# Managing instance arrays

This is often the very first step in using the Metal Cloud.

## Deploying an instance array using the Infrastructure Editor

The MetalCloud servers (called **Instances**) are groupped in **InstanceArrays**. By default an infrastructure is created for you called "my-infrastructure" in a datacenter geographically close to you.

1. Click on the `Create your first InstanceArray`

    ![](/assets/user/guides/getting_started3.png)


2. Select your configuration, number of servers, operating system, drive size and boot type. 

    Certain servers types support deploying the operating system on a local drive (or a collection of local drives in an RAID 1,5,10 array). Local drives do not allow switching the server but are less expensive and carry higher capacities and, if using local NVMes higher performance.

    ![](/assets/user/guides/getting_started5.png)

3. Alter firewall rules

    By default all traffic is blocked except if it originates from what our systems detects as being your IP. You need to explicitly enable additional IPs or ports before you deploy.

    ![](/assets/user/guides/getting_started41.png)

4. Deploy the infrastructure

    Operations in the MetalCloud are not immediatelly deployed. In fact they can be reverted until the infrastructure is "Deployed".
    Click on the big "Deploy" button from the bottom of the screen.

    ![](/assets/user/guides/getting_started61.png)

## Retrieving server access credentials using the UI

Once an infrastructure is active you can access the server's credentials by clicking on the instance array.

![](/assets/user/guides/managing_instance_arrays1.png)

This will pop-up the access credentials window:

![](/assets/user/guides/managing_instance_arrays2.png)

Here you can find, for each instance (server):
1. the quick ssh access link
2. root password

Clicking on an instance opens up further information:

The host can be any one of the:
1. Hosts' public ip address (89..)
2. Hosts's permanent DNS entry: `instance-58417.metalsoft.io `
3. Host's long-form DNS entry: ` instance-58417.instance-array-37139.vanilla.my-infrastructure.8186.metalsoft.io`

Both of them are *Type A* DNS entries and they point to the same IP address.

>Note: It is recommended that you register your public SSH key in the **Account settings** section so that it gets automatically added on the hosts at deploy time.

## Deploying an instance array using the CLI

This tutorial uses the CLI. Visit [using the CLI](/content/overview/installation/using_the_cli) for more details.

1. List available templates

    ```bash
    $ metalcloud-cli volume-template list
    Volume templates I have access to as user alex.d@d.com:
    +-------+-----------------------------------------+----------------------------------+-------+---------------------------+-----------+
    | ID    | LABEL                                   | NAME                             | SIZE  | STATUS                    | FLAGS     |
    +-------+-----------------------------------------+----------------------------------+-------+---------------------------+-----------+
    | 6     | ubuntu-12-04                            | Ubuntu-12.04                     | 40960 | deprecated_deny_provision |           |
    | 13    | centos6-5                               | CentOS6.5                        | 40960 | deprecated_allow_expand   |           |
    | 14    | centos6-6                               | CentOS6.6                        | 41000 | deprecated_allow_expand   |           |
    | 18    | centos71v1                              | CentOS 7.1                       | 40960 | deprecated_allow_expand   |           |
    +-------+-----------------------------------------+----------------------------------+-------+---------------------------+-----------+
    Total: 4 Volume templates
    ```

2. Provision an Instance 


    ```bash
    $ metalcloud-cli instance-array create --boot pxe_iscsi --firewall-management-disabled --infra demo --instance-count 1 --label gold
    ```
3. Add a drive array to the instance

    Use the ID of the template, for instance **18** for CentOS 7.1

    ```bash
    $ metalcloud-cli drive-array create --ia gold --infra demo --size 100000 --label gold-da --template 18
    ```

4. Deploy the infrastructure

    ```bash
    $ metalcloud-cli infrastructure deploy --id demo
    ```

## Retrieving server access credentials using the CLI


To retrive your ssh credentials use the following command:

```bash
$ metalcloud-cli instance-array get --id gold --show-credentials
```

## Checking the power status of all the instances in this instance array using the CLI

To retrieve your instances status use:
```bash
metalcloud-cli instance-array get --id gold --show-power-status
```

## Rebooting an instance using the CLI
To perform power operations on a particular instance use:
```bash
metalcloud-cli instance power-control --id 1023 --operation reset
```

Possible operations are:
* on - power on
* off - power off (hard)
* reset - Reboot (hard)
* soft - Soft shutdown (ACPI via the operating system)