The V-Key is the secure way of maintaining your BigV hosting infrastructure. Once your BigV account is tied to your key, it is impossible for anyone without the key (and your password) to alter the virtual machines on your account.

If you would like to try the beta test of BigV, a great new hosting platform, go ahead and download our software then create yourself an account.

If you don't want it, we'd really appreciate you returning it to our York office for recycling! The address is Bytemark Hosting, The Raylor Centre, James Street, York, YO10 3DW. No need to put a stamp on, we will pay postage.

The V-Key plugs into the USB port of your computer. It appears as a keyboard, but only has a single button. Pressing the button causes it to type a 44-letter password that BigV can verify as belonging to a particular key.

The passwords can't be reused, and the key can't be copied even if you plugged it into an "evil" computer.

During our (β) , your account will be secured with a V-Key, and the client will ask you to press it to verify your identity every time you make changes to your account.

Not every BigV account will require a V-Key after we have launched, but while our (β) accounts are very powerful and our payment infrastructure is not yet finished, we are insisting on them.

Bytemark will send out a V-Key to registered (β) testers. To join the beta, see our FAQ for details.

The V-Keys are reprogrammed Yubikeys but are not compatible with other Yubikey-based services, which is why we give them a different name.