Virtual Machines
TIR Virtual Machines (VMs) are full operating system environments. Unlike container-based Instances, TIR VMs give you a dedicated Linux kernel, complete root access, and hardware-level isolation. VMs are available on GPU, CPU, and Private Cluster configurations — making them ideal for GPU-accelerated workloads, OS-level customization, custom kernel modules, and workloads that require stronger compute isolation.
What Can You Do with a TIR VM?
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| GPU acceleration | Run NVIDIA GPU workloads with full driver control and custom kernel modules |
| Full root access | Install any package, service, or driver without restrictions |
| Custom kernel modules | Load NVIDIA drivers, eBPF programs, custom filesystems |
| Startup automation | Run scripts on every boot using the built-in startup script runner |
| Live SSH key sync | Add or rotate SSH keys without restarting the VM |
| Persistent workspace disk | A dedicated OS disk that survives start/stop cycles |
| Mount datasets | Attach large dataset volumes directly into the VM filesystem |
VMs vs Instances — Which Should You Use?
| Instance (Container) | Virtual Machine | |
|---|---|---|
| Underlying technology | Linux container (namespace + cgroup) | Full hardware-virtualized VM |
| Kernel | Shared host kernel | Dedicated guest kernel |
| Root access | Limited | Full root |
| Custom kernel modules | Not supported | Supported |
| Boot time | Seconds | ~2–3 minutes (full OS boot) |
| Best for | ML notebooks, JupyterLab, fast iteration | Custom drivers, HPC, OS customization, stronger isolation |
When to choose a VM
Choose a VM when you need GPU access with full driver control, need to install custom NVIDIA drivers, run system-level daemons (e.g., a monitoring agent), configure the network stack, or when your team requires a traditional server-like experience with SSH access to a stable IP.
Quick Start
Ready to launch your first VM?
Explore
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Create a VM | Step-by-step guide to launch and connect to a VM |
| Connect via SSH | How to SSH into your VM and manage SSH keys |
| Features | Storage, startup scripts, datasets, monitoring and more |
| Billing | Pricing model and cost estimation |