Set up CentOS 8 on Google Cloud Compute Engine. In this post, I will guide you through the process of setting up a Compute Engine Instance for your website or app or blog using CentOS 8
Not using CentOS 8? Choose a different OS:
Prerequisites
- Signup for FREE Google Cloud Account (If you are opening a new account you may get free $300 credit for 1 year).
- Setup and enable billing for your account.
You can also setup CentOS on many other platforms also. Some of them are listed below.
Platform | RAM | SSD | Cost |
Kamatera Cloud | 1 GB | 20 GB | $4/mo |
Alibaba Cloud | 1 GB | 20 GB | $8/mo |
Step 1: Create Compute Engine VM Instance
Now create a VM Instance with the following details
Name: Your desired name (Name cannot be changed later)
Region: A region closest to your audience
Zone: Your choice (anything)
Machine Configuration: You can choose the Machine size you need according to the traffic you expect.
Machine Family: General Purpose
Series: N1
Machine Type: Micro(0.6 GB Memory) to start with.
Boot Disk: CentOS 8
Identity and API access: Allow full access to all Cloud APIs
Firewall: Check Allow HTTP traffic & Allow HTTPS traffic
Click Create.

Within seconds a new instance will be created with CentOS 8 and ready to setup. Once the VM instance is created you will get your public IP address like the following image.

Reserve your IP Address
Each VM instance has an internal and external IP address. Whenever you restart or stop-start your instance a new IP address will get assigned. So you have to reserve your external IP address as static. Go to VPC Network -> External IP addresses and reserve the IP address.

Error Handling
Unable to create VM Instance
Please check whether you have activated billing in your account. Creating new Compute Engine requires billing activated.
IP address quota limit exceeded
During free trial Google Cloud limits reserved IP address to one for each region. To have additional reserved IP address you need to upgrade your account but you will not be changed additional than the $300 during trial period.
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Conclusion
Now you have learned how to setup a VM instance on Google Cloud Platform with CentOS 8.
Thanks for your time. If you face any problem or any feedback, please leave a comment below.