n8n virtual machine

Last update: July 15 2026

n8n Virtual Machine is a preconfigured cloud server with a platform for automating business processes using AI tools. The tool allows you to integrate AI tools into workflows and automate processes without writing code or with minimal use of it.

The image from which the server is deployed contains:

• n8n — a platform for business process automation using AI tools;

• Ollama — a platform for locally downloading and running LLMs. Ollama is installed automatically only when creating a server with a GPU. Learn more in the Minimum resource requirements subsection;

• Docker — a platform for running containerized applications;

• Docker Compose — a tool for running multi-container applications in Docker;

• nginx — a web server and reverse proxy;

• drivers required for working with graphical processing units (GPU).

Before creating a server, review the software license agreements included in the image.

Supported use cases

• automating business processes between services, for example: CRM, ERP, email, chats;
• automating marketing scenarios: mailing lists, reactions to user actions, audience segmentation by behavior or data;
• processing and transforming data between sources (ETL-like workflows);
• creating workflows using a visual editor — no coding required.

Minimum resource requirements

Number of vCPUs	2
RAM	4 GB
Boot volume	25 GB
GPU	Optional *

* Ollama is installed automatically only when creating a server with a GPU. With Ollama, you can download a local LLM and integrate it with n8n. On a server without a GPU, you can only connect to external LLMs — those running on other servers or via an API.

Getting started with n8n Virtual Machine

1. Create a cloud server with n8n.

2. Create an account in n8n.

3. Launch n8n.

1. Create a cloud server with n8n

1. In the Control panel, on the top menu, click Products and select AI Marketplace.

2. Click Create server.

3. Fill in the blocks:

   • Name and placement;
   • Source;
   • optional: GPU;
   • Configuration;
   • Disks;
   • Network;
   • optional: Access;
   • optional: Additional settings;
   • optional: Automation.

4. Check the server price.

5. Click Create server.

Name and placement

1. Enter the server name.

2. Select a location where the server will be created. The available GPU options depend on the location. You cannot change the location after the server is created.

Source

Select an image n8n VM (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 64-bit).

Optional: GPU

1. Click Add GPU.

2. Select a GPU type. When choosing a GPU, consider the minimum resource requirements for the image to run. GPU specifications and descriptions can be found in the Graphics Processing Units (GPU) guide.

3. Specify the number of GPUs.

After the server is created, you will be able to change the GPU type and quantity or remove the GPU. Read more in the Change Cloud Server Configuration guide.

Configuration

1. Specify the number of vCPUs.

2. Specify the RAM size.

After the server is created, you will be able to change the configuration.

Disks

1. Select a boot disk type. GPUs are not available when using a local disk as a boot disk.

2. Specify the disk size in GB or TB. The maximum size for all network volumes is 10 240 GB (10 TB), for a local disk — 1 256 GB (1 TB).

3. If you have selected SSD Universal v2 or SSD Fast v2 as the disk type, specify the total number of read and write operations in IOPS. After the disk is created, you can change the number of IOPS — decrease or increase them. There is no limit on the number of IOPS changes.

4. Optional: to add additional disks:

   4.1. Click Add volume.

   4.2. Select the volume type.

   4.3. Specify the disk size in GB or TB. The maximum size for all network volumes is 10 240 GB (10 TB), for a local disk — 1 256 GB (1 TB).

   4.4. If you have selected SSD Universal v2 or SSD Fast v2 as the disk type, specify the total number of read and write operations in IOPS. After the disk is created, you can change the number of IOPS — decrease or increase it. The number of IOPS changes is unlimited.

   After the server is created, you will be able to detach additional volumes from it or attach new ones.

Network

You can add a server to a new or existing subnet. The subnet can be:

• private, without internet access. You will not be able to connect to the server from the internet, including via SSH or RDP;
• private with one public IP address. A static public IP address connects to the server’s private address via a cloud router. The server will be accessible from the internet via this public IP address;
• public, where all addresses are accessible from the internet.

Private subnetwork without internet access

1. To add an existing private subnetwork:

   1.1. In the Subnet field, select an existing subnet.

   1.2. Optional: change the default private IP address of the server.

2. To add a new private subnetwork:

   2.1. In the Subnet field, select the Private subnet type.

   2.2. Optional: change the subnetwork CIDR.

   2.3. Optional: enable the DHCP toggle. Read more about the DHCP protocol in the Selectel blog article Principles of the DHCP Protocol.

   2.4. Optional: change the default gateway IP address.

   2.5. Optional: change the network in which the subnet will be created — you can select an existing network or create a new one. If you are creating a new network, enter a network name.

Private subnetwork with a public IP address

1. If you already have a private subnetwork and a cloud router with internet access:

   1.1. In the Subnet field, select the Private + 1 public IP subnet type.

   1.2. In the Private field, select an existing subnet.

   1.3. Optional: change the default private IP address of the server.

2. If you do not have a private subnet or a cloud router with internet access, in the Subnet field, select the Private + 1 public IP subnet type.

   A private network nat, a router router-nat and one public address will be created automatically. The server will be connected to the subnet in the nat network.

Public subnetwork

1. To add an existing public subnetwork:

   1.1. In the Subnet field, select an existing subnet.

   1.2. Optional: change the default public IP address of the server.

2. To add a new public subnetwork:

   2.1. In the Subnet field, select the Public subnet type.

   2.2. In the Subnet size field, select the subnet size.

Optional: Access

1. In the Password for «root» field:

   1.1. Copy the password for the root user — the user with unrestricted system privileges.

   1.2. Save the password in a secure place and do not share it in plain text.

2. Add an SSH key for the project to the server for secure connection:

   2.1. If the SSH key is not added to the cloud platform, click , enter the key name, paste the public key in OpenSSH format, and click Add.

   2.2. If the SSH key is added to the cloud platform, in the SSH key field, select an existing key.

Optional: Additional settings

1. To create a preemptible server, check the Preemptible server checkbox.

2. If you are planning to create several servers and want to increase infrastructure fault tolerance, add the server to a placement group:

   2.1. To create a new group, click , enter the group name and select a placement policy for different hosts:

   • preferred — the system will try to place servers on different hosts. If no suitable host is available when creating a server, it will be created on the same host;

   • mandatory — servers in the group are required to be located on different hosts. If no suitable host is available when creating a server, the server will not be created.

   2.2. If the group is created, in the Placement group field, select a placement group.

3. To add additional information or filter servers in the list, add server tags. A tag with the image name is added automatically. To add a new tag, in the Tags field, enter the tag.

Optional: Automation

1. To add a script to be executed by the cloud-init agent during the first system boot, in the User data field:

   • open the Text tab and paste the script as text;
   • or open the File tab and upload the script file.

   For examples of scripts and supported formats, see the User data guide.

2. Create an account in n8n

1. In the control panel, on the top menu, click Products and select AI Marketplace.

2. In the n8n Virtual Machine card, click Go to GUI.

3. In the Email field, enter your email address.

4. In the First Name field, enter your name.

5. In the Last Name field, enter your surname.

6. In the Password field, enter your password.

7. Click Next.

3. Launch n8n

1. In the control panel, on the top menu, click Products and select AI Marketplace.

2. In the n8n Virtual Machine card, click Go to GUI.

3. Enter the email address you specified in step 3 when creating the account in step 2.

4. Enter the password you specified in step 6 when creating the account in step 2.

5. Click Sign in.