Boot Source Configuration
Select from available boot source options for your virtual machines
Select from available boot source options to configure how your virtual machine will start and what operating system it will run.
Boot Source Types
Choose the boot source that best fits your deployment needs:
OS Images
Pre-configured operating systems optimized for GPU workloads
- Ubuntu with CUDA pre-installed
- Docker variants available
- Optimized for AI/ML workloads
- Ready to use immediately
Volumes
Boot from existing storage volume (authenticated users only)
- Custom OS configurations
- Persistent between deployments
- Pre-installed software preserved
- Minimum 100GB required
Custom Images
Use your own saved VM images (authenticated users only)
- Created from your snapshots
- Standardized environments
- Team collaboration
- Version-controlled deployments
OS Images
Pre-configured operating systems optimized for GPU workloads and machine learning applications.
Available OS Images
Latest Long-term Support Release
Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS R550 CUDA 12.4
- NVIDIA Driver: R550 (latest stable)
- CUDA Version: 12.4
- Python: 3.10.x pre-installed
- Package Manager: APT with GPU-optimized repositories
- Best For: Latest AI frameworks, new projects
Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS R550 CUDA 12.4 with Docker
- All features above plus:
- Docker: Latest Docker Engine pre-installed
- Docker Compose: Ready for container workflows
- NVIDIA Container Toolkit: GPU support in containers
- Best For: Containerized AI/ML workloads
Latest Long-term Support Release
Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS R550 CUDA 12.4
- NVIDIA Driver: R550 (latest stable)
- CUDA Version: 12.4
- Python: 3.10.x pre-installed
- Package Manager: APT with GPU-optimized repositories
- Best For: Latest AI frameworks, new projects
Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS R550 CUDA 12.4 with Docker
- All features above plus:
- Docker: Latest Docker Engine pre-installed
- Docker Compose: Ready for container workflows
- NVIDIA Container Toolkit: GPU support in containers
- Best For: Containerized AI/ML workloads
Stable Long-term Support Release
Ubuntu Server 20.04 LTS R535 CUDA 12.2
- NVIDIA Driver: R535 (proven stability)
- CUDA Version: 12.2
- Python: 3.8.x pre-installed
- Long-term Support: Supported until 2025
- Best For: Production workloads, stability-focused projects
Ubuntu Server 20.04 LTS R535 CUDA 12.2 with Docker
- All features above plus:
- Docker: Stable Docker Engine
- Docker Compose: Container orchestration
- NVIDIA Runtime: GPU access in containers
- Best For: Stable containerized environments
OS Image Features
All OS images include:
GPU Optimization
GPU Optimization
NVIDIA GPU Support
- Latest NVIDIA drivers pre-installed
- CUDA toolkit and libraries
- cuDNN for deep learning acceleration
- NCCL for multi-GPU communication
- Optimized kernel parameters
Development Tools
Development Tools
Pre-installed Development Environment
- Python 3 with pip and conda support
- Essential build tools (gcc, make, cmake)
- Git for version control
- SSH server configured and running
- Network tools and utilities
AI/ML Libraries
AI/ML Libraries
Machine Learning Ready
- CUDA libraries for GPU computing
- TensorRT for inference optimization
- Essential system libraries
- Optimized for popular ML frameworks
- Ready for PyTorch, TensorFlow installation
System Configuration
System Configuration
Optimized System Settings
- GPU-friendly kernel parameters
- Optimized memory management
- Network performance tuning
- Security hardening applied
- Automatic updates configured
Image Selection Guidelines
Choose Ubuntu 22.04
When You Need:
- Latest software versions
- Newest CUDA features
- Modern Python 3.10+
- Latest container support
- New project development
Choose Ubuntu 20.04
When You Need:
- Proven stability
- Legacy software compatibility
- Production environments
- Extended support lifecycle
- Conservative update approach
Bootable Volumes
Boot from an existing storage volume that contains a complete operating system and your custom configurations.
Volume Requirements
Bootable Volume Prerequisites:
- Volume must be marked as “bootable” during creation
- Minimum size: 100GB
- Must contain a valid operating system
- Volume and VM must be in the same region
- Volume cannot be attached to another running VM
Creating Bootable Volumes
Create Volume
Navigate to Volumes and create a new volume:
- Enable “Make Bootable” option
- Select an OS image for initialization
- Size must be at least 100GB
- Choose the same region as your planned VM
Customize OS
Deploy a VM using the bootable volume:
- Install required software and tools
- Configure system settings
- Set up applications and services
- Create user accounts and permissions
Create Snapshot
Take a snapshot of the configured volume:
- Ensures you have a backup of your configuration
- Allows creating multiple identical volumes
- Enables version control of your environment
Use for Deployment
Use the bootable volume for new VM deployments:
- Select volume as boot source during deployment
- Enjoy instant access to pre-configured environment
- Consistent setup across multiple VMs
Bootable Volume Benefits
Persistent Configurations
Persistent Configurations
Custom Environment Preservation
- All software installations persist
- User accounts and permissions preserved
- Application configurations maintained
- System tweaks and optimizations retained
Rapid Deployment
Rapid Deployment
Fast VM Creation
- Skip software installation time
- Pre-configured environments ready immediately
- Consistent setup across multiple deployments
- Reduced time to productivity
Team Standardization
Team Standardization
Shared Development Environments
- Identical environments for team members
- Version-controlled system configurations
- Standardized toolchains and libraries
- Reduced environment-related issues
Version Control
Version Control
Environment Versioning
- Multiple bootable volumes for different versions
- Easy rollback to previous configurations
- A/B testing of environment changes
- Staged deployment strategies
Custom Images
Use your own saved VM images created from snapshots for standardized deployments.
Image Creation Process
Configure Source VM
Set up a VM with your desired configuration:
- Install and configure all required software
- Set up user accounts and permissions
- Configure system settings and optimizations
- Test all functionality thoroughly
Create Snapshot
Take a snapshot of the configured VM:
- Navigate to Snapshots
- Select your configured VM
- Enable “Create as Image” option
- Provide descriptive name and documentation
Verify Image
Test the custom image:
- Deploy a new VM using the custom image
- Verify all configurations are preserved
- Test application functionality
- Validate performance characteristics
Use for Production
Deploy production VMs using the custom image:
- Consistent environments across deployments
- Faster deployment times
- Reduced configuration errors
- Standardized production environments
Custom Image Advantages
Environment Consistency
Standardized Deployments
- Identical software versions across VMs
- Consistent configuration settings
- Predictable performance characteristics
- Reduced deployment variability
Operational Efficiency
Streamlined Operations
- Faster VM deployment times
- Reduced manual configuration
- Lower risk of configuration errors
- Simplified troubleshooting
Image Management Best Practices
Naming Conventions
Naming Conventions
Organized Image Management
- Use descriptive names with versions
- Include software versions in names
- Document purpose and use cases
- Follow team naming standards
Example naming:
ml-env-pytorch-2.1-cuda12.4-v1.0web-app-prod-ubuntu22-v2.3dev-env-team-alpha-v1.5
Version Control
Version Control
Image Lifecycle Management
- Maintain multiple versions of images
- Document changes between versions
- Test new versions before production use
- Plan deprecation strategy for old versions
Documentation
Documentation
Image Documentation
- Document installed software and versions
- Include configuration details
- Provide usage instructions
- Maintain change logs
Testing Strategy
Testing Strategy
Quality Assurance
- Test images before production deployment
- Validate functionality across different VM sizes
- Test with different GPU types
- Verify performance characteristics
Boot Source Selection Guide
Decision Matrix
OS Images
Choose When:
- Starting a new project
- Need immediate GPU-ready environment
- Want latest drivers and software
- Prefer standard configurations
Best For: Development, experimentation, proof of concepts
OS Images
Choose When:
- Starting a new project
- Need immediate GPU-ready environment
- Want latest drivers and software
- Prefer standard configurations
Best For: Development, experimentation, proof of concepts
Bootable Volumes
Choose When:
- Need specific software configurations
- Want to preserve custom settings
- Require non-standard system setup
- Need persistent custom environment
Best For: Specialized workloads, custom applications
Custom Images
Choose When:
- Deploying multiple identical VMs
- Need consistent production environments
- Want to standardize team environments
- Require version-controlled deployments
Best For: Production deployments, team environments
Regional Considerations
Regional Availability:
- OS images are automatically filtered by selected region
- Volume and custom image options require user authentication
- Bootable volumes must be in the same region as your VM
- Custom images are created from your snapshots and are region-specific
Cross-Region Deployment
If you need to deploy across multiple regions:
Plan Multi-Region Strategy
- Identify which boot sources you need in each region
- Plan for image/volume replication needs
- Consider regional compliance requirements
Create Regional Resources
- Create bootable volumes in each target region
- Generate custom images in required regions
- Test deployment procedures in each region
Maintain Consistency
- Keep images synchronized across regions
- Document regional differences
- Test cross-region compatibility
Performance Considerations
Boot Time Optimization
OS Images
Fastest Boot Times
- Optimized for quick startup
- Minimal additional configuration
- Standard driver initialization
- Ready for immediate use
Custom Sources
Configuration-Dependent
- Boot time depends on customizations
- Complex setups may increase boot time
- Pre-installed software adds to startup
- Consider startup script optimization
Storage Performance
OS Image Performance
OS Image Performance
Optimized Base Performance
- Standard filesystem optimizations
- GPU driver optimizations applied
- Baseline performance characteristics
- Predictable performance profile
Volume Performance
Volume Performance
Customizable Performance
- Performance depends on volume configuration
- Custom filesystem optimizations possible
- May include performance-tuned applications
- Consider volume size impact on performance
Image Performance
Image Performance
Inherited Performance Characteristics
- Performance based on source VM configuration
- May include custom optimizations
- Consider image size impact on deployment
- Test performance in target environment
Security Considerations
Boot Source Security
Security Best Practices:
- OS images receive regular security updates
- Custom images should be updated regularly
- Bootable volumes require manual security maintenance
- Verify source integrity before deployment
Security Validation
Verify Source Integrity
- Use only trusted OS images
- Validate custom image sources
- Check bootable volume history
- Verify no unauthorized modifications
Apply Security Updates
- Update OS images regularly
- Maintain custom images with security patches
- Update bootable volumes periodically
- Monitor security advisories
Configure Security
- Apply appropriate security configurations
- Configure firewalls and access controls
- Set up monitoring and logging
- Implement intrusion detection
Start with OS images for development and testing, then move to bootable volumes or custom images for production deployments that require specific configurations.