Zohar Stolar April 14, 2022
11:36:48 AM
Zohar Stolar Zohar StolarGitLab Enterprise Edition is available on Microsoft’s cloud Azure without the need to manually set up a server and fiddle with complicated configuration files! Using this step-by-step guide, you can automatically deploy your own GitLab server right away.
Linnovate has partnered with Microsoft to present a new approach to deploying GitLab — through a cloud service that automatically configures GitLab for you. Using this approach, you can quickly begin to manage your code, push and pull from Git, and enjoy the plethora of features included in Gitlab, such as the ability to create projects with issues and fine-tune access to repositories.
Until now, you had to hire a professional integrations engineer to log into your server and configure GitLab for you. Otherwise, even if you managed to install GitLab on your own, none of the git functions of GitLab would work properly.
But, No more! Now, instead of searching for SSH tutorials and GitLab configuration tutorials, our new offering allows you to simply deploy GitLab to the cloud in a matter of minutes.
If your organization doesn’t have an account already, you’ll need to subscribe to Azure with your personal account. Currently Azure awards you with many benefits, including a $200 credit for spending on their services! Click Here to learn more.
There are two ways to access the new solution:
If you’re already in the Azure portal, you can click the green + New and simply start typing gitlab enterprise. You’ll see the autocomplete result for GitLab Enterprise Ready by Linnovate:
To start deploying GitLab in a new virtual machine, hit the Create button. Then continue reading to learn how to customize your VM.
Once you hit Create, you’ll be presented with a very short series of simple configuration screens. The first one asks you to choose:
Click OK to move on to the next step.
Choosing a virtual machine size is fast and easy. Choose a size that is suitable for your budget and requirements. In general, GitLab requires at least 4GB RAM for moderate usage and at least 8GB RAM for heavier usage. The more RAM you choose the better GitLab will perform — and the more expensive it will be.
This is the easiest part. In most cases, you can leave the default values exactly as they are. However, pay attention that the Auto-Shutdown is set to OFF.
This is the last step in the GitLab creation process. You’ll be presented with the hourly costs, based on the size and type of virtual machine that you chose earlier.
IMPORTANT: After hitting the “Create” button, Azure will automatically deploy GitLab for you, to the virtual machine that you just configured. This process is not immediate and usually takes a few minutes. You’ll have time for a coffee or a few emails. When you’re back, GitLab will be ready for you to begin working!
When the deployment is done, you’ll be able to see the new GitLab VM in the Virtual Machines section of your Azure dashboard. The name of the VM will be the name that you gave it earlier.
Click on the name of your GitLab virtual machine to see its IP, which you will need in order to access your new GitLab.
Finding your new virtual machine’s IP:
Copy the Public IP from the GitLab VM’s settings and paste it into your browser.
The first screen you are faced with when you visit your GitLab’s IP, asks you to change the password for the initial user — root. The root user is the all-mighty administrator of your system and has all the privileges to manage GitLab, create users and projects, configure various settings, and more.
Enter your new password twice and move on to the login screen.
Login with user root and the password you created in the previous step:
You can now begin creating projects, adding users, and managing issues!