--- title: Features | MAAS description: 'MAAS (Metal as a Service) offers cloud-like provisioning and lifecycle management for physical servers. It is open source and free to use, with commercial support available from Canonical.' url: https://canonical.com/maas/features?format=md --- # MAAS feature tour ## Visual guide to bare metal provisioning, cloud integration, and automated server deployment with MAAS --- ## Automate your infrastructure setup --- Unattended server discovery PXE boot your servers and containers and they will be automatically discovered and enlisted in MAAS. IPMI enabled machines work seamlessly with MAAS. [Learn more about adding new nodes to MAAS ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/how-to-manage-machines) --- Effortless network discovery MAAS will automatically discover your network, including: * Subnets * Accessible VLANs * Attached switch fabrics [Find out more about MAAS networking ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/about-maas-networking) --- Simple device discovery MAAS can discover new [devices and network interfaces](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/about-maas-networking): * Passively * On-demand * Periodically [Learn more about device discovery and subnet mapping ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/about-maas-networking) --- ## Manage your servers without leaving your seat Use the Web UI or the command line (CLI) to remotely manage your nodes or use the API to automate management. --- Operate your machines remotely Manage individual or groups of servers. * Power on/off * Commission * Deploy * Assign an owner * Mark a node fixed or broken * Enter rescue mode * Test your hardware * Assign to physical [zones](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/how-to-manage-machine-groups#p-19384-manage-availability-zones) [Learn more about the node actions ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/how-to-manage-machines) --- Provision with any OS image Select the OS you require in your data center * Ubuntu * CentOS * Windows * RHEL Import, update or sync the images or connect to an onsite mirror to work offline. [Learn more about images ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/how-to-manage-images) --- Deploy with the press of a button 1. Select the machine 2. Choose the OS and architecture 3. Press 'deploy' [Learn more about deployment ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/how-to-manage-machines#p-9078-deploy-machines) --- Get all the information you need * Dig into your hardware details that MAAS gathers during commissioning including; processors, memory, storage, networking, and other components. * Event tracking allows you to monitor your machine throughout its lifecycle. [Learn more about commissioning machines ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/about-commissioning-machines) --- ## Keep an eye on your hardware Run MAAS provided tests or upload your own. [Learn more about hardware testing ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/reference-hardware-test-scripts) --- Check your data center health at a glance and easily identify faulty components. --- Run tests for each component to get up to date information about their health. Review captured metrics to better understand your hardware’s performance. --- Access all historical testing data to discover trends of component metrics and failures. --- ## Configure your servers with a few clicks --- Easily manage your network interfaces Set up your Ethernet interfaces easily, and get your nodes ready to work as soon as they're deployed. MAAS supports: * IP address assignment * Bonding * VLAN configuration * Virtual bridges * Static routes and more… [Learn more about interfaces ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/how-to-manage-networks) --- Configure any storage layout no matter how complex Set up your storage, from simple partitioning to complex storage layouts including: * Bcache * RAID * LVM [Learn more about storage ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/reference-maas-storage) --- ## Manage your network with MAAS ### IPAM (IP address management) for operational efficiency With MAAS managing DHCP, you can easily: * Define IP ranges * Create persistent leases * Boot your machines from the network * Receive DHCP requests relayed from remote networks --- With full DNS management you can: * Create multiple DNS domains * Add multiple records per domain * Select the domain for machines and devices * Assign additional names to IP addresses and more… [Learn more about DHCP in MAAS ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/how-to-manage-network-services) --- ### And much more MAAS can easily manage the most complex network environments, including: * IPv4 and [IPv6](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/about-maas-networking) * [Subnets](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/how-to-manage-networks#p-9070-manage-subnets) * [VLAN](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/reference-maas-glossary#p-9410-v) * [Fabrics](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/reference-maas-glossary#p-9410-f) * [Spaces](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/reference-maas-glossary#p-9410-s) * [NTP](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/how-to-manage-networks) * [SSL](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/how-to-enhance-maas-security#p-9102-use-tls-termination-maas-33) * [STP](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/how-to-manage-networks) * [Proxy](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/how-to-manage-networks) --- ## Create and manage custom LXD VMs Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) is the core Linux kernel technology that enables hardware virtualization. LXD leverages KVM to function as a modern hypervisor, allowing you to create both system containers and full virtual machines. This powerful combination is packaged into [Canonical MicroCloud](https://canonical.com/microcloud), which generalizes LXD into an automated, self-healing private cloud. MAAS integrates these capabilities directly, enabling you to create and manage these LXD-powered VMs through its intuitive UI, CLI, and API, all from a single control plane. [Learn more about KVM in MAAS ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/vm-host) --- Graphical overview of your KVM host’s resources MAAS shows your KVM pod’s CPU cores and RAM, as well as the free space in storage pools. Manage and visualize overcommit ratios. --- Choose storage from multiple pools Assign one or more volumes from the default and other available pools. View the total size of your requests and the free space remaining. --- Customize a VM’s network interfaces Create software defined networking as complex as you need. Assign interfaces to spaces for Juju models, browse subnets by fabric and VLAN, or simply type an IP number. --- ## Documentation [Get started with the MAAS CLI ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/maas) [See the API documentation to automate and extend MAAS ›](https://canonical.com/maas/docs/api) --- ## Want to understand the core concepts and get a high-level overview of MAAS and its architecture? [Read how it works ›](https://canonical.com/maas/how-maas-works)