Terraform is an open-source Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool designed by HashiCorp. It allows users to define and provision infrastructure in a declarative manner using configuration files. By supporting a variety of cloud providers and on-premises systems, Terraform streamlines the process of managing and automating infrastructure, ensuring consistent and reproducible environments.
This article will guide you through using Terraform with Genesis Cloud to set up your infrastructure.
Prerequisites
Genesis Cloud account
Create an account here, if you do not have it
If you have an account, then login to it here.
Genesis Cloud API Token
Step 1 - Install Terraform
Please visit this link in order to install Terraform according to your local OS.
For more information on how to download & install Terraform on your system, follow the below links.
for Windows: How to install Terraform on Windows
for Linux: How to install Terraform on Linux
for macOS: How to install Terraform on macOS
Step 2 - Configure Terraform for Genesis Cloud
Terraform offers compatibility with a wide range of service providers. Each provider has its own specifications, which generally map to the API of its respective service provider.
The Genesis Cloud provider lets Terraform interact with the Genesis Cloud API to build out infrastructure. This provider supports creating the following Genesis Cloud resources.
genesiscloud_instance
genesiscloud_security_group
genesiscloud_snapshot
genesiscloud_ssh_key
genesiscloud_volume
genesiscloud_filesystem
genesiscloud_floating_ip
Once you have downloaded and installed Terraform on your local system, you will need to configure it for Genesis Cloud.
Before proceeding, verify the Terraform version by running the command “terraform -v“ in your local OS terminal.
Next, create a new directory for your Terraform project and navigate into it. In this directory, create a Terraform configuration file with a .tf extension (e.g., main.tf). You can use a simple text editor for this purpose.
Open the main.tf file and add the below ‘Terraform Configuration’ in that file.
terraform { required_providers { genesiscloud = { source = "genesiscloud/genesiscloud" # version = "..." } } } provider "genesiscloud" { # optional configuration... # set GENESISCLOUD_TOKEN env var or: # token = "..." } |
Uncomment the ‘version’ attribute from the configuration and set the version (e.g., 1.1.10). Uncomment the ‘token’ attribute, and add your ‘Genesis Cloud API Token’. Then, ‘save’ the file.
Open a terminal in the directory of your Terraform project and run “terraform init“. This command initializes a Terraform configuration, downloading necessary plugins, modules, and dependencies. It prepares your environment for Terraform to manage your infrastructure effectively.
Step 3 - Create a Resource
Create an SSH Key
You can add the configuration for the SSH_Key in the main.tf file or you can create a separate file with .tf extension within that directory to add SSH_Key configuration.
Just add the below code snippet in that file
resource "genesiscloud_ssh_key" "example" { name = "example" public_key = "ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIBOpdKM8wSI07+PO4xLDL7zW/kNWGbdFXeHyBU1TRlBn [email protected]" } |
Give any name to your ssh_key and replace ‘public_key’ with your actual ‘SSH_Public_Key’. ‘Save’ the file.
Then, run 'terraform plan'. This command shows you what changes Terraform will make without actually applying them.
Next, run ‘terraform apply' and confirm by typing 'yes’. Terraform will then apply your configuration and create the specified resource.
Create an Instance
Similarly, you can add the configuration for the instance in the main.tf file or create a separate file with a .tf extension within that directory for instance configuration.
Just add the below code snippet in that file.
# Create an instance: locals { region = "NORD-NO-KRS-1" } resource "genesiscloud_instance" "instance1" { name = "instance1" region = local.region image = "ubuntu-24.04" type = "vcpu-4_memory-24g_nvidia-rtx-3090-1" ssh_key_ids = [ genesiscloud_ssh_key.example.id, ] disk_size = 128 } output "connect" { value = "ssh ubuntu@${genesiscloud_instance.instance1.public_ip}" } |
Give any name to your instance and and add the type of the instance according to your preferences. You can check out our Instance types here: Instance Types
Then, run 'terraform plan' to see what changes Terraform will make without actually applying them and run ‘terraform apply' & confirm by typing 'yes’ to apply your configuration and create the specified infrastructure.
Now, you have created the resource.
Note: We recommend you to refer our Terraform Documentation for more information.Example (Let’s create Instance & Volume)
First, check your Terraform installation by running 'terraform -v' in the terminal of your local OS.
Output screen of 'terraform -v' command
Configuring Terraform for Genesis Cloud
Adding 'Terraform Configuration' in main.tf file
Shows 'Terraform Configuration' in main.tf fileRunning 'terraform init'
Output screen of 'terraform init' command
Creating SSH_Key
Adding configuration for the ‘SSH_Key’ in main.tf file
Shows configuration for the ‘SSH_Key’ in main.tf fileRunning 'terraform plan'
Output screen of 'terraform plan' command for SSH_KeyRunning 'terraform apply'
Output screen of 'terraform apply' command for SSH_Key
Creating Instance
Adding configuration for the 'Instance' in main.tf file
Shows configuration for the 'Instance' in main.tf fileRunning 'terraform plan'
Output screen of 'terraform plan' command for InstanceRunning 'terraform apply'
Output screen of 'terraform apply' command for Instance
Creating Volume
Adding configuration for the 'Volume' in main.tf file
Shows configuration for the 'Volume' in main.tf fileRunning 'terraform plan'
Output screen of 'terraform plan' command for VolumeRunning 'terraform apply'
Output screen of 'terraform apply' command for Volume