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Create a Virtual Machine

Launch a full OS virtual machine on TIR infrastructure, configure your SSH keys and startup scripts, and connect via a reserved IP — in under 5 minutes.

Prerequisites​

RequirementDetails
Active TIR accountAccess to the TIR Cloud Portal
Sufficient creditsOn-Demand VMs are billed per minute; ensure credits are loaded
SSH key pairA public/private key pair for SSH access. See SSH Key Management
Security GroupA Security Group with port 22 open must be attached to allow SSH. See Security Groups

Step 1: Navigate to Virtual Machines​

  1. Log in to the TIR Cloud Portal.
  2. Select your Project from the left-hand sidebar.
  3. Under the Compute, click Virtual Machines.

Step 2: Configure Compute Resources​

VM Name​

Enter a name for your VM (e.g. my-vm). The name is auto-generated but can be changed to something memorable for easy identification.

Select Computing Resource​

TIR VMs support three types of compute resources. Choose the tab that matches your workload:

GPU​

Select a GPU plan to run GPU-accelerated workloads directly on your VM.

CPU​

Select a CPU plan for general-purpose or CPU-intensive workloads. Choose an instance family (e.g. C3 — High-performance CPU instances), then pick a Configuration (e.g. 4 vCPUs – 8 GB RAM) from the dropdown.

Private Cluster​

Select Private Cluster to launch your VM on a dedicated private cluster.

Instance Pricing​

Multiple pricing plans are available, including On-Demand (pay per hour) and Savings Plans with discounts for longer commitments. Pricing is displayed on-screen once you select a configuration.

Step 3: Configure Storage​

Set the size of your VM's persistent workspace disk:

  • First 30 GB is free, then ₹5 per GB/month for additional storage.
  • Storage is available at / and persists across restarts.
  • Storage cannot be reduced once allocated — size can only be increased.
  • Range: 30 GB (minimum, free) up to 15 TB.
warning

Your workspace disk is automatically deleted when the VM is deleted. Back up any important data before deletion.

Step 4: Network & SSH​

SSH Key​

Select an existing SSH key from the dropdown, or create a new one. If you create a new key, the private key (.pem) is downloaded immediately — store it securely, as it cannot be re-downloaded.

Your public key is injected into the VM at first boot. You can add or rotate keys later without restarting — see Connect via SSH.

Security Group​

Attach a Security Group with port 22 (SSH) open as an inbound rule. Without this, SSH connections will be blocked.

Step 5: Advanced Settings (Optional)​

SettingDescription
Startup ScriptsShell scripts that run automatically on every VM boot. Use these to install packages, configure the environment, or start services.
DatasetsAttach Dataset volumes. They are mounted inside the VM at /datasets.
Shared File System (SFS)Mount an existing Shared File System onto the VM. Create one here if you don't have one yet.
Reserve Static IP AddressAssign a reserved static IP to the VM. Create a reserved IP if needed.

Step 6: Launch​

Review your configuration and click Launch VM.

The VM takes approximately 2–3 minutes to boot. SSH becomes available once the status changes to Running.

You can track the boot progress from the VM Details page. The status changes from Waiting → Running once the VM is fully ready.

Step 7: Connect via SSH​

Once the VM status shows Running, connect using the Reserved IP or the IP shown in the VM details.

ssh root@<VM_IP_ADDRESS>

Example:

ssh root@203.0.113.42
tip

The default username is root for all TIR VM images.

For detailed SSH setup, key rotation, and troubleshooting, see Connect via SSH.