Create and connect instance

Create instance

An instance is a virtualized hardware resource used to configure servers of various instance types. Follow these steps to create an instance in the virtual machine service:

1. Go to KakaoCloud Console > Beyond Compute Service > Virtual Machine.

2. In the Instance menu, click the [Create instance] button.

3. In the Create instance window, input the required information and click the [Create] button. Note that the networking process may take up to 10 minutes after instance creation, during which server access may be unavailable.

   

   item	description
   ① Basic info	Name: name of the instance - Duplicate names are allowed within the same project. - When creating two or more instances, subsequent instance names default based on the first instance's name.
   ② Image	Select the image to use - Default tab: images officially provided by KakaoEnterprise. - My images tab: images created by the user account (manage images for details).
   ③ Instance type	Specification for the instance - Refer to instance type specifications.
   ④ Volume	Volumes connected to the instance. Root volume is displayed by default, with up to nine additional custom volumes allowed. - Size: 1–5,120GB - Type: SSD only supported - Maximum IOPS: predefined per volume size (editing feature upcoming) delete with instance: option to delete the volume when the instance is deleted. ⚠️ If unchecked, volumes remain as detached resources post-instance deletion, continuing to incur charges. Ensure manual deletion in the volumes list to avoid charges.
   ⑤ Key pair	Key pair to apply to the instance - Click [Create key pair] to generate and assign a new key pair (manage key pairs for details). ⚠️ Save the private key file securely, as it cannot be downloaded again. ⚠️ Instance access is not possible without a key pair.
   ⑥ Network	VPC: The network where the instance will be configured. Subnet: Select one of the subnets created in the network. - If a new VPC and subnet are needed, they must be created in KakaoCloud Console > VPC. - A public IP that can be accessed externally can be assigned after instance creation in Associate Public IP. Network Interface: The primary network interface of the instance to be created. - Type: Choose between a new network interface or an existing one. - IP Allocation Method: When selecting the New Interface type, IP addresses can be randomly assigned within the subnet CIDR block excluding the reserved IP addresses. Security Group: The security group to be applied to the instance. Inbound/outbound rules - Inbound tab: Inbound rules applied to the selected security group. 💡 To connect to the instance, inbound ports must be allowed based on the selected image (required): - Linux-based: Allow TCP port 22. - Windows: Allow TCP port 3389. - Windows + MSSQL: Allow TCP ports 3389 and 1433. - Outbound tab: Outbound rules, allowing all ports for all protocols.
   ⑦ Advanced settings	User script: script to automatically initialize the environment at instance start. - Scripts can be entered (up to 16KB) or uploaded as files. - Scripts execute on first boot and are copied under /var/lib/cloud/instances. Logs can be checked with: Ubuntu: sudo cat /var/log/syslog or sudo journalctl -u cloud-final.service CentOS: sudo cat /var/log/messages or sudo journalctl -u cloud-final.service. ⚠️ Incorrect or incomplete scripts may cause boot failures. CPU multithreading: optimizes performance by enabling single thread per CPU core. Disable for specific workloads such as HPC.

info

• Starting from January 16, 2023, instances created will have their host names automatically set to the private IP address of the default network interface (e.g., host-100-100-17-22).
  
• Hostnames are updated during the networking stage to the host-IP format. For a short time post-creation, hostnames may appear as instance names.

Connect instance

Metadata must be retrieved to connect to an instance. If the instance's security group does not include the "default security group," define outbound rules for metadata retrieval in the custom security group. Refer to custom security groups for details.

Connect to Linux instance

Linux instances are connected via SSH commands. Instructions are also available in the console under Virtual Machine > Instance menu by clicking the instance's [More] icon > SSH connection. Configure security groups based on the image and ensure the connection environment is prepared with public/private IP access.

OS	Security group rule	Allowed port
Linux	Inbound	TCP 22

Step 1. Prepare SSH client

Install an SSH client to use SSH commands. Preparation varies by OS:

OS	Requirements
Linux/macOS	Install an SSH client to use SSH commands in a terminal.
Windows	Install OpenSSH client to use SSH commands in the command prompt (cmd) or install a separate SSH client like PuTTY.

Step 2. Connect via SSH

Use SSH commands to connect to the instance. Enter the path to your private key file, the username, and the address of the instance to establish a connection.

SSH connection command

ssh -i {PATH_TO_PRIVATE_KEY} {USERNAME}@{INSTANCE_IP}

Command	Description
PATH_TO_PRIVATE_KEY	Path to the private SSH key
USERNAME	Username for connecting to the instance
INSTANCE_IP	IP associated with the network interface connected to the instance - Enter either a public or private IP according to the connection environment

Connect to Windows instance

To connect to a Windows instance, the Windows App application must be installed beforehand. Ensure the security group of the Windows instance is configured to allow RDP connections. Set the TCP/3389 port to allow access from the originating PC's IP address.

Step 1. Prepare RDP client

Install the Windows App application for RDP connections. For MacOS, download and install it from the App Store.

Step 2. Connect via RDP

Retrieve the RDP connection details from the KakaoCloud console and use them to register the target Windows instance in the Windows App.

1. Go to KakaoCloud Console > Beyond Compute Service > Virtual Machine.

2. In the Instance menu, click the instance's [More] icon > Use RDP to connect. Review the detailed information required for the connection in the pop-up window.

   Item	Description
   Public IP	TCP 22 (default port) - A public IP must be assigned to connect from the PC to the Windows instance. - Assign the public IP via [More] icon > Associate public IP.
   Username	Fixed as administrator.
   Password	Click the [Register key pair] button and upload the key pair file set during instance creation to retrieve the password.

3. Launch the Windows App. From the left menu, select Devices, click the [+] icon at the top right, and choose Add PC. Enter the details of the Windows instance confirmed earlier as follows, and leave the remaining options as default:

   Item	Description
   PC name	Public IP address assigned to the Windows instance.
   Credentials	Select Add Credentials and input the Username and Password confirmed in Step 2.

4. In the Devices menu, check the Saved PCs section in the center of the screen. The added Windows instance will appear in the list, and you can double-click to connect to the Windows instance.

• It may take a few minutes after instance creation to complete the initial password setup required for the connection.
• Access is only available with the password obtained via the initial key pair file. If the password is changed, the user must update it directly in the operating system. Only the initial password is provided in the KakaoCloud Console, and subsequent changes are not reflected.
• KakaoCloud Windows instances support WSL 1.

caution

If instances with the same host name exist in the same network (VPC), network functionality errors may occur. Be cautious when renaming instances or directly changing the host name.