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Quick Start - Launching Your First VM

Learn how to quickly create, configure, and access your first Virtual Machine (VM) using the Raff dashboard with this quick start guide.

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Written by Raff Technologies
Updated over 2 months ago

Video Tutorial

Starting with VMs (Virtual Machines)

Virtual Machines are your scalable computing instances in the cloud. Think of them as virtual computers you can launch, configure, and manage as needed.
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a. What is a Virtual Machine?

  • A VM runs an operating system (like Linux or Windows) and provides CPU, memory, and network resources.

  • You can choose different sizes depending on your workload requirements.

b. Creating Your First VM

  1. Log in to your Raff application.

  2. Click the Create button located on the right, above the VM list.

  3. Select the VMs to create your very first VM.

  4. Configuration: You'll need to configure the following:

    • Choose an Operating System: Select the base OS for your virtual machine (like Ubuntu, CentOS, or Windows Server). You can also find specialized images in the Marketplace.

    • Select the Version: Pick the exact version of the operating system you selected above.

    • Choose a Size: Select the size plan for your virtual machine. This choice mainly determines its core resources:

      • vCPU: How much processing power it has.

      • RAM: How much memory it has for running applications.

      • Network Transfer: The included allowance for data transfer.

      Choose the size that best fits the workload you plan to run.

      Note on Storage: This size includes the main disk for the operating system. If you need more storage space for your data, don't worry – you can add separate data disks in a later configuration step. For now, focus on selecting the right CPU, RAM, and network transfer level.

    • Authentication:

      For Linux VMs:

      • The default username to connect is root. Choose your login method:

        • SSH Public Key (Recommended): Provide your public key for a secure login without a password. You'll use your private key to connect.

        • Password: Create a strong password for the root account.

      For Windows VMs:

      • Create an administrator account:

        • Username: Set a username (cannot be "Administrator").

        • Password: Create and confirm a strong password for this user.

    • Add Extra Data Disks (Optional):

      • Need more disk space for data? Add extra disks here (specify size/type).

      • If the base OS disk is enough, just select 'None'.

      • A summary below shows your total storage (base disk + any extra disks added).

    • Enable Automated Backups (Optional, Recommended)

      Protect your virtual machine by setting up automated backups. This helps you recover your data in case of issues.

      • How it Works: In this section, you can choose to automatically back up your VM. You can typically select a schedule, such as daily or weekly, based on your needs.

      • Note on Backup: Don't worry if you skip this for now. Enabling automated backups is optional. You can usually set them up later, take a one-time manual backup whenever needed, or change your backup plan after the VM is created. Default system keep your 10 backups (week or day) you can increase this number using retention section.

      • Why it's Recommended: While optional, regularly backing up your VM is strongly recommended, especially for important machines, to ensure you can recover your critical data.

    • Final Details & Review:

      • Name & Quantity: Set a descriptive name. Increase 'Quantity' only if creating multiple identical VMs.

      • Tags (Optional): Add tags to organize and filter your VMs later.

      • Summary & Cost: Check the configuration summary and the estimated hourly/monthly price below.

      • Details: Mouse over the summary area to see the full settings.

      • Create: If all the settings look correct and you see the green 'Ready to create' confirmation indicator, click the 'Create' button.

  5. Provisioning Your Virtual Machine:

    Your virtual machine is now being created! This process usually takes a few minutes.

    • Monitoring Status: You can keep an eye on the progress. The status of your new VM (e.g., 'Creating', 'Starting') will typically appear in your main Virtual Machines list.

    • Completion: Once the status changes to 'Running', your VM is ready! At this point, its assigned Public IP and Private IP addresses will become available, which you'll need to connect to it.

c. Accessing Your Virtual Machine

Your VM is running and ready! Here’s how to connect to it using its assigned Public IP Address.

Connecting to Your Linux VM (via SSH Key):

To connect securely to your Linux VM's command line, you'll use an SSH client application (like Terminal on macOS/Linux, or PuTTY/Windows Terminal/PowerShell on Windows) along with the private SSH key that matches the public key you provided during setup.

  1. Open your preferred SSH client or terminal on your local computer.

  2. Use the following ssh command structure, making sure to replace the placeholders: Bash

    ssh -i /path/to/your/private_key.pem root@[VM_Public_IP_Address]

    • Replace /path/to/your/private_key.pem with the actual file path to your private key file on your computer.

    • root is the username required to log into this system.

    • Replace [VM_Public_IP_Address] with the Public IP Address of your VM.

  3. The first time you connect to a new server, your SSH client will likely ask you to confirm its authenticity. You typically need to type yes to proceed.

Connecting to Your Linux VM (via Password):

To connect securely to your Linux VM's command line using the password you set up, you'll use an SSH client application (like Terminal on macOS/Linux, or PuTTY/Windows Terminal/PowerShell on Windows).

  1. Find the Public IP Address assigned to your VM in the VM details panel.

  2. Open your preferred SSH client or terminal on your local computer.

  3. Use the following ssh command structure, replacing the placeholder: Bash

    ssh root@[VM_Public_IP_Address]

    • root is the username required to log into this system.

    • Replace [VM_Public_IP_Address] with the Public IP Address of your VM.

  4. The first time you connect to a new server, your SSH client will likely ask you to confirm its authenticity. You typically need to type yes and press Enter.

  5. Next, you will be prompted to enter the password you created for the root user during the VM setup. Type the password carefully (note: for security, characters usually do not appear on screen as you type) and press Enter.

Connecting to Your Windows VM (via RDP):

To access the graphical desktop of your Windows VM, you'll use a Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) client. Windows has a built-in client called "Remote Desktop Connection".

  1. Open the "Remote Desktop Connection" application on your local Windows computer.

  2. In the 'Computer' field, enter the Public IP Address of your Windows VM.

  3. Click 'Connect'.

  4. You will be prompted for login credentials. Enter:

    • The username you created during the VM setup (remember, this is the specific name you chose, not 'Administrator').

    • The password you set for that username.

  5. You might receive a warning about the remote computer's identity or certificate. You can usually review it and click 'Yes' or 'Connect' to proceed.


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