Virtual machines

Technical specificationsTechnical specifications

What VM configuration (memory, vCPU) can I use?What VM configuration (memory, vCPU) can I use?

When creating a VM, you select its vCPU performance level. This determines the required number and performance of cores (vCPUs). You can choose the computing resources that are appropriate for the expected load.

For more information, see vCPU performance levels.

How can I change the amount of RAM and the number of cores allocated to a VM?How can I change the amount of RAM and the number of cores allocated to a VM?

For more information, see Changing VM computing resources.

How do I create a multi-interface VM?How do I create a multi-interface VM?

You can add a network interface only when creating a VM. Currently, multiple interfaces can be created only on network images from Yandex Cloud Marketplace.

You can also create a NAT instance to use multiple network interfaces.

VM parametersVM parameters

How do I increase quotas?How do I increase quotas?

To increase quotas, submit a request on this page. Select the service (or services) and specify which quota values you need.

After creating the request, you will be able to view it and track its status in the support section. In some cases, it may be necessary to get approval from the service to ensure the availability of resources and/or to increase your account balance.

Is nested virtualization supported? Can I host my VMs inside other VMs?Is nested virtualization supported? Can I host my VMs inside other VMs?

Nested virtualization is not supported for security reasons. If you did not find a suitable public image for a VM, you can upload your own image and create a VM based on it. See Creating a VM from a custom image.

Is data saved when I edit my VM parameters?Is data saved when I edit my VM parameters?

Yes, the data should be saved. However, please note that you should not restart your VM when writing data to the system disk because this might result in file system corruption.

To edit the parameters of your VM, follow these steps:

1. Take a snapshot of the disk: see Creating a disk snapshot.
2. Shut down the VM normally: see Stopping, starting, or restarting a VM.
3. Edit the VM parameters: see Changing VM computing resources.
4. Wait until the operation is completed (the Operations section in the Compute Cloud service).
5. Start the VM.
6. Make sure that the new parameters were applied.

Can I reduce vCPU or vRAM for a VM?Can I reduce vCPU or vRAM for a VM?

Yes, you can. However, if the load on the vCPU and/or vRAM was high enough when you changed the parameters, the VM may fail to start if you decrease these parameters.

If the load on the server is small and uniform, we recommend decreasing the parameters to avoid extra charges.

Can I change the FQDN?Can I change the FQDN?

The FQDN is issued to the VM at the time of its creation, and you cannot change it.

If you want to change the FQDN, delete the VM and create a new one. To preserve the consistency of the data:

1. Stop the VM: see Stop.
2. Take a snapshot of the disk: see Creating a disk snapshot.
3. Create a new VM by selecting the snapshot as the source of its boot disk: see Create a VM with disks restored from snapshots. Specify the FQDN you need during creation.

Can the UUID of a VM change?Can the UUID of a VM change?

Standard operations for changing VM configuration, such as changing the number of vCPUs, the amount of vRAM, and adding disks, will not affect the UUID. However, in some cases, the UUID may change. For example, this may happen when updating BIOS or performing similar operations that affect the hardware part of the service.

Keep this in mind when using third-party software licenses. The best solution is to purchase a license that does not have any link to the UUID.

Can I install the required software on a VM when creating it?Can I install the required software on a VM when creating it?

Yes, you can. To do this, specify a custom script with commands to install the required software in the metadata of the VM instance you are creating. For more information, see Creating a VM with a custom configuration script.

How do I change metadata after creating a VM?How do I change metadata after creating a VM?

Use the updateMetadata API method.

This method enables you to update the metadata in the service without affecting the guest operating system run by the VM. If you need to update a parameter inside your VM after its creation, in most cases, the best way is to recreate the VM from a snapshot or make changes manually.

VM operationsVM operations

Can I copy or clone an existing VM?Can I copy or clone an existing VM?

Yes, you can take snapshots of the disks attached to a VM and use them when creating a new VM.

Can I move my VM to a different availability zone?Can I move my VM to a different availability zone?

You cannot directly change the availability zone where the VM is hosted. However, you can create a copy of the VM in the availability zone you need.

Can I move my VM to a different folder?Can I move my VM to a different folder?

You can move a VM to another folder within a single cloud. For more information, see Moving a VM to another folder.

If I accidentally delete my VM, can I restore it?If I accidentally delete my VM, can I restore it?

No, you cannot. If you delete a VM, this cannot be undone.

To avoid losing your data in case of accidental deletion, you can configure disk backups using snapshots or specify that the disks should not be automatically deleted when deleting the VM.