# Getting Started with Metal Servers

Source: https://support.kapsulehost.com/en-us/cloud-servers-metal-getting-started

Metal servers give you a whole physical machine, single-tenant, for full control. Nobody else shares the CPU, memory, disks or network port, which suits compliance needs, licensing tied to one machine, and workloads too big for a virtual server.

## What a Metal Server Is

Every other server type runs as a virtual machine on shared hardware. A Metal server is the hardware itself. You get the whole box, with root access and the operating system you choose.

The trade-off is that hardware is physical. A Metal server takes longer to be ready than a cloud server, and it cannot be resized with a click. If you want capacity you can change in minutes, a [Dedicated server](https://support.kapsulehost.com/en-us/dedicated-servers-overview) gives you guaranteed cores on a virtual machine.

In KPanel, Metal servers live in the **Metal Cores** section of the sidebar.

## Sizes

Metal comes in four sizes, from smallest to largest: **Dwarf**, **Giant**, **Supergiant** and **Hypergiant**.

Each Metal server has mirrored NVMe storage: two identical disks, so your data is on both. The exact specs and usable disk size are shown when you order.

If a price is missing here, see the price on the server's page or on our [pricing page](https://kapsulehost.com/en-us/pricing). Every size includes unlimited traffic.

Metal servers on a 12 or 24-month term keep their locked price for the whole term, with no term discount. See [Server Billing and Terms](https://support.kapsulehost.com/en-us/cloud-servers-pricing-gst).

## Where They Run

A location is shown only where that size can be built, and the available locations are shown when you order. See [Server Locations](https://support.kapsulehost.com/en-us/cloud-servers-regions-availability).

## Operating Systems

Metal servers run **Ubuntu 24.04 LTS**, **Ubuntu 22.04 LTS** or **Debian 12**.

## Ordering a Metal Server

1. Choose a size on our website, or in KPanel open **Metal Cores** and click **Create Server**.
2. Choose a location, a size, a term and a system, then tick your SSH key and name the server.
3. Review your choices and click **Add to Cart**, then pay at checkout.

[Creating a Server](https://support.kapsulehost.com/en-us/cloud-servers-create) covers each step.

Dedicated machines take longer to set up than virtual servers. We order your server automatically. It shows as **Setting Up** until it's ready, and we email you when it is.

## Managing a Metal Server

You manage a Metal server from its page in KPanel, including a **Hardware** tab with power controls that work even when the system has stopped responding. See [Managing a Dedicated Server](https://support.kapsulehost.com/en-us/dedicated-servers-management).

> **Note:** A Metal server cannot be resized in place. To move to a bigger machine, order a new server and move your data across.

## Related Articles

- [Choosing a Server](https://support.kapsulehost.com/en-us/cloud-servers-overview)
- [Getting Started with Dedicated Servers](https://support.kapsulehost.com/en-us/dedicated-servers-overview)
- [Getting Started with Storage Servers](https://support.kapsulehost.com/en-us/storage-servers-overview)
- [Managing a Dedicated Server](https://support.kapsulehost.com/en-us/dedicated-servers-management)
- [Creating a Server](https://support.kapsulehost.com/en-us/cloud-servers-create)