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Creating a Virtual Machine

You create a virtual machine from Virtual Machines in the Console with the Create Virtual Machine action, which opens a three-step wizard: Select Target, Template Selection, and Settings.

Before you start, the server needs a Storage Pool to hold the VM's disks and at least one network for it to attach to.

Select a Target​

Only servers that are currently online are listed; an offline server cannot accept a new VM. Pick your Edge server and choose Proceed to Template.

Select a Template​

Search the template table and select the template to build from; the panel on the right summarizes it. Whether the template supports cloud-init determines whether the Users and Configuration sections appear later. See Templates for browsing and downloading images. Choose Proceed to Settings.

Settings​

The final step is a single page of sections, with fields starting from the template's defaults.

Identification​

Enter a VM Name (required) and an optional Description.

CPU and Memory​

Virtual CPU Cores offers 1 vCPU, then the even numbers up to the cores the hypervisor has available. Memory must be between the template's minimum and the server's total RAM. Both can be changed later.

Disks​

The template's disks are listed and can be grown from their minimum size; disks cannot be added or removed here. The Storage Pool is fixed to the server's pool and shown with its remaining free space.

Network​

A VM has one to four network interfaces. The first is required; use Add for more and the close button on any additional card to remove it. Each interface must map to a distinct network. See Managing Networks.

Users​

Shown for Linux templates that support cloud-init, this section configures the built-in gallium user: an optional Password, and one or more of your stored SSH Keys to authorize. There is no interface for adding other users or installing packages.

Configuration​

For templates that support cloud-init, paste user data or a script into the User Data or Script field, prefixed to declare its type: #cloud-config for cloud-init, #!/bin/bash for a shell script, or #ps1 for PowerShell on Windows templates.

warning

Do not pass secrets (passwords, API tokens, private keys) through the User Data or Script field. It is not a secure channel.

Startup​

  • Auto-start VM when Hypervisor starts: off by default. When on, the VM boots whenever the server starts.
  • Start VM immediately upon creation: on by default. Turn it off to create the VM stopped.

Provision the VM​

Choose Create Virtual Machine at the bottom of the page. The server provisions the VM (downloading the template image first if it has not been used before) and opens its detail page, where you can manage it and open its console.