Launch Instance¶
To create a virtual machine (VM) select 'Instances' from the main menu in the 'Compute' section and press the button 'Launch Instance'. If you have not done so before, while creating a VM, you will have to:
To be able to access your VM you will also have to:
Details¶
Every instance must have a unique name, if you want to create multiple identical VMs the count can be increased and this will append a number in series, starting at 1, to the instance name.
Source¶
When creating your VM you will want to choose a source, available sources are listed at the bottom of the dialogue box when 'Source' is selected. If a source image that you would like to use is not listed please contact e-Research to discuss your requirements. Select your source by clicking on the arrow on the right hand side.
Please consider whether 'Yes' is selected for 'Delete Volume on Instance Delete'. The default is to retain volumes when an instance is created which can be re-attached to a new instance although this could also lead to an unnecessary drain on resources and make future project management more difficult.
Flavour¶
The 'Flavour' refers to the different hardware configurations available and you should select the one most appropriate for your needs. The choice of flavours may be restricted by the particular type of image chosen or the resources you have available in the project.
Networks¶
For most use cases the external_4003 netowrk can be selected.
Security Groups¶
Attention
It is likely that you will want to have created a Security Group that will allow access to your VMs prior to launching an instance.
The 'Default security group' will not allow any internet traffic to your VM. Select the appropriate security group for your VM and deselect the default group by clicking on the down arrow, more than one group can be applied at a time and can be changed once the VM is created.
Key Pair¶
It is possible to create a key pair in the Launch Instance dialogue window although if you have Added / created a key pair it will be available for use. Some images (e.g. KCL Ubuntu 20.04) default to initial access using ssh keys.