Why is Google Compute Engine not running my container?

Question

I can do this successfully:

• Bundle my app into a docker image
• Build this image into a container using Google Cloud Build upon push to master
  • (This container is stored in the registry at, for example, gcr.io/my-project/my-container)
• Deply this container to the web using Google Cloud Run
• Visit the Cloud Run url and see my website

I am now trying more sophisticated builds and I think the next step is to use Google Compute Engine.

To start, I am simply trying to deploy a single instance of the same app that I deployed to Cloud Run:

• Navigate to Compute Engine > VM Instances
• Enter basics like instance name
• Enter my container location under "Container Image": gcr.io/my-project/my-container
  • (As an aside, I find it suspect that the interface does not offer a selector for your existing Container Registry items here.)
• Select "Allow HTTP Traffic" and "Allow HTTPS Traffic"
• Click "Create"

GCE takes a minute to create it, and then it shows the green checkmark and the instance name, and "External IP: 35.238.xxx.xxx". I visit that URL in my browser and get... "35.238.xxx.xxx refused to connect."

To inspect, I go back to the GCE page and select "SSH > Open in browser window" next to my instance, which opens a type of cloud terminal to the machine.

In this terminal window, type ps and see that no processes are running. The container Dockerfile ends with CMD yarn start:prod, so I guess that's not happening here.

Further, I ls here and there and navigate around, and see that there is no /app directory from my Dockerfile's WORKDIR /app command. It seems like not only did my app not boot, but was the container not copied to the VM instance?

What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

For anyone having this issue. I faced the same problem and couldn't figure it out.

Reading Serhii's answer give me the clue. I believe as of today (Jan 2021) the GCP Console UI is a bit unhelpful. It appears that if you type in a container name when creating your VM but WITHOUT specifying a tag on the end, it doesn't complain nor assume a default such as 'latest', it just fails silently. Hence the VM but with no docker container running.

At least it this now works for me, hopefully this helps others.