Virtual machines overview

LayerRail virtual machines are the base compute layer for projects that need a familiar server runtime. Use a VM when you want direct control over the operating system, packages, ports, SSH access, and process manager.

What you can run

Web applications

Deploy web apps, APIs, dashboards, and internal tools.

Background workers

Run queues, scheduled jobs, bots, and long-running services.

Game servers

Host game workloads that need direct VM access and predictable sizing.

Custom infrastructure

Install your own runtime, reverse proxy, monitoring agent, or control process.

VM lifecycle

State	Meaning
Creating	LayerRail is provisioning the VM and bootstrapping access.
Running	The VM is active and ready for SSH or service traffic.
Deleting	The VM is being removed and should no longer receive traffic.

Supported images

LayerRail focuses on familiar Linux distributions:

Ubuntu
Debian
AlmaLinux
Fedora

Networking

Every VM can be used with public IPs, private subnets, firewall rules, and load balancers.

Connect VM networking

Learn how private subnets, firewalls, and load balancers fit together.

Command line and API Virtual machines quickstart

Quick start