VPS and MT5 uptime checklist

An EA needs MT5 to be open, logged into the intended account, connected to the broker, subscribed to the correct symbol, and allowed to trade. A powered-on computer is not enough if the terminal is waiting for a password, has lost the connection, or has disabled Algo Trading after a restart.

Choose a VPS location and provider for reliability and support rather than a marketing claim about a few milliseconds. For many slower strategies, uptime and observability matter more than the last millisecond of latency.

Test what happens after a Windows update, terminal restart, VPS reboot, broker reconnection, and daylight-saving-time change. Confirm the EA reloads its inputs, recognises existing positions, and does not duplicate an entry after reconnecting.

A status message on each completed bar or a small monitoring alert can tell you whether the EA is alive. The message should include the symbol, timeframe, current protection state, and last processed bar. Avoid alerting on every tick; noisy alerts get ignored.

When an alert says the terminal is offline, check the account and platform before assuming the strategy has no signal. Operational monitoring turns a silent failure into a recoverable event.