Bootsource Management

Boot source configuration determines how your instance starts and what storage it uses. The platform supports multiple boot source types with regional variations in features and capabilities.

Understanding Volume Types

Instances require different types of storage volumes serving distinct purposes:

Boot Volume (OS Volume)

Required - One per Instance

Contains the operating system that starts your instance.

Configuration Options:

Deploy from OS Image (creates new boot volume)

Deploy from user volume (uses existing bootable volume from OS Images)

Use existing bootable volume

Deploy from custom image (Legacy regions)

Size:

Advanced tier (OS Images with public images): 100-10,000 GB (configurable)

Advanced tier (OS Images with user volumes): Fixed to volume's size

All other methods: Fixed size based on source

Data Volumes

Optional - Up to 10 per Instance

Additional storage for applications, datasets, and persistent data.

Configuration Options:

Create new volumes during deployment (Advanced tier)

Attach existing volumes (Advanced tier)

Purpose:

Not bootable

Supplementary storage only

Can be detached and reattached to different instances

Regional Deployment Tiers

The platform operates across two deployment tiers with distinct capabilities:

Advanced Tier Regions

Finland 1, Finland 2, Finland 3, Iceland 1

Boot Source Options:

OS Images with configurable boot volume size

Existing bootable volumes (via OS Images or Volumes tab)

Data Volume Features:

Create up to 10 new data volumes during deployment

Attach up to 10 existing data volumes

NVMe and HDD storage types available

Boot Volume Size:

Configurable: 100-10,000 GB (when using public OS images)

Fixed: Matches source volume (when using user volumes or booting from volume)

Legacy Tier Regions

Canada 1

Boot Source Options:

OS Images (standard configuration)

Existing bootable volumes

Custom images

Data Volume Features:

No data volume creation during deployment

No volume attachment during deployment

Manage volumes separately in Volumes section

Boot Volume Size:

Fixed: 100 GB (when using OS Images)

Fixed: Matches source volume (when booting from volume)

Boot Source Options

Select one of the following boot source methods based on your requirements and region.

Option 1: Deploy from OS Images

Deploy from platform operating system images with automatic boot volume creation, or deploy from your existing bootable volumes that appear in the OS Images selection.

Understanding OS Images Selection

The OS Images dropdown contains two types of sources:

Public OS Images

Platform-Provided Images

Pre-configured operating system images maintained by the platform.

Examples:

Ubuntu versions with CUDA support

Specialized images (Jupyter, ComfyUI, etc.)

Base operating systems

Boot Volume Behavior:

Advanced tier: Configurable size (100-10,000 GB)

Legacy tier: Fixed 100 GB

Creates new volume during deployment

User Volumes

Your Bootable Volumes (Advanced Tier)

Existing bootable volumes you've created appear alongside public images in Advanced tier regions.

Identification:

Listed with your volume names

May show volume size indicator

Appears in same dropdown as public images

Boot Volume Behavior:

Size is fixed to existing volume size

OS volume size controls become read-only

Volume cannot be selected in Attach Volumes

Selecting Your Boot Source

Access OS Images

Select the "OS Images" tab in the boot source section. This tab is available in all regions.

Open Selection Dropdown

Click the dropdown to view available sources. You'll see:

Advanced Tier:

Public OS images (Ubuntu, specialized images, etc.)

Your bootable user volumes (if any exist in this region)

Legacy Tier:

Public OS images only

Choose Your Source

Select either:

Public OS Image:

Creates new boot volume

OS volume size becomes configurable (Advanced tier)

Proceed to configure boot volume size

User Volume (Advanced tier only):

Uses existing volume as boot source

OS volume size becomes read-only (locked to volume's size)

Volume automatically excluded from Attach Volumes

Configure Boot Volume Size

For Public OS Images:

Advanced Tier: Configure size (see section below)

Legacy Tier: Fixed 100 GB (not configurable)

For User Volumes:

Size display is read-only

Shows existing volume size

Cannot be modified

Configuring Boot Volume Size (Advanced Tier - Public Images Only)

In Advanced tier regions, when deploying from public OS images, you can customize the boot volume size.

Slider Control

Numeric Input

Increment Buttons

Visual Size Adjustment

Drag the slider handle to adjust volume size

Valid range: 100 GB to 10,000 GB

Click anywhere on slider track to jump to specific size

Real-time size display updates as you drag

Disabled State: When user volume selected, slider appears grayed out and cannot be moved

Best for: Quick approximation of desired size

Visual Indicators for Volume Type Selection

When selecting sources from the OS Images dropdown, the interface provides visual feedback:

Public OS Image Selected (Advanced Tier):

OS volume size slider: Active, draggable, green highlight

Size input field: Editable, accepts numeric input

Increment buttons: Functional

Interface state: Interactive and configurable

User Volume Selected (Advanced Tier):

OS volume size slider: Grayed out, non-interactive, opacity reduced

Size input field: Read-only, cursor shows not-allowed icon

Increment buttons: Non-functional

Interface state: Locked to existing volume size

Legacy Tier (All Sources):

OS volume size controls not displayed

Fixed 100 GB boot volume created automatically

OS Images Deployment Summary

When deploying from OS Images:

Advanced Tier - Public Image:

Boot volume: Configurable 100-10,000 GB NVMe storage

Operating system: Selected image installed on new volume

Additional storage: Optional data volumes can be created or attached

Advanced Tier - User Volume:

Boot volume: Existing volume with fixed size

Operating system: Pre-installed on selected volume

Additional storage: Optional data volumes can be created or attached (excluding the boot volume)

Volume exclusion: Selected volume automatically excluded from Attach Volumes

Legacy Tier:

Boot volume: Fixed 100 GB standard storage

Operating system: Selected image installed on new volume

Additional storage: Managed separately in Volumes section

Option 2: Boot from Existing Volume

Use a previously created bootable volume as your boot source via the Volumes tab instead of creating a new volume from an OS image.

Prerequisites for Volume Boot

Before selecting a volume as boot source, verify:

Volume Status Requirements

Creating Bootable Volumes

Selecting Bootable Volume

Access Volume Selection

Select the "Volumes" tab in the boot source section. This tab is available in all regions.

View Available Volumes

Click the volume dropdown to view available bootable volumes.

Display Criteria:

Only volumes in selected region appear

Only volumes marked as bootable are listed

Volume name and size displayed

Attached volumes excluded from list

Select Boot Volume

Choose your desired bootable volume from the dropdown.

Volume Information Shown:

Volume name and identifier

Storage size (fixed, cannot be modified)

Volume type (if applicable)

Verify Selection

Selected volume appears in the dropdown. Boot volume configuration is complete.

No Bootable Volumes Available

If no bootable volumes exist in your selected region:

Navigate to Volumes

Click "Create volume" button or navigate to Volumes section from main navigation.

Create Bootable Volume

Create new volume with bootable flag enabled

Configure size and storage type as needed

Ensure volume is created in correct region

Return to Deployment

Navigate back to deployment configuration. Newly created volume appears in selection dropdown.

Boot from Volume Summary

When booting from existing volume via Volumes tab:

Both Tiers:

Boot volume: Existing volume with fixed size

Operating system: Pre-installed on selected volume

SSH keys: Not configured during deployment (already on volume)

Startup scripts: Not applicable (volume already configured)

Advanced Tier Additional:

Data volumes: Can still create new or attach existing data volumes

OS volume size: Not configurable (uses existing volume size)

Legacy Tier Additional:

Data volumes: Managed separately in Volumes section

No additional configuration during deployment

Option 3: Deploy from Custom Images (Legacy Tier Only)

Deploy from custom images created from your existing instances.

Selecting Custom Image

Access Custom Images

Select the "Custom Images" tab in the boot source section. This tab only appears in Legacy tier regions.

View Available Images

Click the custom image dropdown to view your created images.

Display Criteria:

Only images in selected region appear

Images show name and creation date

Images include size information

Select Custom Image

Choose your desired custom image from the dropdown. The selected image appears in the field.

Creating Custom Images

Custom images are created from running instances:

Navigate to Instances

Go to Instances section from main navigation.

Create Image from Instance

Select running or stopped instance

Click "Create Image" action

Provide image name and optional description

Wait for image creation process to complete

Use in Deployment

Return to deployment configuration. Created image appears in custom images dropdown.

Additional Storage Configuration (Advanced Tier)

Advanced tier regions support creating and attaching data volumes during deployment. These volumes provide additional storage separate from the boot volume.

Creating New Data Volumes

Create up to 10 new data volumes that will be created and attached when your instance deploys.

Volume Creation Process

Access Volume Creation

In the deployment configuration, locate the "Volumes" section (separate from boot source selection) and click the Add button.

Configure Volume Name

Name Requirements:

Length: 3-30 characters

Allowed characters: letters (a-z, A-Z), numbers (0-9), hyphens (-), underscores (_)

Cannot start or end with hyphen or underscore

Must be unique across your volumes

Examples:

✓ Valid: data-volume-1, ml_datasets, project_storage

✗ Invalid: dv, -data, volume_, my@volume

Configure Volume Size

Size Configuration:

Enter size in GB (numeric input)

Use arrow buttons for incremental adjustment

Minimum: 100 GB

Maximum: Depends on storage type

NVMe: 10,000 GB

HDD: 16,000 GB

Best Practices:

Allocate sufficient space for growth

Consider data volume vs file count requirements

NVMe recommended for high-performance workloads

Select Storage Type

NVMe (Fast Storage):

Maximum size: 10,000 GB

High-performance SSD storage

Best for: Databases, applications, frequently accessed data

Higher cost per GB

HDD (Standard Storage):

Maximum size: 16,000 GB

Standard hard disk storage

Best for: Backups, archives, infrequently accessed data

Lower cost per GB

Add Volume to Configuration

Click "Add Volume" to add the configured volume to your deployment.

Result:

Volume appears in management interface

Configuration can be edited before deployment

Volume will be created when instance deploys

Managing Configured Volumes

Open Management Interface

Click the Manage button in the Volumes section to view all configured data volumes.

Review Volume Configuration

Management interface displays:

Volume name and sequential numbering

Storage type (NVMe or HDD)

Configured size in GB

Volume counter (X/10 maximum)

Total storage allocation across all volumes

Edit Volume Configuration

For any configured volume:

Edit:

Click "Edit" button

Modify name, size, or storage type

Click "Save" to apply changes

Delete:

Click "Delete" button

Confirm deletion

Volume removed from deployment configuration

Close Management

Click "Done" to return to deployment configuration.

Display Updates:

Volume count shown in Volumes section

Total allocated storage displayed

Configuration ready for deployment

Volume Creation Limits

Volume Count Limits

Storage Size Limits

Naming Restrictions

Attaching Existing Data Volumes

Attach up to 10 existing data volumes to your deployment. These volumes must be in detached status and in the same region.

Volume Attachment Process

Access Attachment Interface

In the deployment configuration, locate the "Attach Volumes" section and click the Manage button.

View Available Volumes

Interface displays volumes eligible for attachment:

Eligible Volumes:

Status: Detached (not attached to any instance)

Region: Same region as deployment

Exclusions: Volume selected as boot source (via OS Images or Volumes tab)

Display Elements:

Search field for filtering by name

Volume name, size, and type

Checkbox for selection

Current selection status

"USED AS BOOT" label if volume is selected as boot source

Select Volumes

Selection Method:

Click any eligible volume row to toggle selection

Selected volumes show checkmark and highlight

Click again to deselect

Selection Indicators:

Checkmark appears when selected

Row highlights with selection color

Selection counter updates (X/10)

Restricted Volumes:

Volumes marked "USED AS BOOT" cannot be selected

Cursor shows not-allowed icon on hover

Row appears grayed out with reduced opacity

Search and Filter

Use search field to filter volumes:

Enter volume name or partial name

Results filter in real-time

Selected volumes remain selected during search

Confirm Selection

Click "Save Changes" to attach selected volumes.

Result:

Selected volumes added to deployment configuration

Attach Volumes section displays count and total size

Volumes will attach when instance deploys

Automatic Volume Exclusion

The platform automatically prevents dual-purpose volume usage:

When Volume Selected as Boot Source:

Volume automatically disappears from attachable volumes list

If you attempt to view it, shows "USED AS BOOT" label

Selection is disabled (grayed out, not clickable)

Prevents accidental dual attachment

Applies To:

User volumes selected from OS Images dropdown (Advanced tier)

Volumes selected via Volumes tab (all tiers)

Does Not Apply To:

Volumes not selected as boot source

Volumes in different regions

Volumes already attached to other instances

Volume Attachment Restrictions

Volume Eligibility

Required Conditions:

Volume status: Detached

Volume region: Same as deployment region

Not selected as boot source

Not currently attached to another instance

Volume Types:

Both bootable and non-bootable volumes eligible

NVMe and HDD volumes both supported

Attachment Limits

Maximum Attachments: 10 volumes

Counting Rules:

Attached existing volumes: Count toward limit

Newly created volumes: Count toward limit

Combined total cannot exceed 10

Exclusions:

Boot volume does not count toward limit

Support Resources

For assistance with boot source configuration:

Email Support

Contact Support Team

Include in your message:

Selected region and deployment tier

Boot source type and configuration

Specific error message or behavior

Screenshots of configuration interface

Account email for verification

Deployment Guide

Deployment Documentation

Complete deployment information:

GPU configuration

Network settings

SSH key management

Startup scripts

Post-deployment configuration

Understanding Volume Types#

Regional Deployment Tiers#

Boot Source Options#

Option 1: Deploy from OS Images#

Understanding OS Images Selection#

Selecting Your Boot Source#

Configuring Boot Volume Size (Advanced Tier - Public Images Only)#

Visual Indicators for Volume Type Selection#

OS Images Deployment Summary#

Option 2: Boot from Existing Volume#

Prerequisites for Volume Boot#

Selecting Bootable Volume#

No Bootable Volumes Available#

Boot from Volume Summary#

Option 3: Deploy from Custom Images (Legacy Tier Only)#

Selecting Custom Image#

Creating Custom Images#

Additional Storage Configuration (Advanced Tier)#

Creating New Data Volumes#

Volume Creation Process#

Managing Configured Volumes#

Volume Creation Limits#

Attaching Existing Data Volumes#

Volume Attachment Process#

Automatic Volume Exclusion#

Volume Attachment Restrictions#

Support Resources#