# Virtual instances - Features

## Supported operating systems

### Linux

The following Linux distributions are available when selecting Linux as an operating system for your Virtual Instance:

* Centos
* Debian
* Ubuntu
* Red Hat Linux Enterprise (RHEL)
* Oracle Linux

{% hint style="info" %}
Oracle Linux 9 offers two kernels: one fully compatible with RedHat 9 and another one labelled "unbreakable", optimized for Oracle applications.
{% endhint %}

#### Hardening on Linux

Hardening is applied on some recent Linux distributions such as Debian 11, Debian 12, Ubuntu 22, Ubuntu 24, Oracle Linux 9 and RHEL 9. Here are the different parts of the system concerned by the hardening:

* Enforcement of network security parameters
* Protection of sensible file systems
* Limitations of connection to methods using solid protocols and enforced crypting schemes within ssh
* Disabling of dynamic kernel module loading

### Windows

Windows Server is available as an operating system for your Virtual Instance. cegedim.cloud supports multiple versions from Windows Server 2016 to Windows Server 2025.

#### Hardening on Windows Server

Since Windows Server 2022 version, Hardening is applied on virtual instances, based on official Microsoft Security Baseline and CIS (Center for Internet Security) Benchmark for aligning with the latest standards and best practices to ensure Windows operating System health

### AIX

cegedim.cloud support IBM AIX operating system on IBM Power Systems. Currently supported version is major version 7 and associated Technological level versions.

## Regions <a href="#mariadbarchitecture-regions" id="mariadbarchitecture-regions"></a>

Virtual Instances are available in the following **cegedim.cloud** data centers:

* **EB4** - Boulogne-Billancourt, France
* **EB5** - Magny-les-Hameaux, France
* **ET1** - Labège, France
* **ET2** - Balma, France

## Resources <a href="#mariadbarchitecture-ressources" id="mariadbarchitecture-ressources"></a>

A Virtual Instance can be configured and customized to your needs regarding:

* **Compute**: number of vCPUs
* **RAM**: quantity of memory allocated (will vary based on the number of vCPUs)
* **Storage**: additional disks and storage in GB to allocate to the virtual instance

### AIX Instances

Cegedim offers three levels of CPU resource guarantees available continuously (24/7):

* **Standard** : guarantees a portion of CPU resources
* **Semi-dedicated** : guarantees half of the CPU resources
* **Dedicated** : guarantees nearly all CPU resources

## Features

This section is to list which feature / capabilities are available to customer, and how to request / perform them :

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="167"></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Self Service</strong></td><td>Customer can perform action autonomously.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>On Request</strong></td><td>Customer can request for the action to be done to cegedim.cloud support team.</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table data-full-width="true"><thead><tr><th width="259">Feature</th><th width="125" data-type="checkbox">Self service</th><th width="118" data-type="checkbox">On request</th><th>Comments</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>SSH or RDP access</td><td>true</td><td>false</td><td>SSH or RDP access is allowed and automatically provided to the requester of the virtual instance.</td></tr><tr><td>Start, stop, restart, delete and resize a Virtual Instance</td><td>true</td><td>false</td><td>Actions available in self-service in our cloud platform management tool ITCare.</td></tr><tr><td>Create, delete, restore a snapshot</td><td>true</td><td>false</td><td>Actions available in self-service in our cloud platform management tool ITCare.</td></tr><tr><td>Enable or disable Monitoring, 24x7, Backup and Data replication</td><td>true</td><td>false</td><td>Actions available in self-service in our cloud platform management tool ITCare.</td></tr><tr><td>Add or remove Monitoring downtime</td><td>true</td><td>false</td><td>Actions available in self-service in our cloud platform management tool ITCare.</td></tr><tr><td>Modify storage allocation</td><td>false</td><td>true</td><td>A request ticket is required to modify the storage allocation of a Virtual Instance.</td></tr><tr><td>Change configuration file</td><td>false</td><td>true</td><td>Some configuration files (such as repositories) will be enforced by cegedim.cloud. A request ticket is required to modify some components.</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Security <a href="#mariadbarchitecture-security" id="mariadbarchitecture-security"></a>

### Authentication <a href="#mariadbarchitecture-authentication" id="mariadbarchitecture-authentication"></a>

Authentication to the virtual instance is Active Directory based for Linux and Windows (not AIX).\
The requesting user will automatically be added as an administrator of the Virtual Instance.\
This user is then free to configure and add more users with the desired privileges.

## Backup <a href="#mariadbarchitecture-backup" id="mariadbarchitecture-backup"></a>

Backup is an option that can be enabled for your Virtual Instance. In a production environment, the backup option will always be toggled on, by default, in ITCare.

{% hint style="warning" %}
You can disable the backup option at your own risks.
{% endhint %}

Backup are taken every day and saved in the local data center then replicated to a second data center in the campus. Backup retention for virtual instances is 28 days by default but can be customized with your Service Delivery Manager to suit your needs.

The date of the last backup and the backup storage footprint can be seen directly in ITCare in the resource details page of your Virtual Instance.

## Monitoring <a href="#mariadbarchitecture-monitoring" id="mariadbarchitecture-monitoring"></a>

As featured, virtual instances are managed and thus monitoring is provided if the option has been toggled. In a production environment, the monitoring toggle is always activated by default.

{% hint style="warning" %}
You can disable the monitoring option at your own risks.
{% endhint %}

By activating the monitoring, multiple health-checks will be deployed to ensure your virtual instance is running and stays healthy. If any of those checks are triggered, our support team is notified with a ticket to solve the issue in the allowed service agreement level.

These monitoring alerts can be consulted directly in ITCare and metrics of performance are also provided for key indicators like CPU, memory, disk and network consumption.

### 24x7 monitoring

When the monitoring is enabled, it is only effective during Business Hours. To extend the monitoring outside Business Hours, the 24x7 option can be enabled and additional fees will apply.

This ensure that your Virtual Instance is monitoring at all times by our Support team and actions will be taken to escalate and solve any issue.

{% hint style="info" %}
24x7 monitoring is not mandatory and it can only be activated when the monitoring option is enabled.
{% endhint %}

## Data replication

Data replication is a feature which enables the Disaster Recovery protection. When the feature is enabled, the datas of your Virtual Instance will be replicated from the local storage array to an offsite storage array.

This means that in the event of losing the local data center, your datas are still safe in another data center and the procedure to restore and revive your Virtual Instance can be activated.

{% hint style="warning" %}
You can disable the replication option at your own risks.
{% endhint %}


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