Gcloud Compute

GCloud Compute

This skill provides a consolidated guide for managing Google Cloud Compute Engine instances directly using the gcloud CLI.

1. Setup Guide

If gcloud is not yet installed or configured, follow these steps:

Installation

• Debian/Ubuntu:

  # Add Package Source
  sudo apt-get install -y apt-transport-https ca-certificates gnupg curl
  curl https://packages.cloud.google.com/apt/doc/apt-key.gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/cloud.google.gpg
  echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/cloud.google.gpg] https://packages.cloud.google.com/apt cloud-sdk main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-cloud-sdk.list
  
  # Install
  sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y google-cloud-cli
  

• Other Linux Distributions:

  curl https://sdk.cloud.google.com | bash
  exec -l $SHELL
  

• macOS:

  brew install --cask google-cloud-sdk
  

Initialization & Authentication

1. Initialize gcloud:

   gcloud init
   

2. Web-free Login: If you are in a remote environment or prefer no browser, run:

   gcloud auth login --no-launch-browser
   

   • Copy the provided URL into your local browser.
   • Authorize access and copy the verification code.
   • Paste the code back into your terminal.

2. Project Management

After logging in, you must select or create a Google Cloud Project.

A. List Existing Projects

Check if you already have a project to use:

gcloud projects list

B. Create a New Project

If you don't have a project, or want a new one for this VM, follow these steps:

1. Create the project:

   gcloud projects create [PROJECT_ID] --name="[PROJECT_NAME]"
   

   Note: [PROJECT_ID] must be unique across all of Google Cloud.
2. Set as active:

   gcloud config set project [PROJECT_ID]
   

3. Enable Compute Engine API:

   gcloud services enable compute.googleapis.com
   

   Note: This requires billing to be enabled for the project.

3. VM Management Workflow

Follow this workflow to create and connect to a VM.

Step A: Evaluate Machine Type and Cost

Before creating an instance, check the available machine types and their specifications to estimate costs.

1. List Machine Types: Display available machine types and their core/memory specs in your zone.

   gcloud compute machine-types list --zones=[ZONE]
   

   Note: Costs vary by machine type. For example, e2-micro is generally the cheapest, while e2-standard-4 provides more resources at a higher price.

2. Estimate Cost: Use the Google Cloud Pricing Calculator for precise estimates based on your selected machine type and region.

Step B: Create an Instance

Mandatory: You must provide a unique name for your instance.

gcloud compute instances create [MANDATORY_INSTANCE_NAME] \
    --zone=[ZONE] \
    --machine-type=[MACHINE_TYPE] \
    --image-family=debian-12 \
    --image-project=debian-cloud

Tip: Common zones include us-central1-a, asia-northeast3-a (Seoul). Recommended machine types: e2-micro (development), e2-small (standard).

Step C: Connect via SSH

Once the instance is running, connect using:

gcloud compute ssh [INSTANCE_NAME] --zone=[ZONE]

4. Quick Reference

Tips for Efficiency

• Preemptible VMs: Add --preemptible to the create command to save up to 80% on costs for short-lived tasks.
• Static External IP: If you need a constant IP, use --address=[IP_NAME].