RunPod Initialization Notebook

This Jupyter notebook automates the process of creating, configuring, and connecting to a RunPod instance. It handles everything from pod creation to environment setup and file transfer.

Prerequisites

• RunPod API key stored in an .env file on your Desktop
• Python environment with the following packages:
  • runpod
  • python-dotenv
  • pyperclip (v1.9.0)
• SSH key pair (using ed25519) configured in ~/.ssh/
• A runpod_files directory on your Desktop containing files to be transferred
• A requirements.txt file in the runpod_files directory

Features

1. Initial Setup

• Loads environment variables from .env file
• Configures RunPod API key
• Sets up file paths for data transfer

2. Pod Creation

• Creates a pod with the following specifications:
  • PyTorch 2.1.0 image with CUDA 11.8.0
  • NVIDIA RTX A4500 GPU
  • 30GB container disk
  • 130GB volume
  • Exposed ports: 8888 (HTTP) and 22 (TCP)
  • Jupyter notebook enabled
  • Location: France (EU)

3. SSH Connection

• Automatically handles SSH connection setup
• Accepts host key for first-time connection
• Configures secure remote access

4. File Transfer

• Copies files from local runpod_files directory to pod's /workspace directory
• Supports copying files back from pod to local machine (commented section available)

5. Environment Setup

• Creates a Python virtual environment on the pod
• Installs and configures Jupyter kernel
• Installs dependencies from requirements.txt
• Installs additional packages (e.g., flash-attn)

6. Jupyter Access

• Retrieves and formats Jupyter notebook URL
• Automatically copies URL to clipboard for easy access

7. Pod Management

• Includes functions to list all pods
• Contains commented code for pod termination

Usage

1. Ensure all prerequisites are met
2. Run the notebook cells sequentially
3. Wait for the pod to initialize (~90 seconds)
4. Environment setup takes approximately 3 minutes
5. Access Jupyter notebook using the automatically generated URL

Important Notes

• The pod will continue running (and charging) until explicitly terminated
• Use the termination cell (currently commented out) to stop the pod when finished
• All files are mounted at /workspace in the pod
• The notebook uses SSH key-based authentication for security

Environment Variables

Required in the .env file:

Security Considerations

• Uses SSH key-based authentication
• Supports EU-based deployment
• Community cloud type selected for cost-effectiveness
• Public IP enabled for accessibility

Troubleshooting

If file transfer fails:

• Check SSH key permissions
• Verify file paths
• Ensure requirements.txt is present
• Check pod status using runpod.get_pods()

Cleanup

To prevent unnecessary charges:

1. Save any important files from the pod
2. Uncomment and run the termination cell
3. Verify pod termination using runpod.get_pods()