Getting started with Simple Application Server

Learn about the product

Key concepts, benefits, use cases, and limitations.

• What is Simple Application Server?

• Benefits

• Use cases

• Supported images

• Limitations

• Simple Application Server vs. ECS

Quick start

Simple Application Server supports Linux and Windows images.

Before you begin, register an Alibaba Cloud account and complete your profile.

Linux

1. Purchase a Simple Application Server instance

   When you create a Simple Application Server instance, configure the instance type, image, region, quantity, and subscription duration.

2. Connect to the instance

   • Workbench (recommended). Click Remote Connection, select Connect via Workbench, and click Log On Now to connect as Admin without a password.

   • Connect with an SSH client.

     Use an SSH client (PuTTY, XShell, or FinalShell) to connect as root with a password.

     Important

     Instances have no default password. Set or reset the server password before your first login.

   • Rescue logon. If Workbench and third-party tools fail, use the rescue connection (VNC) to troubleshoot.

   Full instructions: Connect to a Linux instance.

Windows

1. Purchase a Simple Application Server instance

   When you create a Simple Application Server instance, configure the instance type, image, region, quantity, and subscription duration.

2. Connect to the instance

   1. Connect by using Remote Desktop. After you create a Simple Application Server instance that runs Windows, click Reset Password in the console to set a password for the Administrator user. Then, click Connect in the console or use a Remote Desktop client to connect to the server with the password.

      Important

      Instances have no default password. Set or reset the server password before your first login.

   2. Rescue logon. If Workbench or Remote Desktop fails, use the rescue connection (VNC) to troubleshoot.

   Full instructions: Connect to a Windows instance.

You can Unsubscribe from a server after purchase. Alibaba Cloud refunds your payment based on the unsubscription rules.

Console guide

The Simple Application Server console lets you create, manage, and monitor servers. The following figure shows the console layout.

The left-side navigation pane provides access to features such as Servers, Snapshots, Images, Domains, key pairs, Firewall Templates, Command Assistant, internal network connectivity, and quota management. In the upper-right corner of the page, you can find the learning guide. Above the server list, the console displays security and firewall alerts (such as high-risk and risk alerts) and the region tab. The operations bar contains the Create Server and Migrate to Cloud buttons, a smart search box that allows you to search by instance ID, name, public IP, or status, and a tag filter. Each server card displays basic information such as the server name, running status, instance ID, public and private IP addresses, configuration (for example, data disk/40 GiB), tags, and expiration time. At the bottom of each card, you can find the Remote Connection, Renew, Reset Password, and More buttons. On the right side of the page, there are controls to switch between list and card views, export server information, and refresh the list. A floating menu on the right edge provides access to tools like AI Assistant and online support. At the bottom of the page, a bulk operations bar includes the Start, Stop, Restart, Renew, and Release buttons, along with pagination controls.