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Appendix 2: Start and stop a Google virtual machine

Spin off a virtual Machine

  1. Go to the Google Cloud Dashboard and select "Compute Engine" on the left hand menu bar

  2. Select the submenu "Instances de VM"

    Instances

  3. Click on the top bar menu the CREER UNE INSTANCE panel

  4. Put a name for your instance
  5. Choose a Zone (suggestion: europe-west6-a)
  6. Configuration de la Machine: OPTIMISE POUR LE CALCUL
  7. Série: E2
  8. Type de machine: c2-standard-4 (4 processeurs virtuels, 16 Go de mémoire)
  9. Disque de Démarrage: Click on Modifier
    • IMAGES PUBLIQUES
    • Système d'exploitation: Ubuntu
    • Version: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
    • Type de disque de démarrage: Disque persistant avec équilibrage
    • Taille (Go): 50 Go
    • Leave the selection Disque persistant standard / Standard persistant drive
    • Click Select / Sélectionner
  10. Pare-feu: Authorize HTTP traffic / Autoriser le traffic HTTP

  11. Click Créer / Create

    Connect to the started virtual Machine

    After a few seconds, the VM turns on "green" and an ssh menu becomes selectable

    Running instance

  12. Roll down this ssh menu and select the first option Ouvrir dans la fenêtre du navigateur

    Select ssh session in browser

  13. A shell console pop out and you should now be ready to control your VM with linux command lines

    OpenningSSH

    OpenningSSH

  14. Enter the sudo -i command at the prompt yourlogin@instance_name:~$ and hit the return key.

  15. The unix prompt become root@instance_name:~#: you are now controling your VM as a root administrator.
  16. [Optional] Here, if you do not have to work with the VM, you can turn off the VM and even trash it:
    • in one shot, go back to your VM control panel in the web browser, ensure that the running VM is checked, and press the Trash button in the top menu.
    • Confirm that you want to trash the VM and loose everything.
    • after a few seconds the VM disappears from the Dashboard.