Massed Compute

Every Massed Compute session follows the same path: select a profile, launch (or reuse) a VM, do project work, download artifacts, wipe remote cache/data, terminate billing, and reset local handoff files—without mixing UUIDs or leaving GPUs running idle.

This lifecycle management approach prevents orphan VMs, secures data cleanup, and ensures cost-effective GPU usage across all workloads from MusicGen to ComfyUI.

Massed Compute VM Pricing

The VM configurations matching this lifecycle guide’s requirements were not available in our pricing snapshot from July 7, 2026. For current pricing on Ubuntu 24.04 VMs with 2+ vCPUs and 4+ GB RAM, check live pricing.

VM Lifecycle Deployment

# List all running instances
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
  https://vm.massedcompute.com/api/v1/instances

# Launch VM with specific configuration
curl -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "lifecycle-test",
    "image": "ubuntu-24.04",
    "instance_type": "gpu-basic",
    "ssh_key": "your-public-key"
  }' \
  https://vm.massedcompute.com/api/v1/instances

# SSH into the VM
ssh ubuntu@YOUR_VM_IP

# Run project setup commands
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
# Install project dependencies...

# Download files using SCP
scp -r ubuntu@YOUR_VM_IP:/path/to/outputs ./local-outputs/

# Remote cleanup (via SSH)
# - Stop services (ComfyUI, etc.)
# - Delete output directories, temp files
# - Clear caches (HuggingFace, PyTorch, pip)
# - Keep model checkpoints (expensive to re-download)

# Terminate VM via API
curl -X DELETE -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
  https://vm.massedcompute.com/api/v1/instances/YOUR_INSTANCE_ID

# Reset local connection metadata
# Clear SSH host keys for recycled IPs

Troubleshooting

Wrong Profile/UUID Mismatch

If SSH connects to the wrong host, you have a UUID mismatch. Re-read your profile matrix and verify the correct connection metadata.

Protected VM Prevention

Some VMs are marked as protected to prevent accidental termination. Check the protected instance registry before teardown and only override with explicit user confirmation.

Recycled IP Address

When Massed Compute reuses public IPs, you may get SSH host key warnings. Refresh SSH host keys during teardown with the --clear-ssh-host option.

Incomplete Artifact Download

Always verify artifacts are downloaded before remote cleanup. Once the VM is terminated, all data on the instance is permanently lost.

Skip All of This: Deploy with an AI Agent

This entire VM lifecycle workflow exists as a tested, machine-readable recipe in the Massed Compute MCP (Model Context Protocol). Instead of running commands manually, configure an AI agent to handle the complete provisioning, configuration, verification, and teardown process.

Add this configuration to your MCP client:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "massed-compute": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://vm.massedcompute.com/api/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer MC_TOKEN" }
    }
  }
}

Then say:

The agent matches your request against this recipe (tested on June 10, 2026), provisions the right VM shape, runs the setup and verification steps above, and reports back with the result. It stops automatically if any step fails to prevent billing leaks or data loss.

Quick Setup Guide

For rapid deployment, follow this condensed workflow:

1. Audit: List running instances and terminate unused VMs
2. Launch: Provision VM with your required specifications
3. Configure: SSH in and run project setup commands
4. Work: Complete your ML training, image generation, or other workload
5. Download: Copy all artifacts to local storage before cleanup
6. Teardown: Clean remote data, terminate VM, reset local metadata

This workflow prevents the most common pitfalls: orphan VMs running up bills, data left exposed on terminated instances, and mixed UUIDs causing configuration errors.

Frequently Asked Questions