) – The virtual machine itself
- Storage (Disk) – Operating system and data storage
- Networking – Public IP, firewall, virtual network
- Security – SSH keys, passwords, access rules
- Monitoring – CPU, memory, disk, uptime tracking
Popular options:
- AWS EC2
- Microsoft Azure VM
- Google Compute Engine
- Sign up on the cloud provider website
- Verify identity and payment
- Access the cloud management dashboard
- Select operating system (Linux or Windows)
- Choose machine size (CPU, RAM)
- Select region (closest to your users)
- Create login credentials (SSH key or password)
- Assign a public IP address
- Configure firewall rules:
- Port 22 for SSH
- Port 3389 for Windows RDP
- Port 80/443 for web servers
- Click Create / Launch
- Cloud platform provisions the server automatically
- VM becomes ready within minutes
ssh username@public-ip
- Windows:
Use Remote Desktop (RDP)
- Web server (Apache/Nginx)
- Database (MySQL/PostgreSQL)
- Application runtime (Node.js, Python, Java)
You want to run a Linux server for hosting a website.
- Create an EC2 instance with Ubuntu Linux
- Select instance type: t2.micro
- Open firewall ports: 22 and 80
- Connect using SSH:
ssh ubuntu@public-ip
- Install Apache:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2
- Start Apache service:
sudo systemctl start apache2
- Access the server:
http://public-ip
Your virtual server is now running in the cloud.
¶ 6. Managing and Scaling Virtual Servers
- Resize VM (increase CPU/RAM)
- Add more storage disks
- Create snapshots and backups
- Clone servers for load balancing
¶ 7. Monitoring and Security
- Monitor CPU, memory, disk usage
- Apply OS security updates
- Configure firewall and access control
- Use strong authentication
Running virtual servers in the cloud allows you to build flexible and scalable IT infrastructure without owning physical hardware.
You can deploy servers in minutes and scale them as your needs grow.