# Control servers from automations

> Automations can act on your cloud servers — so a rule can power a server on, reboot it, or turn on backups without you lifting a finger.

Source: https://infranest.io/docs/control-servers
Last updated: 2026-10-08

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Set up rules that automatically power on, reboot, shut down, or protect your cloud servers — no manual intervention needed. This is for anyone who wants their infrastructure to respond to events on its own.

## Overview
- Automations can act on your servers, so a rule can power a server on, reboot it, or turn on backups without you lifting a finger.
- Every server action is reversible — there is no rebuild, restore or delete, so a rule can never wipe a server.
- Actions a rule can take: Power on server, Reboot server, Shut down server, Disable delete protection, Enable delete protection, and turning backups on or off.

> [!NOTE]
> Server actions are part of a paid plan. On a free plan they appear in the builder but are greyed out until you upgrade.

## Add a server action
1. Open **Automations**, then **New automation** (or edit an existing rule).
2. Pick a trigger — what should set this off (for example a monitor alert, or Server added).
3. Under **Do this**, choose a server action — they're grouped under **Infrastructure**.
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4. Choose which server to act on:
   - Leave it set to use the value **from the trigger** when the trigger already involves a server (like Server added) — the action uses that server automatically.
   - Otherwise, search and pick a specific server using **Choose a server…**.
5. Click **Save**.

## Start from a template
1. Go to the **Template library**.
2. Pick one of the ready-made recipes, such as **New server → monitor it** style rules for backups and protection, or **Monitor down → reboot the server** for self-healing servers.
3. Click **Use**.
4. Adjust anything you like — for the reboot recipe, pick which server with **Choose a server…**.
5. Click **Save automation**.

> [!TIP]
> For a "reboot when down" rule, keep the built-in cooldown (**Don't repeat within**) so a flapping monitor can't reboot the server over and over. Add conditions, like a tag match, to keep the rule pointed at the right servers.

## Troubleshooting
- Server actions greyed out in the builder? You're likely on a free plan — upgrading unlocks them.
- Want to confirm what a rule actually did? Every server action is written to your **Audit Log** and also shows up in the automation's **Run history**, so you can always see what ran and when.