> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cloudidr.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Getting Started 

> Set up AWS GPU & CPU instances at 30-40% discount in 15 minutes

Get access to AWS EC2 instances at 30-40% discount in four simple steps. Total setup time: 15 minutes.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

* **AWS Account** - Active AWS account with billing enabled
* **AWS IAM Access** - Admin permissions to create IAM roles
* **Email Address** - For your FlexCompute account
* **Use Case** - Know which instance types you need (optional)

**Don't have AWS admin access?** Contact your AWS administrator or [email us](mailto:hello@cloudidr.com) for alternative setup options.

***

## Step 1: Create FlexCompute Account

**Time required: 2 minutes**

1. Go to [cloudidr.com](https://www.cloudidr.com)
2. Click **"Start Free Trial"** or **"Get Started"**
3. Fill in your details:
   * Full name
   * Work email
   * Company name
   * Phone number (optional)
4. Click **"Create Account"**
5. Verify your email (check inbox for verification link)

**What happens next:** You'll receive a welcome email with your FlexCompute dashboard login credentials.

***

## Step 2: Connect Your AWS Account

**Time required: 5 minutes**

FlexCompute needs permission to provision instances in your AWS account. We use AWS IAM roles (industry standard, secure, read-only access).

### Option A: Automated Setup (Recommended)

1. Log in to your FlexCompute dashboard
2. Click **"Connect AWS Account"**
3. Click **"Launch CloudFormation Stack"**
   * This opens AWS Console in new tab
   * Pre-configured CloudFormation template loads
4. In AWS Console:
   * Check the box: "I acknowledge that AWS CloudFormation might create IAM resources"
   * Click **"Create Stack"**
5. Wait 2-3 minutes for stack creation
6. Return to FlexCompute dashboard
7. Click **"Verify Connection"**

**Done!** Your AWS account is now connected.

### Option B: Manual Setup

If you prefer manual IAM role creation:

1. Download our IAM policy template: [Download JSON](https://www.cloudidr.com/iam-policy.json)
2. In AWS Console:
   * Go to IAM → Roles → Create Role
   * Select "Another AWS Account"
   * Enter FlexCompute Account ID: `123456789012` (shown in your dashboard)
   * Attach the downloaded policy
   * Name role: `FlexComputeAccess`
3. Copy the Role ARN
4. Paste Role ARN in FlexCompute dashboard
5. Click **"Verify Connection"**

### What Permissions Does FlexCompute Get?

FlexCompute IAM role has **limited permissions**:

**Can do:**

* Launch EC2 instances in your account
* Terminate instances (only ones we provisioned)
* View instance status
* Attach to your existing VPC/security groups

**Cannot do:**

* Access your data or applications
* Modify existing resources
* Change IAM policies
* Access other AWS services (S3, RDS, etc.)

**Security:** Role uses AWS STS with time-limited credentials. You can revoke access anytime by deleting the IAM role.

***

## Step 3: Request Your First Instance

**Time required: 2 minutes**

Now that your AWS account is connected, request instances through FlexCompute.

### Via Dashboard (Web Interface)

1. In FlexCompute dashboard, click **"Request Instance"**
2. Configure your instance:
   * **Instance Type:** Select from dropdown (e.g., `c5.2xlarge`, `g5.xlarge`)
   * **Region:** Choose AWS region (e.g., `us-east-1`, `us-west-2`)
   * **Availability Zone:** Select AZ or leave as "Any"
   * **Quantity:** Number of instances (1-100)
   * **Duration:** How long you need them (hours, days, or ongoing)
3. Review discounted pricing (shows savings vs AWS On-Demand)
4. Click **"Launch Instances"**

**Processing time:** 2-5 minutes for instances to appear in your AWS Console.

### Via API (Programmatic)

For automated provisioning:

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.cloudidr.com/v1/instances \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "instance_type": "c5.2xlarge",
    "region": "us-east-1",
    "quantity": 5,
    "duration": "8h"
  }'
```

**API Documentation:** [View full API reference →](/flexcompute/api-reference)

***

## Step 4: Access Your Instances

**Time required: 1 minute**

Once instances are provisioned, access them exactly like regular AWS EC2 instances.

### Via AWS Console

1. Log in to AWS Console
2. Navigate to **EC2 → Instances**
3. Filter by tag: `Provider: FlexCompute`
4. Your FlexCompute instances appear in the list
5. Select instance → **Connect** (SSH, RDP, Session Manager)

### Via AWS CLI

```bash theme={null}
# List FlexCompute instances
aws ec2 describe-instances \
  --filters "Name=tag:Provider,Values=FlexCompute"

# SSH to instance
ssh -i your-key.pem ec2-user@<instance-ip>
```

### Via Terraform/Infrastructure-as-Code

FlexCompute instances integrate with your existing IaC:

```hcl theme={null}
# Reference FlexCompute-provisioned instances
data "aws_instances" "flexcompute" {
  filter {
    name   = "tag:Provider"
    values = ["FlexCompute"]
  }
}
```

***

## Monitoring & Management

### View Instance Status

**In FlexCompute Dashboard:**

* See all active instances
* View current costs
* Check remaining hours (if time-limited)
* Monitor utilization

**In AWS Console:**

* Instances appear like regular EC2
* Use CloudWatch for metrics
* Configure alarms normally

### Terminate Instances

**When you're done:**

**Option 1:** Via FlexCompute dashboard

* Click **"Active Instances"**
* Select instance → **"Terminate"**

**Option 2:** Via AWS Console

* Navigate to EC2 → Instances
* Select FlexCompute instance → **"Terminate"**
* Termination allowed for FlexCompute-provisioned instances

**Billing stops immediately upon termination.**

***

## Common Setup Issues

### Issue: CloudFormation Stack Fails

**Solution:**

* Ensure you have IAM admin permissions
* Check AWS region matches FlexCompute dashboard
* Try manual IAM role setup instead

### Issue: Instances Not Appearing in AWS Console

**Solution:**

* Wait 5 minutes (provisioning takes 2-5 min)
* Check correct AWS region selected
* Verify IAM role connection in FlexCompute dashboard

### Issue: Can't Connect to Instance

**Solution:**

* Ensure your security group allows SSH/RDP access
* Verify key pair associated with instance
* Check instance is in running state

**Still stuck?** Email [support@cloudidr.com](mailto:support@cloudidr.com) with your account ID.

***

## What's Next?

### Explore Features

* **Auto-Scaling:** Set rules to scale instances automatically
* **Scheduled Provisioning:** Reserve capacity in advance
* **Team Management:** Add team members to your account
* **Cost Alerts:** Get notified when spending exceeds threshold

### Optimize Further

* **Right-Size Instances:** Analyze usage, switch to smaller/larger types
* **Reserved Capacity:** For predictable workloads, pre-book capacity
* **Spot-Like Pricing:** Access even deeper discounts for interruptible workloads

### Get Support

* **Email:** [hello@cloudidr.com](mailto:hello@cloudidr.com)
* **Schedule Demo:** [Book 15-minute call](https://meetings.hubspot.com/khursheed-hassan)
* **Documentation:** Browse [setup guides](/flexcompute/guides)

***

## Free Trial Details

**\$100 in free credits** to test FlexCompute:

* Valid for 14 days
* No credit card required
* Test any instance type
* Full support included
* Credits expire after 14 days

**Start trial:** [cloudidr.com](https://www.cloudidr.com)

***

## Ready to Save?

You're all set! You now have:

✅ FlexCompute account created\
✅ AWS account connected\
✅ First instances provisioned\
✅ Access via AWS Console/CLI

**Start requesting instances and save 30-40% on your AWS bill.**

**Questions?** [Contact our team →](mailto:hello@cloudidr.com)

**Need help?** [Schedule a walkthrough →](https://meetings.hubspot.com/khursheed-hassan)

```

---

## **File Structure:**
```

/flexcompute
├── overview\.mdx          (File 1: What it is + benefits)
├── use-cases.mdx         (File 2: How teams use it)
└── getting-started.mdx   (File 3: Setup guide)
title: "Getting Started"
------------------------