Hosting Glossary: VPS, VDS, SFTP, DNS and More

This glossary explains, in plain words, the terms you meet while buying and managing services on SolumeCore: from VPS and VDS to SFTP, DNS records, billing cycles, passkeys and zero-downtime deploys. Each entry is short and points to the document that goes deeper.

Only terms that actually appear in the product, the client panel or the documentation are listed. Names in bold, such as Backups, are the labels you see in the panel in English.

Products and infrastructure

VPS

A virtual private server: a KVM virtual machine with full root access and its own IP address. A VPS shares the node's cores with other customers (with configurable overselling), so it costs less and is a good fit for websites, bots, APIs and test environments. See VPS vs VDS.

VDS

A virtual dedicated server. It uses the same panel, network and firewall as a VPS, but it lives on nodes without overselling, so its cores and RAM are reserved for you. It suits sustained loads such as large databases or busy game servers.

vCPU

A virtual CPU core assigned to a virtual machine. The Home page of the client panel adds up your vCPU and RAM across active services.

Node

A host machine in a location that runs customers' services. Game server backups, for example, are stored on the node that hosts the server. You do not manage nodes yourself.

Location

The data center region where a service runs. The site measures a live ping from your browser to help you choose the closest one. See locations and data centers.

Plan

The package you buy: resources, location and billing cycle. Limits such as backups, databases or subusers often depend on the plan. See limits and quotas by product.

Game server

A server for a game such as Minecraft, run in a container and managed from a purpose-built panel with console, files, backups, scheduled tasks and shared access. See the game server panel guide.

App or bot

A plan that runs a program of your own (Python, Node.js, Bun, Deno, Go, Java or Rust) all the time, such as a Discord bot, an API or a worker. See apps and bots hosting.

Web hosting

A cPanel account on a server we manage, with email, databases, FTP, WordPress installer and automatic SSL. See web hosting with cPanel.

Template

The operating system image a VPS or VDS is built from. Choosing another template and reinstalling erases the disk.

Backup

A full copy of a server's data that you can restore later. Each product handles backups differently and none replaces a copy you keep elsewhere. See backups and retention.

Snapshot

An instant restore point of a VPS or VDS, useful before a risky change. It needs suitable storage and may not be enabled for your service.

Rescue mode

A way to start a VPS or VDS from a repair image to fix a machine that does not boot normally. It is available where the team has set it up.

Console

The live view of what a server prints and a box to send commands. VPS and VDS also offer an SSH terminal in the browser and, where enabled, a graphical console (noVNC).

Hibernation

A game server option, where the plan allows it: when nobody is playing, the server sleeps and frees memory, and it wakes up by itself when someone joins.

Test copy

A temporary clone of a Minecraft server where you try an update before applying it to the real one. It is optional and depends on the plan; the clone is deleted when its time runs out.

Sub-servers (splits)

A way to divide one game plan into several smaller servers, shown as Sub-servers. How many you can have depends on the plan.

Access and files

Client panel

The web application at dashboard.solumecore.com where you manage services, invoices, tickets, domains and your account. See the client panel tour.

SFTP

Secure file transfer to a game server or app. It runs over SSH and is used with programs such as FileZilla or WinSCP. You log in with an SFTP password or an SSH key. See SFTP connection details.

SSH

The encrypted protocol used to open a terminal on a VPS or VDS. You can use it from your computer or from the browser terminal in the panel.

SSH key

A pair of keys, one private and one public. You register the public key once in your account and use the private one to log in without a password. Adding one asks you to confirm it is you.

Subuser

Another person you invite to a service with limited permissions, so they can help without knowing your password. Game servers use subusers with roles and fine-grained permissions; VPS, VDS and hosting use delegated access. See delegated access and subusers and game server permissions.

Role

A shortcut that ticks a set of permissions, such as Just watch, Moderator, Helper or Administrator on a game server. You can adjust the boxes afterwards.

Scheduled task

An automation that runs on a schedule, for example restarting a server every night or taking a backup. A task has ordered steps and a time zone.

Trash

Where files you delete from a game server's file manager go first. They stay there for 7 days and still use disk space.

Networking and domains

IP address

The numeric address of your service. VPS and VDS have their own dedicated IP address; game servers and apps have an address plus a port.

Port

A number added to an address to tell programs apart on the same machine, for example 25565 for Java Minecraft. Your plan includes a number of ports.

A record

A DNS record that points a name such as example.com to an IPv4 address.

SRV record

A DNS record that tells a game client which port to use, so players can type a name without the port. Minecraft Java reads it; Bedrock does not. See game server networking and subdomains.

Nameserver

The server that answers DNS questions for a domain. If you use ours, you can edit the zone from the panel; otherwise you add records at your own DNS provider.

TTL and propagation

The TTL is how long a DNS answer may be cached. Propagation is the time it takes for a change to reach everyone, from minutes to many hours. See domains and DNS.

Domain Connect

A standard that lets some DNS providers apply the records for you with one click. The button only appears when your provider supports it.

Reverse DNS (rDNS)

The name that an IP address resolves back to. It matters for mail servers. VPS and VDS can request it where the option is available.

Protection

DDoS

A distributed denial-of-service attack: a flood of traffic meant to knock a server offline. SolumeCore filters it at the network edge; this reduces the risk but is not a guarantee of immunity.

Solume Shield

The name of the DDoS protection and firewall page in the panel, with modes, rules by port, country or address, lists and an attack report. See DDoS protection and firewall.

Billing

Invoice

The bill for a purchase or a renewal. It can be Pending, Paid, Overdue, In dispute or Cancelled. See invoice lifecycle and renewals.

Billing cycle

How often a service renews: monthly, every 3 months, every 6 months or yearly, depending on the plan.

Renewal

The invoice created a few days before a cycle ends to keep the service running for the next one.

Auto-renew

The setting that decides how each renewal is paid: with your saved card, with credit and then card, with credit only, or by hand.

Account credit

Prepaid balance on your account, shown as Credit in the top bar. It pays whole invoices, has no expiry date and is meant to be spent on services, not withdrawn. See account credit and automatic billing.

Coupon

A code that lowers a price, with rules on plans, customers and cycles. See coupons and discounts.

Suspension

A service stopped but kept, most often because a renewal was not paid. Paying brings it back. See service suspension for non-payment.

Grace period

The days a suspended service waits before it is cancelled. The default is 15 days.

Chargeback

A payment dispute opened with your bank. See no refunds, chargebacks and billing errors.

Account and security

Two-step verification (2FA)

A second proof, besides your password, when you sign in: a code from an authenticator app, a passkey or a backup code. See account security.

Backup codes

One-time codes you save when you turn on two-step verification, to get in if you lose your phone.

Passkey

A sign-in method that uses your fingerprint, face, Windows Hello or a security key instead of a password. It can also be your second factor.

Trusted device

A browser that does not ask for the two-step code again for a while. You can stop trusting it at any time.

Confirm it's you

A fresh check with your password, a code or a passkey before sensitive actions such as cancelling a service immediately. It lasts 5 minutes.

API key

A secret that lets your own code call the Client API. It is shown once, works only from IP addresses that our team authorizes for it, and you can revoke it. See account API keys.

Webhook and integration

A message that SolumeCore sends to Discord, Slack, Telegram, Teams, email or your own system when something happens on your account or servers. See webhooks and account events and integrations and notifications.

Apps and bots

Runtime

The language and version your app runs on, such as Python or Node.js. You pick it when you buy; another language means another plan.

Deploy

Putting a new version of your code online, from Git, the file manager or SFTP.

Zero-downtime deploy

A deploy where the new version is built and health-checked while the current one keeps serving, and traffic only moves when the new one answers. Each version is a release and recent ones stay on disk so you can go back instantly. It is for HTTP apps, not bots.

Environment variables

Settings and secrets passed to your app outside the code, such as a token or a database URL.

Health check

A periodic request to a page or port that tells the platform whether your app is alive, and can restart it after repeated failures.

Managed database

A PostgreSQL, Redis or MongoDB database created from the panel next to your app, in a private network. It exists only if your plan includes it.

Support and status

Ticket

A conversation with support, opened from Tickets. You can attach an automatic diagnostic of the service.

Status page

The public page at /status with the state of each component and a 90-day history. See service status and incidents.

Uptime

The share of time a component was available. SolumeCore aims for 99.9% but it is a target, not a guarantee or an SLA.

Related documents

• Platform capabilities overview
• Default timelines
• Common errors and troubleshooting
• What is SolumeCore

FAQ

What is the difference between a VPS and a VDS?

A VPS shares the node's cores with configurable overselling; a VDS runs on nodes without overselling, so its cores and RAM are reserved. Everything else in the panel is the same. See VPS vs VDS.

What is the difference between a backup and a snapshot?

A backup is a copy you can keep and, for most products, download. A snapshot is an instant restore point on the same storage, meant for quick rollbacks before risky changes. Neither replaces a copy you keep elsewhere.

Why do I need an SRV record?

Only to let players type a name without the port. It is created for you on free game names, and you add it yourself if you use your own domain. See game server networking.

Is 99.9% uptime a guarantee?

No. It is the target the team works toward. The terms of service do not promise a percentage unless it is agreed in writing for a plan.

What is the difference between suspension and cancellation?

A suspended service is stopped but its data is kept, and paying the overdue invoice brings it back on its own. A cancelled service has passed the grace period and can no longer be reactivated by paying. See service suspension for non-payment.