Core Concepts

Workloads

The ten workload types Cascade supports and how to manage them.

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Workloads

A workload is any service that Cascade provisions and manages on your nodes. Cascade supports ten workload types, each with dedicated tooling, monitoring, and lifecycle management.

Web Hosting

Web hosting workloads provide isolated web server environments for your customers' sites.

Features:

  • Per-site isolation (separate user, filesystem, process namespace)
  • PHP version selection (multiple versions coexist on the same node)
  • SSL certificates via Let's Encrypt (automated renewal)
  • File manager, FTP, and SSH access controls
  • One-click WordPress / application installers (roadmap)

Game Servers

First-class support for game server hosting — the workload type Cascade was originally built around.

Supported games: Minecraft (Java + Bedrock), Valheim, Rust, CS2, ARK, and more via a plugin-based game definition system.

Features:

  • Per-server resource limits (CPU, RAM, disk, network)
  • Console access from the panel
  • Automated backups with retention policies
  • Scheduled restarts and maintenance windows
  • Player statistics and monitoring

VPS Provisioning

Full virtual machines provisioned via KVM/QEMU, managed directly from Cascade.

Features:

  • Custom OS images (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Windows)
  • Resource scaling without downtime (roadmap)
  • Snapshot and restore
  • VNC console access

LXC Containers

Lightweight Linux containers sharing the host kernel — faster provisioning than VMs, stronger isolation than shared hosting.

Features:

  • Template-based provisioning
  • Per-container resource limits
  • Nested container support
  • Direct filesystem access for advanced use cases

Managed Databases

On-premises database instances managed through Cascade — no third-party database service required.

Supported engines:

  • PostgreSQL 15+
  • MySQL 8 / MariaDB 10.11+
  • Redis 7+

Features:

  • Automated backups with point-in-time recovery (roadmap)
  • Connection pooling (PgBouncer for PostgreSQL)
  • One-click database and user creation
  • Query monitoring

DNS Management

Authoritative DNS management with Cascade as the primary nameserver, powered by the Cascadia Edge anycast network.

Features:

  • Full zone editor (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV, CAA)
  • Propagation monitoring with per-region status
  • DNSSEC support (roadmap)
  • Automatic DNS records for provisioned workloads

Reverse Proxy

An integrated reverse proxy layer that sits in front of your workloads.

Features:

  • Automatic SSL (Let's Encrypt or custom certificates)
  • Header manipulation and rewrite rules
  • Rate limiting per backend
  • Health check and circuit breaker
  • WebSocket proxying

Virtual Networks

Software-defined private networks between your nodes and workloads.

Features:

  • Encrypted mesh networking between nodes (WireGuard-based)
  • Per-workload network isolation
  • Custom IP ranges and routing rules
  • Cross-node service discovery

Built-in Billing

A complete billing system for your hosting business — no WHMCS required.

Features:

  • Client portal with self-service account management
  • Recurring invoice generation
  • Payment processing via Stripe (more gateways planned)
  • Dunning management (automatic late payment handling)
  • Tax rules and invoice customisation
  • Promo codes and affiliate tracking (roadmap)

Docker & Custom Containers

Run any Docker image as a Cascade workload — bridging the gap between the ten built-in types and custom deployments.

Features:

  • Docker Compose support
  • Image registry integration (Docker Hub, GHCR, private registries)
  • Volume management
  • Port mapping and reverse proxy integration
  • Resource limits (CPU, memory, disk I/O)