How to Order Your First Server

Ordering your first server on Data Mammoth is straightforward and takes just a few minutes. This guide covers every step — from browsing the available plans to completing checkout and receiving your server credentials.

By the end of this process, you will have a fully provisioned virtual private server ready for you to configure and deploy your applications.

Prerequisites

Before ordering, make sure you have:

• A Data Mammoth account. If you do not have one yet, see How to Create Your Account.
• A payment method on file, or be prepared to add one during checkout. See Adding and Managing Payment Methods.
• An idea of what you need the server for — this helps you choose the right plan. See How to Choose the Right Hosting Plan if you are unsure.

Step 1 — Navigate to the Store

Log in to your Data Mammoth dashboard and click Store in the left navigation menu. The store displays all available product categories:

• VPS Hosting — General-purpose virtual private servers.
• VDS Hosting — Higher-performance virtual dedicated servers.
• GPU Servers — GPU-accelerated servers for AI/ML and rendering workloads.
• Storage VPS — High-capacity servers optimized for data storage and backups.

For your first server, most users choose VPS Hosting. Click on the category to view available plans.

Step 2 — Choose a Plan

The VPS Hosting page displays all available plans in a comparison layout. Each plan card shows:

• Plan name — Such as Starter, Standard, Professional, or Enterprise.
• vCPU count — The number of virtual CPU cores allocated.
• RAM — The amount of memory in GB.
• Storage — SSD disk space in GB.
• Bandwidth — Monthly data transfer allowance.
• Price — Monthly cost, with discounts available for longer billing periods.

Review the plans and click Order Now on the one that fits your requirements. If you need guidance, refer to How to Choose the Right VPS Plan for detailed recommendations based on workload type.

Billing Period

After selecting a plan, you may be asked to choose a billing period:

• Monthly — Pay month-to-month with full flexibility.
• Quarterly — Pay every three months and save on the monthly price.
• Semi-Annually — Pay every six months for a larger discount.
• Annually — Pay once per year for the best price.

Longer billing periods offer better value. However, if you are trying Data Mammoth for the first time, starting with a monthly plan gives you maximum flexibility.

Step 3 — Configure Your Server

Once you have selected a plan and billing period, the configuration page lets you customize your server:

Operating System

Choose the operating system (OS) to install on your server. Common options include:

• Ubuntu (22.04 LTS or 24.04 LTS) — The most popular choice for web servers and general workloads.
• Debian (11 or 12) — Lightweight and stable, preferred by experienced administrators.
• CentOS Stream / AlmaLinux / Rocky Linux — Enterprise-grade distributions.
• Windows Server — Available as an add-on for Windows-based applications (additional licensing fee applies).

If you are unsure, Ubuntu 22.04 LTS is the recommended default for most users.

Server Location

Select the data center region closest to your target audience for the best performance. Data Mammoth operates multiple data centers across different regions. Choose the location that offers the lowest latency for your users.

Hostname

Enter a hostname for your server (e.g., web01.example.com). This is used for identification within your dashboard and in the server's system configuration. You can change it later.

Add-Ons

Optionally, you can add extras to your server:

• Additional IP addresses — Useful if you host multiple websites or services that each require a dedicated IP.
• Automated backups — Schedule regular backups of your server. Highly recommended for production workloads.
• DDoS protection — Enhanced protection against distributed denial-of-service attacks.
• Management panel — Install a web-based server management panel for easier administration.

Review the add-ons and select any that apply to your needs. Each add-on shows its additional monthly cost.

Step 4 — Review Your Order

After configuring your server, you are taken to the order summary page. Carefully review:

• Product — The VPS plan you selected.
• Configuration — Operating system, location, hostname, and add-ons.
• Billing period — Monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual.
• Total price — The amount you will be charged, including any add-ons and applicable taxes.

If you have a promotional code, enter it in the Promo Code field and click Apply to see your discount reflected in the total.

Step 5 — Complete Checkout

Once you are satisfied with the order summary:

Select a payment method. Choose from your saved payment methods or add a new one. See Accepted Payment Methods for all available options.

Review the Terms of Service. Check the agreement checkbox.

Click Place Order (or Complete Purchase) to finalize your order.

Payment is processed immediately. If the payment succeeds, your order status changes to Active and server provisioning begins.

Step 6 — Server Provisioning

After payment, Data Mammoth automatically provisions your server. This process typically takes between 1 and 5 minutes. During provisioning:

• The selected operating system is installed.
• Network configuration is applied.
• Your server is assigned an IP address and root credentials.

You will receive a confirmation email at your registered address (e.g., [email protected]) with your server details:

• IP address — For example, 203.0.113.10.
• Root username — Typically root.
• Root password — A secure, randomly generated password.
• SSH port — Usually port 22.

These details are also available in your dashboard under Services > [Your Server].

Step 7 — Connect to Your Server

Once provisioning is complete and you have your credentials, you are ready to connect. See How to Connect to Your Server via SSH for detailed instructions on connecting from Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Post-Order Checklist

After your server is up and running, complete these recommended steps:

Change the root password. Replace the auto-generated password with your own strong password.

Update the system. Run package updates to ensure your server has the latest security patches.

Create a non-root user. Avoid using the root account for daily operations. Create a regular user with sudo privileges instead.

Configure a firewall. Restrict incoming traffic to only the ports you need (e.g., SSH on port 22, HTTP on port 80, HTTPS on port 443).

Enable automated backups. If you did not add backups during checkout, consider enabling them from your service management page.

Set up monitoring. Use the built-in resource monitoring in your dashboard to keep an eye on CPU, memory, and disk usage.

What to Do Next

• How to Connect to Your Server via SSH — Get command-line access to your new server.
• What Is VPS Hosting? — Understand the technology behind your server.
• Server Not Responding — Troubleshooting Guide — Know what to do if you encounter issues.

Need Help?

If your server does not provision within 15 minutes, or if you encounter any errors during checkout, open a support ticket from your dashboard. Our team will investigate and resolve the issue promptly.

Data Mammoth is designed to get you from sign-up to a running server in minutes. If this is your first time managing a server, explore our Knowledge Base for tutorials on server administration, security hardening, and application deployment.