How to use this guide

We created this guide to help you get the most from your Rackspace cloud and especially from its core infrastructure:

• Cloud Servers

• Cloud Networks

• Cloud Images

• Cloud Block Storage

• Cloud Files

The guide is meant to simplify your startup process. It doesn’t replace the detailed technical documentation for these services, but it should give you a clear picture of what you can do in the Rackspace cloud.

• Introducing the Rackspace cloud provides a high-level overview of our core infrastructure, explains how our cloud hosting differs from other kinds of hosting, gives a brief tour of Rackspace cloud services, and connects you to our collection of user stories.

• Interacting with the cloud suggests several ways of controlling your configuration, including the GUI-based Cloud Control Panel and several CLIs, APIs, and SDKs.

• Establishing your cloud configuration, focuses on the core infrastructure, providing facts and suggestions to help you quickly establish a useful and manageable cloud configuration.

• Preparing for productivity specifies pre-production steps you should take to harden your cloud server and make it ready for work.

• Succeeding in the cloud identifies ongoing responsibilities and suggests special-interest topics that may interest you after you are established in the cloud.