What should I verify when a new dedicated server is commissioned?
Commissioning should establish that the delivered server matches the ordered specification and can support the intended service. A successful SSH login is only one acceptance check. Confirm hardware identity, usable resources, storage health, network configuration and independent recovery access before introducing production data or relying on the server’s availability.
Before you start
- The agreed server specification and authorised access to the delivered host.
Instructions
1. Compare delivered resources with the order
Read the physical host’s CPU and block-device inventory. Firmware and controller layers can affect how resources appear to the operating system.
lscpu
lsblk -d -o NAME,SIZE,MODEL,SERIALCompare processor topology and exposed drives or logical disks with the agreed configuration. Hardware RAID may require its own physical-drive inventory.
2. Verify health and access paths
Confirm that the installed OS is supported, the clock is correct and relevant hardware/controller health checks are clear. Test the authorised management and console paths, IP allocation, gateway, expected bandwidth policy and required application ports.
3. Record the acceptance baseline
Document the delivered versions, identifiers and any agreed exceptions. Use a representative bounded workload to confirm expected behaviour; arrange intrusive stress or failure testing only within an approved acceptance window.
Check the result
- The inventory reconciles with the order, health checks have no unexplained faults, and application and recovery access work under the agreed acceptance criteria.
Troubleshooting
- A drive count differs from the order
- Check whether the OS sees a RAID logical disk instead of each physical member.
- A benchmark differs from an advertised figure
- Compare workload, concurrency, cache state and service limits before concluding the hardware is defective.
- Console access is not included
- Record the provider’s actual recovery process and expected access arrangements before production use.
Official references
Use the documentation for your installed version when a flag, service name or platform feature differs.