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Create a Nimbus Instance

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Login to your Nimbus dashboard

After you have received an allocation to Nimbus:

  1. Log in to your Nimbus dashboard here.
    1. Domain: 'pawsey'
    2. Username and Password: Use your Pawsey account details
  2. From the dashboard, look at the overview of your compute, volume and network allowances. 

Generate a key pair

Before you create an instance, you need to generate a key pair. A key pair is akin to a lock (public key) and key (private key) set, enabling a measure of security for access to your instance. Generate a key pair: 

  1. In the Nimbus dashboard, navigate to Compute > Key Pairs.
  2. Name the key pair so that is easy for you to remember, such as the name of your instance. 

  3. Confirm the file download. After generating the key pair, the .pem file downloads to your local computer. This is the private key that will be read by the Nimbus server, to enable access to your instance.
  4. Move this .pem file to the ~/.ssh/ directory on your computer, using your file manager or using command line as follows:

>mv ~/Downloads/name-of-keypair.pem ~/.ssh/name-of-keypair.pem
>chmod 600 ~/.ssh/My_Key_Pair.pem ##this creates the right permissions for the private keypair


Create/launch an instance

Now that you have created your key pair and moved its location, you are ready to start creating an instance.

  1. From the Nimbus dashboard menu, select Compute > Instances.
  2. On the Instances page, click the Launch Instance button. This initial launch enables you to set instance options and preferences. You will work from the Instances page for all remaining steps. 

Name the instance

  1. Click the Details menu.
  2. In the Instance Name field, type a name descriptive of the task to be done by the instance.

Select the source image

Choose a source image, which is the operating system for your instance. Initially, we recommend that you choose the latest Pawsey version of a well-supported operating system, e.g. Ubuntu 18.04 - 2020-02 - Pawsey.

  1. Click the Source menu.
  2. Select the source image from the Available listing by clicking the right up arrow. Select from among existing images or create your own. For more information on source images, click here. Your selected image is moved to the Allocated section.
  3. Make sure the Select Boot Source field is set to Image. 
  4. Make sure the Delete Volume on Instance Delete is set to Yes.
  5. Set the Volume Size to account for the size of the source image’s OS, which is listed per source image. 

Select the instance flavor

The instance flavour is the compute resource that you require for this instance. For more help with choosing a flavour, click here. 

  1. Click the Flavor menu.
  2. From the Available listing, select the flavor. The flavor shifts to the Allocated section. 

Select the network

The network is your Nimbus project network that has been set up for you.

  1. Click the Networks menu.
  2. From the Available listing, select Public External and your Pawsey project network. Select both as you will require them for accessing your instance later. The networks shift to the Allocated section.

Select security groups

Select your security group, which is what will allow you to login using SSH from your local computer to your instance. It is an SSH access security group, with a similar name to your network.

  1. Click the Security Groups menu. 
  2. Confirm 2 items appear in the Allocated section:
    • Default: allows outgoing connections (and communication between instances, if relevant).
    • <xxxxx>-SSH: permits incoming SSH access, required by most users to be able to access their instances.

Select the key pair

Select the key pair that you generated in the first step.

  1. Click the Key Pair menu.
  2. From the Available listing, select the key pair to use to authenticate access to the instance. The key pair shifts to the Allocated section. 

Launch your instance

  1.  Click the Launch Instance button. (You do not have to change anything to the other options after Key Pair.) The instance now displays in your list. 
  2. Upon launching your instance, view the status. It displays its status on the Instances page, as it builds. 
  3. When finished building, view the change. Your instance displays as Active on the Instances page.
  4. Proceed to Access and Use your Nimbus Instance.
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