VM Schedule
VM Schedule allows you to automatically start and stop a Virtual Machine (VM) at specific times. This feature helps optimize costs by ensuring your VM only runs when it is needed.
VM Schedule controls only the VM power state (Start / Stop). It does not modify VM configuration, storage, or data.
What Is VM Schedule?
VM Schedule is a time-based automation feature that enables CloudRaya to:
- Start a VM automatically at a defined time
- Stop a VM automatically at a defined time
- Repeat these actions on specific days
This is especially useful for non-production workloads such as development, testing, or internal tools that do not need to run 24/7.
Where to Manage VM Schedule
VM Schedule is configured from the VM detail page:
Dashboard → Virtual Machine → VM Detail → VM Schedule
All schedules created for the VM will be displayed in this tab.
How VM Schedule Works
Each schedule consists of:
- Day (Sunday–Saturday)
- Action
- Start VM
- Stop VM
- Time (UTC)
At the scheduled time, CloudRaya automatically executes the selected action.
If the VM is already in the target state, no action is performed.
Example: A Stop schedule will be ignored if the VM is already stopped.
Schedule Limits
To ensure predictable behavior, CloudRaya enforces the following limits:
- Maximum 5 start schedules per day
- Maximum 5 stop schedules per day
- Schedules use UTC time
These limits apply per VM.
Billing Behavior
VM Schedule directly affects compute billing.
- When a VM is stopped:
- Compute charges stop
- Storage charges continue
- When a VM is started:
- Compute billing resumes automatically
- Storage (root disk and additional volumes) is always billed while it exists
- Public IP behavior remains unchanged when a VM is stopped or started
📄 See: Billing & Payments
What VM Schedule Does Not Do
VM Schedule does not:
- Resize CPU, memory, or storage
- Create backups or snapshots
- Modify OS, networking, or firewall rules
- Perform application-aware shutdowns
- Replace automation or API-based scheduling
VM Schedule only controls VM power state.
Common Use Cases
VM Schedule is commonly used for:
-
Development environments
Start during working hours, stop at night -
Testing workloads
Automatically stop unused VMs -
Cost optimization
Prevent forgotten running VMs
Important Notes and Limitations
- Schedules are applied per VM
- Deleting a VM automatically removes all its schedules
- Manual start or stop actions may override the current state until the next scheduled action
- Schedules do not guarantee graceful application shutdown
For critical workloads, ensure applications can handle sudden VM stop events.