---
title: "Bare metal lifecycle"
description: "Manage a bare-metal lease in the dashboard — overview, console, network, power, reinstall, renew, and release."
url: "https://metalhost.net/docs/dashboard/guides/bare-metal-lifecycle"
---

# Bare metal lifecycle

Click a lease name on the *bare metal* list to open its detail page. Sidebar tabs: **overview**, **console**, **network**, **hardware**, **danger**. The page polls every 5s while `provisioning` or `releasing`.

## Overview

Stats: state, power (on/off/unknown), spec, OS image, datacenter, billing term, $/mo.

**SSH access** (managed installs): copyable `ssh user@primary-ip` once the lease is active and an IP is assigned. Authenticate with the SSH keys selected at lease time.

**Bring-your-own OS:** no managed login — install and configure from *console*.

## Power

On the overview tab or in console:

- **on** — immediate BMC power on.
- **off** — graceful shutdown (confirm). Lease and billing continue.
- **reboot** — confirm; interrupts in-flight work.

Disabled during `provisioning` / `releasing`.

## Console

*console* tab — live KVM (noVNC to the BMC). Works when the lease is `active`. Locked during provisioning/releasing.

- **pop out** — separate window for long installs.
- **rescue** — enter/exit rescue environment (reboots; confirm first).

### Install from ISO (BYO leases)

On BYO leases (`No OS` at lease time), the console toolbar shows **install media**:

1. **manage** → [ISO library](https://metalhost.net/docs/dashboard/guides/bare-metal-isos.md)
2. Select an ISO → **attach** (large ISOs may take ~1 minute to stage)
3. **boot ISO** to install; **boot disk** when done
4. **detach** ejects virtual media (ISO stays in library)

## Network

*network* tab — copyable fields: primary IPv4, gateway, subnet mask (with prefix), public block CIDR, IP count.

> **use the assigned block**
>
> The switch only forwards your assigned IP(s). Wrong addresses are dropped — use the mask and gateway shown here during OS install.

## Hardware

Read-only: spec, datacenter, underlying host id, resource name, OS image id, created timestamp.

## Reinstall (managed leases)

*danger* tab → **reinstall from image**. Pick catalog OS or custom URL, hostname, SSH user, keys. Wipes the boot disk — confirm before submitting.

For Proxmox, Windows, ESXi, etc., use console + ISO instead of reinstall.

## Renew and release

*danger* tab → **lease & billing**:

- **renew now** — monthly terms only; charges the next term from wallet immediately.
- **release** — returns server to pool. Hourly: billing stops. Prepaid mid-term: blocked until term ends.

Same **renew** / **release** actions appear on the bare metal list rows.

## Report an issue

Overview → **report an issue** opens a [support ticket](https://metalhost.net/docs/dashboard/guides/support.md) pre-tagged for bare metal.

## What's next

- [Install ISOs](https://metalhost.net/docs/dashboard/guides/bare-metal-isos.md)
- [Bare metal overview](https://metalhost.net/docs/dashboard/guides/bare-metal.md)
- [Public IPv4](https://metalhost.net/docs/dashboard/guides/public-ipv4.md) — VM-focused networking guide.