A reboot fixes a surprising number of problems, and it is the one thing every sysadmin has tried before admitting anything else. Here is the order that costs you the least.
Steps
Rebooting interrupts everything on the server. If it still answers, save your work and stop databases cleanly first. You'll need your Main IP.
- If you can still log in, reboot from inside the OS. Run
sudo rebooton Linux, or restart from the Start menu on Windows. This is the cleanest option. - If the OS won't answer, use the portal. Log in at https://noc.versaweb.com, click Services, and open your server. Our staff reboot macro says you can reboot at any time through the portal; look on this page for a reboot or power option.
- If the portal has no reboot option for your server, use IPMI. Open the IPMI console (see our article on reaching IPMI) and issue a power reset from its power control menu.
- Wait, then check. Give the server 5 to 10 minutes. A long boot can mean the filesystem is being checked. A black screen, a boot error, or a prompt waiting for a keypress is visible on the IPMI console.
Still down? Open a ticket. Set Department to Technical Support. Include:
- your Main IP
- when you rebooted and by which method
- anything shown on the console
If it didn't work
- Run
ping YOUR.MAIN.IPfrom two different networks to rule out your own connection. - If the console shows the server halted for a file system check, let it finish before you reboot again.
- If nothing responds and you have no console, open the ticket and ask for a hands-on reboot. Staff are on the ticket system 24/7. Reply on your existing ticket rather than opening new ones.