What Is It?
Cubes are lightweight virtual machines with built-in high-speed NVMe storage, designed for cost-effective workloads that don't require continuous maximum compute. Each Cube uses a fixed template (vCPU, RAM, NVMe size) that cannot be changed after provisioning. They provide the performance characteristics of physical servers with the efficiency of shared resources, ideal for development environments, testing, simple web applications, and variable-load workloads.
Quick Facts
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Template-based virtual machine with direct-attached NVMe |
| Templates | 9 pre-defined sizes (Basic and Memory families) |
| Storage | NVMe volume (60 GB - 960 GB) + up to 23 additional block storage devices |
| Resource Model | Fixed vCPU, RAM, and NVMe size at provisioning (immutable) |
| Encryption | AES-XTS 256-bit at rest |
| Networking | IPv4/IPv6, LANs, firewalls, flow logs |
| Management | Data Center Designer (DCD), Cloud API |
Template Specifications
| Template | vCPUs | RAM | NVMe Storage | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Cube XS | 1 | 2 GB | 60 GB | Minimal workloads, testing |
| Basic Cube S | 2 | 4 GB | 120 GB | Small applications, dev environments |
| Basic Cube M | 4 | 8 GB | 240 GB | Standard web apps, microservices |
| Basic Cube L | 8 | 16 GB | 480 GB | Medium workloads, databases |
| Basic Cube XL | 16 | 32 GB | 960 GB | Large applications, data processing |
| Memory Cube S | 2 | 8 GB | 120 GB | Memory-intensive small apps |
| Memory Cube M | 4 | 16 GB | 240 GB | Caching layers, in-memory databases |
| Memory Cube L | 8 | 32 GB | 480 GB | Analytics, memory-heavy workloads |
| Memory Cube XL | 16 | 64 GB | 960 GB | Large in-memory applications |
Basic templates: Balanced CPU-to-RAM ratio for general-purpose workloads.
Memory templates: Higher RAM-to-CPU ratio for memory-intensive applications.
What You Can Do
Quick Template-Based Provisioning
Select from pre-defined templates and deploy instantly via DCD or API. Templates fix vCPU, RAM, and NVMe size at creation, simplifying sizing decisions and accelerating deployment.
Expand Storage Capacity
Attach up to 23 additional Block Storage devices (HDD or SSD, Standard or Premium performance tiers). The NVMe volume occupies one device slot, leaving 23 available for expansion.
Suspend and Resume
Suspend Cubes to pause execution while maintaining state. Resume operations instantly without full reboot. Note that billing continues during suspension.
Snapshot and Clone
Create snapshots of NVMe volumes or attached Block Storage for backup and cloning. Use snapshots to recreate identical Cubes or restore to previous states.
Flexible Boot Configuration
Select any attached device (NVMe, Block Storage, CD-ROM) or network as the boot volume. Change boot order without modifying storage configuration.
Secure Data Protection
All NVMe volumes are encrypted at rest with AES-XTS 256-bit keys. Secure deletion destroys encryption keys and zeros metadata, ensuring data cannot be recovered.
Network Integration
Connect Cubes to LANs, enable IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack, configure firewalls, and enable Flow Logs for traffic analysis. Full integration with VDC Networking capabilities.
Best For
| Scenario | Why It Fits |
|---|---|
| Development and testing environments | Cost-effective with quick provisioning and snapshot-based workflows |
| Small web applications and APIs | Fixed templates match typical web server requirements |
| Microservices and containerized workloads | Lightweight footprint with fast NVMe storage |
| Short-lived compute tasks | Template-based sizing accelerates deployment for temporary workloads |
| Memory-intensive applications | Memory Cube templates provide high RAM-to-CPU ratios |
| Variable-load workloads | Cost efficiency for applications with intermittent usage patterns |
Consider Alternatives If
| If You Need... | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Customizable CPU, RAM, or storage | Compute Engine | Flexible resource allocation and Live Vertical Scaling |
| Container orchestration | Managed Kubernetes | Automated container management and scaling |
Key Considerations
Billing & Costs
- Main billing: Per hour based on template (vCPU + RAM + NVMe combined)
- When suspended: Billing continues for all resources
- Cost optimization: Delete Cubes and create snapshots to stop billing while preserving data
- Additional costs: Attached Block Storage, data transfer, public IPs, snapshots
Limitations
- Immutable templates: vCPU, RAM, and NVMe size cannot be changed after provisioning
- Maximum PCI devices: 24 total (NVMe uses 1, leaving 23 for Block Storage and CD-ROM devices; NICs are a separate networking resource and do not count toward this device limit).
- NVMe constraints: Cannot unmount or delete NVMe volume independently (tied to Cube lifecycle)
- No Live Vertical Scaling: Cannot add CPU or RAM after creation (template is fixed)
- Suspended billing: Suspension does not reduce costs; only deletion stops charges
- Template selection: Must choose appropriate template at creation (no resize option)
Management Options
- Data Center Designer (DCD): Drag-and-drop interface for Cube creation, configuration, snapshots, power management
- Cloud API: Programmatic access via REST endpoints (
/datacenters/{dcId}/servers) - Composite API calls: Single request to provision Cube with NVMe, networking, and additional storage
- Template retrieval: Query available templates via
/templatesendpoint before provisioning