Get started with TIR Virtual Machines

Launch a TIR Virtual Machine (VM) on a CPU plan with the default settings, and sign in to it over SSH. You need a TIR project, permission to create VMs in it, and an SSH key pair on your computer. For roles and permissions, see TIR Access Control. A prepaid account also needs credit to launch the VM; for how much, see How much credit do I need to launch a VM?, and to add it, see Pay now in TIR.

If you need a key pair, make one in a terminal and accept the default file name:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519

The command saves a private key and a public key in the .ssh folder in your home folder. The public key has the same name as the private key, with .pub added. The private key stays on your computer.

Create the VM

1. In TIR, open your project. In the side menu, under Compute, select Virtual Machines, then select Create VM.
2. Choose the operating system you want to work in. Keep its default version, which is the one to take for a first VM.
3. Keep the name TIR fills in under VM Name, and leave Number of VMs at 1.
4. Under Select Computing Resource, switch to the CPU tab. Choose a plan, then a size under Configuration. A small size is enough to try things out.
5. Keep On-Demand under VM Pricing. It bills by the minute at the plan’s hourly price, and you can stop it at any time.
6. Leave the disk under Storage at 30 GB. The first 30 GB are free, and you can make the disk larger later.
7. Under Network & Security, pick your key in SSH Keys. To add a new key, select the Click here link, give the key a label, paste the contents of your .pub file, and save it. Then select the refresh button beside the field and pick the key.
8. Leave Security Group empty. The VM then gets the project’s default SSH security group, which lets you reach it over SSH.
9. Select Launch VM.

TIR opens the VM’s page and follows the launch step by step: reserving capacity, setting up networking, creating the VM, preparing the disk, and starting it. A launch usually takes about a minute, and the status goes from Waiting to Running.

Sign in over SSH

1. Once the VM is Running, open Connection Details on the Overview tab of its page.

2. Copy SSH Command. It reads ssh root@<ip-address>, with the VM’s address in place of <ip-address>.

3. Paste it into a terminal on your computer and run it. If your private key is in a file other than the one SSH tries by default, name it with -i:

   ssh -i ~/.ssh/<private-key-file> root@<ip-address>

   Replace <private-key-file> with the name of your private key.

The first time you connect, SSH asks you to accept the VM’s fingerprint. Type yes. If the connection is refused right after the VM turns Running, give SSH a moment to start and run the command again.

Check the VM

You now have a prompt on the VM, and every command you type runs there as root. Check the disk:

df -H /

The size on the line for / is at least the 30 GB you chose. Type exit to leave the VM.

Stop the VM when you finish

An On-Demand VM is billed for its plan until you stop or delete it. On the VM’s page, select Stop and confirm. The VM keeps its disk and files, and you can start it again whenever you need it. When you have finished with the VM for good, delete it.

What to do next

• Create a VM explains every field of the form, including GPU plans, committed billing, and launching several VMs at once.
• Add startup scripts to a VM to install your tools each time it boots.
• Attach security groups to a VM to limit SSH to your own addresses or open a port for an app.
• Stop, start, and restart a VM covers the power actions in full.

For help with a message during the launch or the sign-in, see Troubleshooting TIR Virtual Machines.