Cloud infrastructure / IBM Cloud VPC virtual servers alternative

IBM Cloud VPC alternative for persistent Linux agents

IBM Cloud virtual servers for VPC already retain storage and suspend many compute charges when stopped through the service. Boot volumes can also expand online. For returning agents, compare the API around that machine state, actual volume profile and file-access behavior rather than treating the VPC network itself as a sandbox.

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Reviewed 2026-10-19 · Published by the Sandbox0 team

When IBM Cloud VPC virtual servers fits

Choose IBM Cloud VPC virtual servers for VM control, IBM networking/identity and specialized cloud services. Its persistent boot disks, stopped-compute billing and supported online volume expansion are real infrastructure capabilities.

When to consider Sandbox0

Consider Sandbox0 for a managed compatible Linux agent runtime with automatic low-space RootFS growth and supported paused-file operations. Retain needed IBM network, enterprise-service and full-kernel integrations.

Capabilities

IBM Cloud VPC virtual servers and Sandbox0: what persists?

Feature comparison with documentation and verification status
Environment and runtime lifetimeIBM Cloud VPC virtual serversNot established in this reviewSandbox0ttl and hard_ttl default to 0 (disabled). Configure idle pause and deletion policies for the same persistent sandbox identity; an idle running sandbox still accrues compute charges.Read documentation →
Persistent filesIBM Cloud VPC virtual serversAssociated storage persists when instance billing is suspended.View evidence ↗Sandbox0The writable RootFS survives successful checkpoints, including software, system configuration, dependencies, and user data.Read documentation →
Whole RootFSIBM Cloud VPC virtual serversThe boot volume contains the OS filesystem and supports capacity expansion.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Persistence extends beyond /workspace to paths such as /usr/local, /etc, and /home. Runtime tmpfs and virtual filesystems are excluded.Read documentation →
Release compute, keep stateIBM Cloud VPC virtual serversStopped instances retain storage and can resume compute billing; RAM continuity is not established.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Pause compute between tasks; resume on available capacity. Default resume starts fresh processes from the saved filesystem.Read documentation →
Memory and process stateIBM Cloud VPC virtual serversSuspended billing does not establish arbitrary memory checkpoint/resume.View evidence ↗Sandbox0Experimental memory checkpoints can preserve compatible process state. Use memory: true on both pause and resume on a compatible deployment. A filesystem checkpoint alone does not preserve running processes.Read documentation →

Online RootFS growth

On growth-enabled images, Sandbox0 automatically expands the writable RootFS as free space runs low, within a configured sparse logical ceiling up to 64 TiB. Agent processes keep running. Growth is enabled in the qualified Cloud region; confirm activation for other regions. Existing images and snapshots retain their captured storage geometry. The ceiling is logical capacity, not preallocated host disk.

IBM VPC already supports online boot-volume capacity growth followed by OS expansion, with profile-specific constraints. Sandbox0 integrates low-space triggering and the durable agent RootFS lifecycle; it is not uniquely capable of preserving or enlarging a system disk.

Files while compute is paused

Sandbox0's Files API reads persistent files without resuming compute. Filesystem-only pauses also permit edits; retained-memory pauses are read-only and reject mutations with 409. SSH, SFTP, file watching, and runtime-only mounts require running compute.

IBM’s suspended-billing guide explicitly retains storage but denies data access through the powered-off instance. Helper/restore workflows use additional compute; Sandbox0’s supported paused-file interface lets the agent guest remain stopped.

See paused file operations →

Suspend billing is different from preserving running memory

Service-level stop suspends vCPU, RAM and documented instance-related usage charges; VPC storage and attached networking services continue billing. Metering is per second with no instance minimum. Stored data persists, but the guide says it cannot be accessed through the powered-off instance until restart.

Source 1 ↗

Boot-volume expansion already works without restart

IBM supports increasing boot-volume capacity without restarting the VM, followed by operating-system expansion to use it. First- and second-generation storage profiles have different attachment requirements and limits; newer sdp availability is account-qualified. Some data-volume performance changes have separate restart requirements.

Source 1 ↗

Regional price metrics separate compute and software

The public US South catalog separates instance compute from OS licenses and dedicated-host offers. Use the intended multi-tenant instance rate, then add required storage, software and network services. Verify effective pricing for the actual account and profile.

Source 1 ↗

Pricing

Compare billing models, then price your workload

CPU allocation, memory, billing minimums, disk, plan fees, and supported workload differ. These meters are not equal-performance machine quotes. Confirm region, resource units, and included allowances before estimating a total.

IBM Cloud VPC virtual servers

Pricing reviewed 2026-10-19

US South bx3d-16x80 compute reference
$0.907 per instance-hour
US South USD multi-tenant compute, effective October 1, 2026; software, storage and network resources are separate.
Rate source ↗
Instance time metering
Per second, no minimum usage
Rate source ↗
Stopped VPC storage/network
Retained resource charges continue
Suspending instance compute does not erase VPC storage, floating-IP or load-balancer costs.
Rate source ↗

The selected regional profile is a reference, not a smallest-machine quote or an equal-performance comparison. Verify actual availability, boot/data volume generation and capacity, disk IOPS, software image charges, network and commitments. Do not apply second-generation volume limits to every existing boot disk.

Check current IBM Cloud VPC virtual servers pricing ↗

Sandbox0

$0.015/GiB-hour compute (billed by the second at approximately $0.000004167/GiB-second), plus $0.02/GiB-month of retained incremental RootFS and memory checkpoint data. Shared base images and platform recovery retention are excluded; paused sandboxes accrue storage charges only.

Compute / GiB-hour
$0.015
Retained data / GiB-month
$0.02
Paused compute
$0.00

A 4 GiB agent, 100 running hours

$6.00 compute

4 GiB × 100 hours, billed by the second. Keeping 20 GiB of billable incremental data for a full billing month adds $0.40. CPU is derived from memory by the platform; choose a tier that fits your workload.

Understand storage billing →

Before migrating from IBM Cloud VPC virtual servers

  1. Inventory VPC instance/profile, boot and data volume generations, IOPS, image licenses and attached network resources.
  2. Export consistent installed-system and user data and port compatible agent tooling to Sandbox0, retaining necessary IBM services.
  3. Test whole-system retention, online growth, paused files and complete active compute, disks, licenses and networking costs.

Common questions

Is Sandbox0 a drop-in IBM Cloud VPC virtual servers replacement?

Evaluate API compatibility and product scope. These products serve different core workflows, so a change may require a different architecture.

Does keeping files also keep a running agent?

Filesystem state and volatile process state are separate. Sandbox0 requires explicit compatible memory checkpoints to preserve running processes; its default filesystem resume starts fresh processes.

Sources and review scope

The Boat team's Battleships directory is the discovery source. References below describe the product and plan discussed on this page. Check current availability, regional terms and billing units before migrating. Where the cited material does not establish a capability or price, the comparison identifies that uncertainty.

Battleships research record ↗cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc ↗cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc ↗globalcatalog.cloud.ibm.com/api/v1/95bd1098-b468-4d9f-9a4a-d48b80d41d95:us-south40097/pricing ↗Sandbox0 RootFS capacity →

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