Once your dedicated server is up and running, you’ll typically access it remotely just like a VPS, but you also have additional access methods since it’s a physical server:

• SSH Access (Linux): For a Linux dedicated server, SSH is the primary way to administer it. Using the IP and root password given, you’ll ssh [email protected] (just like with a VPS). Because this is a standalone machine, make sure to secure SSH (we’ll cover under security). There’s no underlying hypervisor – you are directly into the machine’s OS. All the Linux management knowledge (updates, firewall, etc.) applies here as well.
• RDP Access (Windows): For Windows servers, use Remote Desktop as described in the VPS section. Use the provided Administrator credentials to log in. On a dedicated server, you might also have out-of-band access via IPMI (discussed next) if RDP fails, whereas on VPS you’d use a VNC console.
• IPMI/KVM Console: Most dedicated servers come with some form of out-of-band management interface. This can be IPMI (for servers with Supermicro motherboards), iDRAC (for Dell servers), iLO (for HP servers), etc., depending on hardware. Offshore-Servers might provide you access to this interface through the client area or by providing credentials. The IPMI allows you to:
  • View the system status (temperatures, hardware info).
  • Power cycle the server (hard reboot, power on/off).
  • Access a console (often a Java or HTML5 console) that is like plugging a keyboard+monitor into the server. This is crucial if you lose SSH access due to firewall lockout or network config error – you can still get into the server via console.
  • Mount virtual media (like an ISO image) to reinstall OS or run rescue tools.

  Ask Offshore-Servers how to access IPMI/console. Sometimes they give a separate IP or a VPN to connect to IPMI network. Or they may integrate a “IPMI/Console” button in the WHMCS client area if supported by their automation. For now, assume you might open a support ticket to get console access details if needed.

• Rescue Mode: If IPMI is not provided, hosts often have a “rescue mode” on request. They can boot your server into a small Linux environment (usually from network or a USB) so you can fix issues on the main OS (like recovering data from a broken kernel, etc.). This is less convenient than IPMI, but it’s a fallback.
• Credentials Management: Unlike shared/VPS, on dedicated you might not have an easy “reset root password” function in a panel yet (until they automate). So keep your credentials safe. If you lose them, you’d likely need to reboot into single user mode via console to reset, or ask support to mount an ISO to recover.

In practice, for day-to-day admin, you’ll use SSH or RDP. IPMI/KVM is for when those normal methods fail or when doing something like OS installation or troubleshooting boot issues. It’s wise to test your IPMI access when you get the server, so you know it works before an emergency.

Also, remember a dedicated server might not have the soft-reboot capabilities of a VM – if the OS is hung, sometimes only sending a hardware reset via IPMI or asking the datacenter to physically power cycle will work. So familiarity with your remote management tools is important.

Now that you can access the server, you’ll need to know how to reboot or reinstall it when necessary – which we’ll cover next.