Learn about user types in Vultr IAM including normal users, service users, and the root owner. Understand how each type interacts with organizations and access.
In Vultr IAM, a user is any identity that can be granted access to resources within an organization. Vultr IAM distinguishes between two types: users and service users, each designed for a different access pattern.
A user is a person who is a member of your organization, authenticated via their Vultr account credentials. Users are onboarded via an invitation sent by an organization admin to the user's email address, and the user accepts it to join the organization.
A user's account belongs to the individual, not the organization. The organization manages the relationship by assigning roles and group memberships, but does not own the identity. This means:
A service user is a non-human identity intended for programmatic access by automated systems, scripts, and workflows. Service users authenticate via API keys that are separate from human user credentials, keeping automation access isolated from individual user accounts. Keys are non-expiring by default and can be manually deleted when no longer needed. API access for service users can additionally be restricted to specific IP addresses via allowlists.