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This page guides you through creating a CockroachDB Cloud cluster using the Cloud Console. Choose the plan that best fits your needs: Basic, Standard, or Advanced.

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Before You Begin

  • Sign up for a CockroachDB Cloud account
  • Have billing information ready (credit card or cloud marketplace subscription)
  • Plan your cluster configuration based on your workload requirements
If you need permission to create a cluster, contact a CockroachDB Cloud Organization Admin.

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Choose Your Plan

Select the plan that best matches your requirements:
  • Basic: Usage-based pricing for development and small workloads
  • Standard: Provisioned compute with usage-based storage (Preview)
  • Advanced: Fully provisioned with enterprise features
For a detailed comparison, see the Plan Comparison page.

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Create a Standard Cluster

1

Start Cluster Creation

  1. Log in to the CockroachDB Cloud Console
  2. If you have multiple organizations, select the correct one
  3. Click Create Cluster on the Overview page
  4. Select Standard plan
2

Select Cloud Provider

Choose your deployment environment:
  • Google Cloud or AWS
  • Azure is not yet supported for Standard clusters
For optimal performance, create your cluster on the same cloud provider and in the same regions as your existing services.
3

Configure Regions

Select at least one region for your cluster.Single-Region Cluster:
  • Choose the region closest to your users
  • Lower cost and complexity
Multi-Region Cluster:
  • Can survive the loss of a single region
  • Higher availability but increased cost
  • CockroachDB optimizes access from the primary region
You cannot remove a region after cluster creation.
4

Provision Cluster Capacity

Set your provisioned compute capacity in vCPUs.Recommendations:
  • Minimum 4-8 vCPUs for production workloads
  • Allow 40% above expected peak workload
  • You can adjust capacity later (3 decreases per 7 days)
The pricing estimate updates as you adjust capacity.
5

Enter Billing Details

  1. Verify your cluster configuration and cost estimate
  2. Add payment method:
    • Credit card
    • AWS Marketplace subscription
    • Google Cloud Marketplace subscription
  3. Apply trial credits if available
6

Name Your Cluster

Give your cluster a descriptive name:
  • 6-20 characters in length
  • Lowercase letters, numbers, and dashes
  • No leading or trailing dashes
  • Cannot be changed after creation
7

Create the Cluster

Click Create cluster. Your cluster will be ready in approximately 20-30 seconds.

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Create an Advanced Cluster

1

Start Cluster Creation

  1. Log in to the CockroachDB Cloud Console
  2. Click Create Cluster
  3. Select Advanced plan
2

Select Cloud Provider

Choose from:
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
  • Microsoft Azure
3

Configure Regions and Nodes

  1. Select one or more regions
  2. Specify the number of nodes per region
  3. For multi-region clusters, configure at least 3 regions with 3+ nodes each
For optimal performance, configure the same number of nodes in each region.
4

Configure Compute

Select the compute size for each node:
  • vCPUs: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, or more
  • RAM: Automatically sized based on vCPUs
  • Applies to all nodes in the cluster
5

Configure Storage

Set storage per node:
  • AWS: Minimum 15 GiB, includes provisioned IOPS
  • GCP/Azure: Minimum 15 GiB
  • Cannot be decreased after creation
6

Optional: Enable Security Add-on

For PCI DSS compliance, enable the Advanced Security add-on:
  • CMEK (Customer-Managed Encryption Keys)
  • Enhanced audit logging
  • Additional compliance certifications
7

Configure Networking (Optional)

Set up private connectivity:
  • AWS: AWS PrivateLink
  • GCP: VPC Peering or Private Service Connect
  • Azure: Azure Private Link
You can also configure this after cluster creation.
8

Complete Cluster Creation

  1. Review configuration and pricing
  2. Add payment details
  3. Name your cluster
  4. Click Create cluster
Provisioning takes approximately 20-30 minutes.

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Create a Basic Cluster

1

Start Creation

  1. Log in to Cloud Console
  2. Click Create Cluster
  3. Select Basic plan
2

Configure Cluster

  1. Cloud Provider: AWS, GCP, or Azure
  2. Regions: Select 1-6 regions
  3. Spend Limit: Set maximum monthly spending (optional)
3

Create and Connect

  1. Name your cluster
  2. Click Create cluster
  3. Cluster is ready in seconds
Basic clusters automatically scale based on usage. You’re only charged for resources consumed.

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Post-Creation Steps

After your cluster is created:
1

Create SQL Users

Navigate to SQL Users and create your first user with a strong password.
2

Authorize Networks

Add IP addresses or ranges that can connect to your cluster under Networking.
3

Connect to Cluster

Use the Connect button to get connection strings for your applications.
4

Configure Backups

Set up backup schedules and retention policies under Backup and Restore.

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Cluster Creation Options Comparison

FeatureBasicStandardAdvanced
Creation TimeSeconds20-30 seconds20-30 minutes
Default Network AccessOpen (0.0.0.0/0)Locked downLocked down
ScalingAutomaticManual capacity adjustmentManual node/storage adjustment
Private ConnectivityNot availableAWS PrivateLink, GCP PSCAll options
DB ConsoleNot availableNot availableAvailable

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Next Steps

Connect to Your Cluster

Learn how to connect applications

Manage Your Cluster

Configure and manage your cluster

Set Up Monitoring

Monitor cluster performance

Configure Backups

Set up backup and restore

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