Virtual Server Deployment: Server Only

This guide describes provisioning steps for the 'server only' deployment in itopia and GCP

Reisbel Machado avatar
Written by Reisbel Machado
Updated over a week ago

itopia automates the provisioning and management of VM instances on GCP.
CAS goes much deeper than Windows-based virtual desktops when it comes to automating server-only cloud environments on GCP. An example of such environment is Linux or Windows server farm.
You can create a new Virtual server deployment in itopia or use your existing GCP VM instances and import them to itopia. Follow the steps below to start:

  1. Login to itopia and create a new deployment. Click All deployments from the main menu and then click the green + sign

Note: if this is your first deployment, skip to the step 2.

2. Select Server Only as the deployment type, then type the Name of your deployment. The deployment code will be generated automatically. If you prefer to define your own code, uncheck the "Autogenerate Code" box and Type your custom code (we allow from 3 to 8 characters).
Click Create.

3. Select your deployment configuration
Select "None" under Active Directory options and click Next.

If you want to create a domain for your server deployment, select "New Domain", provide Internal DNS name for your deployment and choose Operating system. 

Note: To extend an existing domain for redundancy and DR purposes, follow this guide.

4. Select your GCP settings

Authenticate with your GCP account. The system will ask you for your Google email address and password. Make sure to use the same one you used to sign up for Google Cloud. 

Then create a project that will be associated with your deployment. Put the Project Name and click "Create" button.

In case you want to use your existing project, click "Already have one" option and select it from the list.


5. Enable APIs

The APIs need to be enabled for the project. They allow itopia software to integrate and communicate with your Google infrastructure.

The system will try to enable the API's automatically. In case any of the API's stays disabled, click on the "Enable" button next to it and you will be redirected to a new tab in Google Cloud Platform. In Google tab, click Enable button located in the top of the screen. 

Once enabled, the button will change to "Disable"

The software is also checking the IP quota restriction. The system will confirm if your Google account is upgraded. Without upgrading the GCP account you would only have access to limited number of static IPs that may not be enough for a basic deployment in itopia.
In https://console.cloud.google.com/ click on the UPGRADE button in the top right corner to upgrade your account. If you don't see such button in the IP quota tab, it means that your account was already upgraded.

After you enable the APIs in Google, you can click on the refresh buttons next to each API. 

APIs will turn green to confirm they were enabled so you can continue to Region selection below.

6. Select your GCP Region(s)

In case you're launching a deployment hosted in multiple regions. Add all of them in this step.
Companies with multiple sites located in different states, countries or continents can now be deployed in any GCP datacenter location. Just select the region and add it with the green plus sign. 

On the lower right of the screen using the green plus sign you can: 

  1. Import your existing app/ web/ database servers created in GCP to your itopia deployment hovering your mouse over the green plus sign. Just select "Import" option. They must be part of the GCP project that you selected in the previous steps. Learn how to import existing GCP servers here.

  2. You can add new VM instances that will be created like app/ web/ database servers clicking on the green plus sign on the right:

When adding a server, put a server description and select Image (OS version). Then choose the GCP region(s) where the server will be created

Select you machine type for RAM and CPU amounts and add persistent disks with standard or SSD storage. Click Save.

Add as many servers as needed the same way. If you need to edit resources (RAM/ CPU) on any other selected VM instance, just click the pencil icon. 

Once done, click Next to get the summary of your settings 

7. Check if your selected settings are correct and confirm the disclaimer.

Under the settings summary and just above the disclaimer message, you will see Google infrastructure cost estimate to give you an idea of the approximate Google cost for your selected settings after you spend your free credits. The estimate shows two scenarios, one if you leave your servers on 24/7 or just 14 hours from Monday to Friday. 

Once confirmed, check the disclaimer in the bottom and click "DEPLOY" button in the bottom right lo launch the deployment to Cloud.

The Deployment Process

After the provision is saved, you can see Provisioning Status in itopia after clicking on your deployment dashboard and watch how Google servers are being automatically deployed and configured.

After the automatic server configuration is complete, you will receive an email with server admin credentials to be able to connect to your servers

IMPORTANT: Don't turn off your servers before the provisioning process has fully completed.

Next steps:

Server Uptime Scheduling - save cost turning your servers down when they are not being used
Snapshot Automation - create disaster recovery automation for your servers using snapshot technology

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