Frequently Asked Questions
Installation and Bootstrap
Q: Can I install Karios on VMware or VirtualBox for testing?
A: For supported deployments, use bare metal (or bare-metal cloud). VMware/VirtualBox can be used only for limited lab experimentation and are not a supported production target.
Q: Do I need separate networks for Management, Storage, and Public?
A: For production, yes. For labs, a simplified network can be used initially, then segmented before go-live.
Q: How long does first VM creation take?
A: From template: 2-5 minutes. From Boot Image: 15-30 minutes (includes guest OS install).
Q: What port does Control Center use?
A: Default access is https://<server-ip>:443. If your environment uses a reverse proxy or custom policy, confirm the published URL/port with your platform administrator.
Q: What happens if I lose Bootstrap credentials?
A: Follow the documented admin recovery path in Appendices (Credential Recovery Workflow). If recovery cannot be performed safely, escalate to support with environment ownership proof.
Q: How do I reset the admin password?
A: Use the credential recovery workflow in Appendices. Avoid ad-hoc reset attempts without audit logging.
Support
Q: What support response times should I expect?
A: Response times are contract-specific. Confirm support hours and SLA targets in Karios Support before production go-live.
Platform Operations
Q: Can I run the Karios management plane in HA?
A: HA patterns depend on deployment architecture and policy. Review Appendices (Control Plane HA Planning) and validate with your platform team before production.
Q: How do I back up Karios configuration and recover after failure?
A: Use the baseline workflow in Appendices (Platform Backup and Restore Baseline) and align retention/recovery objectives with your operations policy.
Q: How do I patch or update Karios itself?
A: Follow the controlled update process in Appendices (Platform Update and Patching Workflow) and test in non-production first.
Q: Where do I find release notes/changelog before upgrading?
A: Use one of these sources before patching:
your release email/notice from Karios support
your Zoho Desk release communication thread (if used by your account team)
support request to
support@karios.comfor the target version release notes package
Do not patch production without reviewing version changes, known issues, and rollback notes.
Q: How do I monitor host-level CPU/RAM and health?
A: Use infrastructure host views plus Diagnostics for trend correlation and evidence capture.
Q: How many VMs per host is typical?
A: There is no universal number. Capacity depends on workload CPU/RAM/storage profile, overcommit policy, and HA design.
Q: How do I change the management IP after install?
A: Treat as a controlled network change with dependency impact review. Use Network guidance and perform during an approved maintenance window.
Q: How should I structure multi-team or multi-tenant access?
A: Use separate accounts/domains and least-privilege roles, then validate visibility boundaries through User Management before onboarding production teams.
Q: Where should I start with platform performance tuning?
A: Start with capacity baselines and telemetry in Diagnostics, then tune compute/storage/network settings incrementally with rollback checkpoints.
Virtual Machines and VM Templates
Q: Can I add storage to an existing VM?
A: Yes. Use VM details volume actions to attach an additional disk.
Q: Instance Storage vs Image Storage?
A: Instance Storage handles runtime VM disk I/O. Image Storage holds VM Templates, Boot Images, and snapshots.
Q: Does Karios support live VM migration?
A: Live VM migration is not currently supported as a standard platform feature. Plan workload maintenance and migration using controlled stop/start or cutover workflows.
Q: Is there guidance for Windows VMs (RDP/sysprep/WinRM)?
A: Yes, baseline operational considerations are documented in Appendices under Windows VM Operational Notes.
Network
Q: Why is the first isolated-network VM slower to become ready?
A: Initial virtual router creation can add startup time. Subsequent VMs on the same isolated network are faster.
Q: Can I change network CIDR after creation?
A: no. Create a new network with the correct CIDR and migrate workloads.
Kubernetes
Q: Can I import an existing Kubernetes cluster?
A: Managed workflow is oriented to creating clusters from the platform. Existing-cluster migration requires a separate plan.
Q: How do I upgrade Kubernetes version?
A: Follow the documented cluster lifecycle path for your environment. If in-place upgrade is unavailable, create a new cluster and migrate workloads.
Q: What is the difference between a Karios Cluster and a Kubernetes Cluster?
A: A Karios infrastructure cluster is a host/hypervisor grouping in the infrastructure layer. A Kubernetes cluster is an orchestrator layer running workloads on top of compute resources.
Integrations and Automation
Q: Is there an API reference or OpenAPI spec?
A: See Appendices (API and Automation Examples) for API paths and spec-discovery guidance.
Q: Is there a Terraform provider?
A: Terraform usage examples are in Appendices. Confirm provider availability and supported resources in your environment before production automation.
Q: Can I integrate with external monitoring/SIEM tools?
A: Integration patterns are described in Observability and Diagnostics. Validate available connectors and policy requirements first.