Creating and Managing Virtual Machines

This guide walks you through creating and managing virtual machines (instances) in Gozunga Cloud using our Cloud Management Portal.

Instance Overview

When viewing an instance in the Osie portal, you'll see key information about your virtual machine:



The overview page shows important instance metrics and details:

- Basic Metrics:
- vCPU: Number of virtual CPU cores (e.g., 4)
- RAM: Available memory (e.g., 16 GB)
- Disk: Root disk size (e.g., 40 GB)

- Instance Details:
- Flavor: Instance type (e.g., st.medium2)
- Status: Current state (e.g., Active)
- IPv4: Instance IP address
- SSH Key: Associated SSH key name

- Server Location:
- Region: Geographic location (e.g., Midwest)
- Availability Zone: Data center (e.g., FSD1)
- Network: Network type (e.g., Internet)

- Server Actions:
- Console: Browser-based console access
- Rescue: Boot into rescue mode
- Reboot: Restart the instance
- Shut down: Power off the instance

Prerequisites

- Active Gozunga Cloud account
- Completed billing setup
- Basic understanding of Linux/Windows administration

Creating Your First Instance

Access the Instance Creation Page
- Log in to Gozunga Cloud Portal
- Navigate to Servers
- Click "Create a Cloud Server"

Choose Your Image
- Select from our curated list of operating systems (examples):
- Ubuntu (22.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS)
- Rocky Linux (8, 9)
- AlmaLinux (8, 9)
- Debian (11, 12)
- Or import your own custom image ( Experimental)

Select Instance Size
You may choose Standard instances, or Reserved instances
- Choose from our predefined flavors (For Example):
- st.small: Entry-level instances for basic workloads
- st.medium: Balanced resources for general use
- st.medium2: Enhanced general purpose
- st.large: Higher performance for demanding applications
- st.xlarge: Maximum resources for intensive workloads

Each flavor provides different combinations of vCPU, RAM, and performance characteristics to match your workload requirements.

Configure Networking
- Choose Public Network -> Internet to have your VM on the Internet
or
- Choose Private Network to select one of your internal private networks

Add Storage (Optional)
- VM Instances include a root volume, however you can add additional volumes

Configure Access
- Add your existing SSH key (You will upload it)
- or Generate a new SSH key for you to download

Launch
- Review your configuration
- Click "Launch Instance"
- Wait for instance to become active

Managing Your Instance

Basic Operations

- Start/Stop: Power cycle your instance
- Pause/Unpause: Temporarily freeze instance state
- Reboot: Soft or hard reboot options
- Console Access: Browser-based console access

Monitoring

- View CPU, memory, and disk usage
- Monitor network traffic
- Set up alerts for resource thresholds

Maintenance

- Resize: Change instance flavor
- Rebuild: Reinstall OS while preserving IP
- Migrate: Move instance to different host
- Snapshot: Create point-in-time backups

Best Practices

Security
- Keep your OS updated
- Use security groups effectively
- Implement regular backup strategy
- Follow principle of least privilege

Performance
- Choose appropriate instance size
- Monitor resource utilization
- Use SSD volumes for high I/O workloads

Cost Management
- Stop instances when not in use
- Use auto-scaling for variable workloads
- Monitor usage and adjust resources

Troubleshooting

Common issues and their solutions:

Instance Won't Start
- Check quota limits
- Verify billing status
- Review system logs

Can't Connect
- Verify security group rules
- Check SSH key/password
- Confirm network connectivity

Performance Issues
- Monitor resource usage
- Check for noisy neighbors
- Verify network performance

Updated on: 20/01/2025