---
title: Overview
---

## What is a Private Cluster?

Private Cluster enables you to create a **dedicated pool of GPU-backed compute resources** that can be shared across multiple projects. The cluster is billed at a fixed price, independent of actual GPU utilization, providing predictable costs and guaranteed capacity.

Once a Private Cluster is created, you can deploy **Nodes**, **Inference Endpoints**, **Training Clusters**, and **Vector Databases** within it without incurring additional per-service charges.

---

### What this means in practice

| Capability | Benefit |
|------------|---------|
| Dedicated GPU pool | Guaranteed hardware exclusively for your organization |
| Fixed billing | Predictable costs independent of GPU utilization |
| Multi-service deployment | Nodes, inference, training, and databases at no extra charge |
| Flexible allocation | Distribute and reclaim GPUs across projects dynamically |
| Role-based access | IAM-governed permissions for admins, leads, and members |

---

## Who Should Use a Private Cluster?

Private Clusters are best suited for teams that:

- Run long-running or predictable AI/ML workloads
- Require guaranteed GPU availability
- Want to share GPUs across multiple projects without repeated provisioning
- Prefer fixed and predictable billing
- Need controlled access through role-based permissions

---

## When to Choose a Private Cluster?

Choose a Private Cluster if you want to:

- Avoid GPU shortages during peak demand
- Eliminate per-resource billing for nodes, inference, and databases
- Centrally manage GPU capacity across projects
- Control GPU allocation without deleting workloads
- Reduce operational overhead for large or growing AI organizations

---

## Key Benefits

- **Fixed Pricing** – Billing is independent of actual GPU usage
- **No Hidden Costs** – No extra charges for deploying services inside the cluster
- **Guaranteed Capacity** – GPUs are reserved exclusively for your organization
- **Flexible Allocation** – Dynamically allocate and deallocate GPUs across projects
- **Secure Access Control** – Governed by IAM roles and permissions

---

## Private Cluster vs On-Demand Instances

| Feature | Private Cluster | On-Demand Instance |
|---------|-----------------|-------------------|
| Billing model | Fixed per node | Per-hour per instance |
| GPU availability | Guaranteed | Subject to inventory |
| Multi-project sharing | Yes | No |
| Services included | Nodes, Inference, Training, VectorDB | Per-instance only |
| Best for | Enterprise, long-running workloads | Short-term, variable workloads |


---