# Create an Instance

## Step 1 - Sign in

1. Go to [**zenConsole**](https://console.zenlayer.com/) and log in with your account.
2. On the left menu bar, go to **Products** > **Compute** > **Elastic Compute** > **Elastic Compute Instance**, and click **Create Elastic Compute Instance**.

## Step 2 - Basic Configuration

### **Pricing Model**

Only Pay-as-you-go is supported currently.

### **Location**

Select the location where you need to deploy your instance according to your actual situation.

See [**Location**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/overview/location) for more details about supported regions and availability zones.

### **Specification**

Different types of specifications are supported.

See [**Available Instance Size**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/overview/instance-specification#available-instance-size) for detailed information about all of these specifications.

### **Operating System**

Support Linux, BSD and Windows operating system.

See [**Available Operating System**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/overview/instance-specification#available-operating-system) for detailed information about all supported operating systems.

{% hint style="info" %} <mark style="color:blue;">**Note**</mark>

<mark style="color:blue;">For Windows operating system, you can</mark> [<mark style="color:purple;">**BYOL**</mark>](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/get-started/create-an-instance/byol-for-windows) <mark style="color:blue;">to activate Windows.</mark>&#x20;
{% endhint %}

### **Storage**

* Boot Disk: the storage space used to store operating system.
* Disk: the additional storage space added to an instance. You can add 1 disk at most.

See [**Storage**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/overview/storage) for more details about Boot Disk, Disk, and basic/standard NVMe SSD.

### **Authentication**

Support [**SSH Key Pair**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/overview/security/ssh-key-pair) and the password set by yourself.

See [**Create an SSH Key Pair**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/get-started/manage-network-security/create-an-ssh-key-pair) for more details.

{% hint style="info" %} <mark style="color:blue;">**Note**</mark>

* <mark style="color:blue;">The password must be 8 to 16 characters in length, containing all the following types: upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers, and special characters.</mark>
* <mark style="color:blue;">Please keep your password safe. We will not store it or email it to you.</mark>
  {% endhint %}

### **QEMU Guest Agent**

Installing the QEMU guest agent provides deeper insights into instance behavior.

See [**Install QEMU Guest Agent**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/get-started/create-an-instance/install-qemu-guest-agent) for more details.

## Step **3** - Network Configuration

### **Network Interface (vNIC)**

The vNIC for your Elastic Compute instance must be connected to a regional subnet under a Global VPC. If you don't specify the subnet, the `default` VPC and subnet are used.

See [**Global VPC & Regional Subnet**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/overview/networking/global-vpc-and-regional-subnet) and [**Managing Networking**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/get-started/manage-networking) for more details.

### **Security Group**

Security groups allow you to secure your instances by explicitly defining which type of traffic is allowed to reach them.\
The security group will be deployed on all instances under a selected global VPC network. A maximum of 400 rules are allowed in one security group.

See [**Security Group**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/overview/security/security-group) and [**Create a Security Group**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/get-started/manage-network-security/create-a-security-group) for more details.

### IP Stack Type

#### IPv4

IPv4 Network Stack is a network stack that exclusively supports IPv4. Your instances in this network are limited to using IPv4 addresses and protocols, constrained by the IPv4 address space.

#### IPv4 & IPv6

IPv4 & IPv6 Network Stack is a network stack that supports both IPv4 and IPv6 protocols. Your instances in this network can handle and transmit both IP types of packets, facilitating the network transition from IPv4 to IPv6.

#### IPv6

IPv6 Network Stack is a network stack that exclusively supports IPv6. Your instances in this network are limited to using IPv6 addresses and protocols, becoming more common as IPv4 addresses run out.

{% hint style="info" %} <mark style="color:blue;">**Note**</mark>

* <mark style="color:blue;">Only the connected subnet support IPv6 can you select IPv4 & IPv6 Network Stack and IPv6 Network Stack.</mark>&#x20;
* <mark style="color:blue;">You cannot change the IP stack type once the instance is created.</mark>
  {% endhint %}

### **IP Address**

* **Private IPv4**\
  Your instance must have a private IPv4 that is auto-assigned or customized.&#x20;
* **Public IPv4**\
  You can select a default public IPv4 or temporarily not assign a public IPv4. Additional elastic IPv4 can be assigned afterward.
* **Private IPv6**\
  If the connected subnet support private IPv6 access type, you will have a `/96` private IPv6.
* **Public IPv6**\
  If the connected subnet support public IPv6 access type, you will have a `/96` public IPv6.

See [**IP Address**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/overview/networking/ip-address) and [**Manage Networking**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/elastic-compute/get-started/manage-networking) for more details.

### Public Network Billing Method

[**Flat Rate**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/pricing/network-billing/flat-rate), [**Data Transfer**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/pricing/network-billing/data-transfer) and [**Regional Burstable 95th**](https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/welcome/pricing/network-billing/regional-aggregated-burstable-95th) are supported.

## Step 4 - Add-on Configuration

### **Quantity and Label Name**

Select the quantity of instances and give your instances unique names to identify.

{% hint style="info" %} <mark style="color:blue;">**Note**</mark>

<mark style="color:blue;">The name must be 2 to 63 characters in length, containing only letters, numbers, hyphens (-) and periods (.). It must start and end with a letter or a number.</mark>
{% endhint %}

### More Settings

Select OS time zone and resource group your instances belong to.

## ​​​Check Your Order

Check all your resources on the right and check the permission if nothing is wrong. Click **Confirm Order** to pay.

{% hint style="info" %} <mark style="color:blue;">**Note**</mark>

<mark style="color:blue;">You can create 999 instances at most. If you need more, please issue a ticket on zenConsole or directly contact Zenlayer sales.</mark>
{% endhint %}