The Settings section in Cloudways Velocity provides tools for maintaining the application environment and managing disk space.
From this section, you can:
Remove unnecessary temporary files.
Remove archived application and system log files.
Run a disk cleanup manually.
Enable automatic disk cleanup.
Choose a preferred weekly maintenance window.
These options can help prevent unnecessary files from consuming storage and allow planned maintenance to take place at a convenient time.
Important:
Review each cleanup option before running it. Removed temporary or archived files may not be recoverable from the application environment.
Before You Begin
Make sure that:
You have an active Cloudways Velocity application.
You understand which cleanup options you want to use.
Important application data is backed up before performing maintenance.
You select a maintenance time that is suitable for your users and business operations.
Manage Settings for a Cloudways Velocity Application
The Settings section helps you maintain your Cloudways Velocity application environment.
Use the Optimization tab to remove unnecessary files and configure automatic disk cleanup.
Use the Maintenance tab to select a suitable weekly window for planned server maintenance.
Access the Velocity Settings Section
Log in to the Cloudways Platform.
From the left navigation menu, select Velocity.
Select My Applications.
Choose the application you want to manage.
From the application management menu, select Settings.
The Settings section contains two tabs:
Optimization
Maintenance
Manage Disk Cleanup
Navigate to:Velocity → My Applications → Select Application → Settings → Optimization
The Disk Cleanup section allows you to remove unnecessary files and free up storage space.
Remove Temporary Files
The option Remove temporary files not needed by your applications is selected by default.
Temporary files are files created during normal application or system operations that are no longer required. Removing them can help recover disk space without deleting active application content.
This default option is included when you run a manual cleanup.
Configure Custom Cleanup Options
You can also select one or both of the following options.
Remove Archived Files from the logs Folder for All Applications
This option removes archived log files from the application log folders.
Archived logs are older log files that are no longer actively being written to. Removing them can reduce storage usage, but you may lose historical troubleshooting information.
Remove Archived Files from the /var/log Folder
This option removes archived system-level log files from the
/var/logdirectory.These files may contain older records related to services and system activity.
Important:
Download or retain any logs required for troubleshooting, audits, or internal records before selecting an archived-log cleanup option.
Run a Manual Disk Cleanup
A manual cleanup runs immediately using the options currently selected on the page.
Open Settings → Optimization.
Review the default temporary-file cleanup option.
Select any required Custom Cleanup Options.
Select Run Cleanup.
Wait for the process to complete.
Review the application and disk usage after cleanup.
A manual cleanup may also be described as an ad hoc cleanup, meaning a cleanup that you start when needed rather than one that runs automatically.
Note:
Running a manual cleanup does not change the options saved for Automatic Disk Cleanup.
Configure Automatic Disk Cleanup
Automatic Disk Cleanup allows Cloudways to run cleanup operations automatically using your last saved custom cleanup options.
Enable Automatic Cleanup
Open Settings → Optimization.
Select the cleanup options you want Cloudways to use automatically.
Turn on the Automatic Disk Cleanup toggle.
Select Save Changes.
The automatic cleanup process will use the most recently saved options.
Disable Automatic Cleanup
Turn off the Automatic Disk Cleanup toggle.
Select Save Changes.
Disabling automatic cleanup does not prevent you from running a manual cleanup.
Schedule Server Maintenance
Navigate to: Velocity → My Applications → Select Application → Settings → Maintenance
Server maintenance is planned work performed to improve the security, stability, and operation of the application environment.
During the selected maintenance window, you may experience a brief interruption to the application or its services.
Select a Maintenance Day
Open the Select Day dropdown and choose the preferred day of the week.
For example:
Wednesday
Choose a day when the application normally receives less traffic.
Select a Maintenance Time
Open the Select Time dropdown and choose the preferred maintenance hour.
The time is displayed in UTC.
UTC, or Coordinated Universal Time, is the standard time zone used by the Platform for scheduling. Convert your local preferred time to UTC before saving the schedule.
For example, if your local time zone is UTC+5:
02:00 UTC corresponds to 07:00 local time.
Save the Maintenance Schedule
Choose the preferred day.
Choose the preferred UTC time.
Select Save.
The selected day and time become the preferred maintenance window for the application environment.
Recommended Practices
Create an on-demand backup before running a major cleanup or before planned maintenance.
Review disk usage before and after cleanup to understand how much space was recovered.
Do not remove archived logs that are still required for an active investigation.
Use manual cleanup when storage needs immediate attention.
Enable Automatic Disk Cleanup when you want regular cleanup without repeated manual action.
Schedule maintenance during a period of low application traffic.
Convert the displayed UTC maintenance time carefully to your local time zone.
Test important application functions after cleanup or maintenance is completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Disk Cleanup remove?
It removes unnecessary temporary files by default. You can also choose to remove archived application logs and archived system logs.
Does Disk Cleanup delete my application code?
The options shown are intended for temporary and archived files. However, always review the selected options and maintain a recent backup before running cleanup.
What is an archived log?
An archived log is an older log file that is no longer actively receiving new entries.
What is the difference between manual and automatic cleanup?
Manual cleanup runs when you select Run Cleanup. Automatic cleanup runs through the Platform using the custom options you previously saved.
Does running a manual cleanup change the automatic-cleanup settings?
No. The Platform states that an ad hoc cleanup does not affect the stored options used by Automatic Disk Cleanup.
Why is Save Changes unavailable?
The button becomes available after you change the automatic-cleanup toggle or its saved configuration.
Can I enable automatic cleanup without selecting custom options?
The default temporary-file cleanup remains available. However, review and save any additional custom options that you want the automatic process to use.
What time zone is used for maintenance?
Maintenance times are displayed and scheduled in UTC.
Can maintenance interrupt my application?
Yes. The Platform states that a minor interruption may occur during the maintenance window.
Which maintenance time should I select?
Choose a time when your application receives the least traffic and when a brief interruption would have the lowest impact.
That's it! We hope this article was useful.