Oracle Gives You a 12GB Server Free Forever. Full Setup
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Author: Hyperautomation Labs · Watch on YouTube
Video authored by the channel shown, not by IANIA; all rights belong to the creator. Transcript and summary generated automatically; the original-language content is preserved.
Original language: English
Original video: Oracle Gives You a 12GB Server Free Forever. Full Setup · Channel: Hyperautomation Labs · 05:16 · Watch on YouTube
Topics: Task and workflow automation, Data, databases and embeddings, AI infrastructure and hardware, Local and open-source models
Summary
Section titled “Summary”The video walks through creating an Oracle Cloud Always Free VM with two CPUs, 12 GB of memory, and a 150 GB boot volume, then configuring its network access and firewall. It shows how to install Ollama and run Llama 3.1 8B, while noting that inference is relatively slow on two ARM cores. The presenter also sets up Docker, an “NA10” container, and a localhost-only Postgres instance. Finally, the video recommends keeping the machine active and creating a boot-volume backup to help retain the free server.
Key points
Section titled “Key points”- Sign up at oracle.com/cloud/free, verify by text, and select the home region carefully because it cannot be changed later.
- The tutorial selects Canonical Ubuntu 24.04 and an Ampere O1.flex shape with two OCPUs and 12 GB of memory.
- It sets a custom boot volume size of 150 GB and downloads an SSH private key.
- If the VM has no public IP, the presenter adds an ephemeral public IP through the VNIC IP administration page.
- The example opens TCP port 5678 in both the cloud security list and the machine’s firewall.
- The setup adds a 4 GB swap file and installs Ollama to run Llama 3.1 8B.
- The presenter cautions that two ARM cores generate about four tokens per second, making the VM better suited to background work than interactive chat.
- Docker is used to run an “NA10” container on port 5678, alongside Postgres bound to localhost.
- The video says Oracle may reclaim a free machine that stays idle for a week, and recommends doing work on it and taking a boot-volume backup.
Chapters
Section titled “Chapters”| Start | Chapter | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | Sign-up and choosing a home region | The presenter introduces the free server offer and explains the sign-up steps, card verification, and importance of choosing a home region. |
| 01:03 | Creating the VM | The video configures an Ubuntu VM with an Always Free eligible Ampere shape, a new network, an SSH key, and a 150 GB boot volume. |
| 02:05 | Public IP and firewall setup | The presenter adds an ephemeral public IP, opens port 5678 in the cloud security list and machine firewall, and creates a swap file. |
| 03:12 | Installing the model and services | The tutorial installs Ollama, runs Llama 3.1 8B, and adds Docker, an “NA10” container, and locally bound Postgres. |
| 04:16 | Keeping the server and getting the setup card | The presenter explains the activity and backup recommendations, then mentions a one-page command card and channel links. |
Quotes
Section titled “Quotes”Two CPUs, 12 GB of memory, 200 GB of disk, free, and it never expires. — 00:00
The card is only a check. — 00:31
The always free part stays. — 01:03
Treat this as a worker that runs all night, not a chat you sit and wait on. — 03:12
One do real work on it. — 04:16
Concepts and entities
Section titled “Concepts and entities”Oracle, Oracle Cloud Always Free, Ubuntu 24.04, Ampere O1.Flex, Ollama, Llama 3.1 8B, Docker, n8n, PostgreSQL
Full transcript (original language)
Section titled “Full transcript (original language)”00:00 Oracle will hand you a server. Two CPUs, 12 GB of memory, 200 GB of disk, free, and it never expires. I built one today. It’s running right now with an 8 billion parameter model on it. And every click is on screen. Copy as you go. Start at oracle.com/cloud/free and press start for free. The form asks for your country, your
00:31 name, and an email. Then a code by text message, then a card. The card is only a check. Oracle’s own words, your credit card won’t be charged unless you upgrade your account. You may see a small hold that disappears in a few days. One choice on this form matters more than the rest. The home region. Your free server can only live in the home region. And you cannot change it later. Pick the one closest to you. Then finish. And do not press upgrade. The 30-day trial credit expires on its
01:03 own. The always free part stays. This is the console. Click create a VM instance. Give it a name. Under image, press change image, pick Ubuntu, and choose Canonical Ubuntu 2404. Then change shape. Pick Ampere and open the shape called O1.flex. Set OCPUs to two and memory follows to 12. See the words always free eligible next to it? That label is your guardrail all the way through. Next,
01:34 networking. Choose create new virtual cloud network. And it makes a public subnet for you. Under add SSH keys, press download private key and keep that file. You need it in a minute. Next, storage. Turn on custom boot volume size and type 150. Your 200 GB allowance covers this disk plus backups. Next, review create. About a minute later, the badge turns green. Running. One quirk. The wizard grayed out the public IP
02:05 toggle for me, so the box came up with no public address. 30-second fix. Networking tab, open the VNic IP administration, the three dots, edit. Choose ephemeral public IP update. There is your address. Copy it. Every port you open has to be open twice. Once in the cloud, once on the machine. In the console, open the subnet, security, the default security list, and add an ingress rule. Source 0. 0. 0.
02:39 0/0. TCP destination port 5678. That is any 10’s port. Now the terminal. SSH in as Ubuntu with your key. Update the box, that takes about a minute. Then this one line opens the same port on the machine’s own firewall, and the second half saves it, so it survives a reboot. Skipping either half is the number one it doesn’t work on the server, and you have just done both. One more line adds a 4-GB swap file, so a model load never gets killed.
03:12 The model. One command installs Ollama. It detects arm on its own about half a minute. Pull Llama 3.1 8 billion. That is a 4.9-GB file, and Oracle’s pipe pulls it at almost 300 MB a second. Then run it. Hello comes back in 3 seconds. Honest note, once two arm cores generate about four tokens a second. Treat this as a worker that runs all night, not a chat you sit and wait on. The win is that it never turns off and
03:43 never bills. Two more things fit easily. Docker with the official one-line script. Then N A10 in a container on port 5 6 7 8 the port we opened. Open your address colon 5 6 7 8 in a browser and NA10 asks you to set up the owner account on your own server. And Postgres bound to localhost only. So NA10 and your agent can reach it and nobody else can. Docker PS both up both restart on their own.
04:16 Two rules to keep it forever. One do real work on it. Oracle reclaims a free machine that sits idle for a week. Under 20% CPU, memory, and network. A loaded 8 billion model already holds memory above that. And a loop that calls it a few times an hour holds CPU. You can see exactly what Oracle sees under monitoring. Two take one backup now. Storage, the boot volume, create backup.
04:46 Five of those are inside the free allowance. Every command from this video is in a one-page card ready to paste. Sign up the VM settings the public IP fix both firewall lines, Ollama NA10 Postgres, and the keep-it-alive check. Comment forever. All one word and my bot sends it to you. New to Cloud Code? My beginner guides are in the description. And if you want to support this channel directly there’s a join button right
05:16 under this video. Become a member here on YouTube and a subscriber on Facebook. See you in the next one.