Tag: machine type

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offers two primary methods for launching Compute Engine virtual machines (VMs): the Google Cloud Console (web interface) and the Cloud SDK (gcloud command-line tool). This guide demonstrates a hybrid approach, leveraging both tools for streamlined and customizable instance deployment.

Prerequisites

1. Active GCP Project: Ensure you have an active Google Cloud Platform project.
2. SSH Key Pair:
   • If needed, generate an SSH key pair on your local machine using ssh-keygen.
   • Add the public key to your project’s metadata:
     • In the Cloud Console, navigate to Compute Engine > Metadata > SSH Keys.
     • Click “Edit,” then “Add Item,” and paste your public key.
3. Firewall Rule: Configure a firewall rule permitting ingress SSH traffic (port 22) from your authorized IP address(es).

Step 1: Initial Configuration (Google Cloud Console)

1. Open the Cloud Console and navigate to Compute Engine > VM instances.

2. Click Create Instance.

3. Provide the following details:

   • Name: A descriptive name for your instance.
   • Region/Zone: The desired geographical location for your instance.
   • Machine Type: Select the appropriate vCPU and memory configuration for your workload.
   • Boot Disk:
     • Image: Choose your preferred operating system (e.g., Ubuntu, Debian).
     • Boot disk type: Typically, “Standard Persistent Disk (pd-standard)” is suitable.
     • Size: Specify the desired storage capacity.
   • Firewall: Enable “Allow HTTP traffic” and “Allow HTTPS traffic” if required.
   • Networking: Adjust network settings if you have specific requirements.
   • Advanced Options (Optional):
     • Preemptibility: If cost optimization is a priority, consider preemptible instances.
     • Availability Policy: For high availability, configure a regional policy.

4. Click “Create” to initiate instance creation.

Step 2: Advanced Configuration (Cloud SDK)

1. Authenticate: Ensure you are authenticated with your GCP project:

   gcloud auth login
   gcloud config set project your-project-id 
   

2. Create Instance: Execute the following gcloud command, replacing placeholders with your specific values:

   gcloud compute instances create instance-name \
       --zone=your-zone \
       --machine-type=machine-type \
       --image=image-name \
       --image-project=image-project \
       --boot-disk-size=disk-sizeGB \
       --boot-disk-type=pd-balanced \
       --metadata-from-file=startup-script=gs://your-bucket/startup.sh \
       --tags=http-server,https-server \
       --maintenance-policy=maintenance-policy \ 
       --preemptible  # (Optional) 
   

3. Additional Disks (Optional): To attach additional disks, use:

   gcloud compute instances attach-disk instance-name \
      --disk=disk-name \
      --zone=your-zone
   

Step 3: Connect via SSH:

gcloud compute ssh instance-name --zone=your-zone