Server networking, SSH, Docker, and Swarm

Server-level tools always require a selected Autodisc Server that belongs to the active account. A missing Server never falls back to Autodisc's shared control-plane host.

Docker diagnostic commands were checked 2026-07-13 and run on your own Server. SSH setup was updated 2026-09-06 and creates a key and a new Server.

Networking

Autodisc may assign IPv6, private network addresses, and an optional public IPv4 to a Server. The dashboard can show the address, firewall, ports, routes, certificates, and request summary for that Server. It deliberately hides physical-host addresses, fleet credentials, internal placement, and neighboring tenants.

Public IPv4 is optional and billed while reserved, including while the Server is stopped. Releasing it changes the quote and may change the address on a later start. Do not publish a DNS record until the dashboard reports the Server and address as ready.

SSH access

Supply your own public key when creating a dedicated Server through the project API. The key is installed for the autodisc user, which has sudo access on that Server. Keep the private key on your computer.

Create an Ed25519 key locally, then obtain a fresh Server quote as described in Servers, pricing, and lifecycle. Save the quote response as quote.json. Add the public key to the create request:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ./autodisc-server-key
export PROJECT_ID="your-project-id"
export AUTODISC_API_KEY="your-project-authorized-api-key"

jq --rawfile key ./autodisc-server-key.pub \
  '{name: "my-server", quote_token: .token,
    idempotency_key: "my-server-create-1",
    ssh_public_keys: [$key | rtrimstr("\n")]}' quote.json > create-server.json

curl --fail-with-body \
  -H "X-API-Key: $AUTODISC_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-binary @create-server.json \
  "https://api.autodisc.xyz/api/v1/projects/$PROJECT_ID/servers"

Creation is asynchronous. Wait for the Server to report running and a ready public address before connecting:

ssh -i ./autodisc-server-key autodisc@SERVER_PUBLIC_IP

Up to ten Ed25519 or RSA public keys are supported; RSA keys must be at least 2048 bits. Keys apply only to this new Server. Reusing the creation idempotency key returns the original Server and does not change its keys. Create-time key assignment is available through the API; the published CLI does not yet expose an SSH-key flag. The current dashboard has no SSH Keys or browser-terminal registration flow. Do not use the legacy Remote Servers form as a workaround.

Docker

The Docker page preserves container, image, network, volume, cleanup, log, inspect, and lifecycle workflows for the selected Server. Every call is scoped to that Server and account. Managed-service users can still operate their own workloads, but cannot inspect the shared Docker daemon or another account's containers.

To check Docker and Swarm state without changing it:

docker info --format '{{.Swarm.LocalNodeState}}'

Docker Swarm

Swarm is useful when two or more Autodisc Servers should run one replicated service, use overlay networking, or drain workloads away from a Server during maintenance. It is not required for a single Server or ordinary managed projects.

Initialize or join Swarm only through the selected Server/Swarm controls. Join tokens are sensitive and must not be copied into tickets or logs. Manager-only read checks are:

docker node ls
docker service ls

docker node ls and docker service ls require a Swarm manager. A worker or a Server whose Swarm is inactive will return an error; that does not grant access to the platform Swarm. Drain, promote, demote, remove, and scheduled lifecycle actions remain permission-checked, Server-scoped, and audited.

See Servers, pricing, and lifecycle for stopping, quota, and retained-resource charges.