Deploy Ruby on Rails on Google Cloud C4A (Arm-based Axion VMs)

content/learning-paths/servers-and-cloud-computing/ruby-on-rails/_index.md

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+---
+title: Deploy Ruby on Rails on Google Cloud C4A (Arm-based Axion VMs)
+
+draft: true
+cascade:
+    draft: true
+
+minutes_to_complete: 40
+
+who_is_this_for: This learning path is intended for software developers deploying and optimizing Ruby on Rails workloads on Linux/Arm64 environments, specifically using Google Cloud C4A virtual machines powered by Axion processors.
+
+learning_objectives:
+  - Provision an Arm-based SUSE SLES virtual machine on Google Cloud (C4A with Axion processors)
+  - Install Ruby/Rails on a SUSE Arm64 (C4A) instance
+  - Validate Ruby on Rails functionality using PostgreSQL as the database  
+  - Benchmark Rails performance using the built-in Ruby Benchmark library on Arm64 (Aarch64) architecture
+
+
+prerequisites:
+  - A [Google Cloud Platform (GCP)](https://cloud.google.com/free) account with billing enabled
+  - Basic familiarity with Ruby programming, the Rails framework, and [relational databases](https://www.postgresql.org/)
+
+author: Pareena Verma
+
+##### Tags
+skilllevels: Introductory
+subjects: Web
+cloud_service_providers: Google Cloud
+
+armips:
+  - Neoverse
+
+tools_software_languages:
+  - Ruby
+  - Rails
+  - PostgreSQL
+
+operatingsystems:
+  - Linux
+
+# ================================================================================
+#       FIXED, DO NOT MODIFY
+# ================================================================================
+further_reading:
+  - resource:
+      title: Google Cloud documentation
+      link: https://cloud.google.com/docs
+      type: documentation
+
+  - resource:
+      title: Ruby on Rails documentation
+      link:  https://guides.rubyonrails.org/
+      type: documentation
+
+  - resource:
+      title: Ruby built-in Benchmark documentation
+      link: https://github.com/ruby/benchmark?tab=readme-ov-file#benchmark
+      type: documentation
+
+weight: 1
+layout: "learningpathall"
+learning_path_main_page: "yes"
+---

content/learning-paths/servers-and-cloud-computing/ruby-on-rails/_next-steps.md

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+---
+# ================================================================================
+#       FIXED, DO NOT MODIFY THIS FILE
+# ================================================================================
+weight: 21                  # Set to always be larger than the content in this path to be at the end of the navigation.
+title: "Next Steps"         # Always the same, html page title.
+layout: "learningpathall"   # All files under learning paths have this same wrapper for Hugo processing.
+---

content/learning-paths/servers-and-cloud-computing/ruby-on-rails/background.md

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+---
+title: Getting started with Ruby/Rails on Google Axion C4A (Arm Neoverse-V2)
+
+weight: 2
+
+layout: "learningpathall"
+---
+
+## Google Axion C4A Arm instances in Google Cloud
+
+Google Axion C4A is a family of Arm-based virtual machines built on Google’s custom Axion CPU, which is based on Arm Neoverse-V2 cores. Designed for high-performance and energy-efficient computing, these virtual machines offer strong performance for modern cloud workloads such as CI/CD pipelines, microservices, media processing, and general-purpose applications.
+
+The C4A series provides a cost-effective alternative to x86 virtual machines while leveraging the scalability and performance benefits of the Arm architecture in Google Cloud.
+
+To learn more about Google Axion, refer to the [Introducing Google Axion Processors, our new Arm-based CPUs](https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/compute/introducing-googles-new-arm-based-cpu) blog.
+
+## Ruby on Rails
+
+Ruby on Rails (Rails) is an open-source, server-side web application framework written in Ruby.  
+
+It allows developers to build database-backed web applications quickly using convention over configuration, MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture, and built-in tools for routing, database migrations, and view rendering.  
+
+Rails is widely used for web applications, APIs, and full-stack development projects. Learn more from the [Ruby on Rails official website](https://rubyonrails.org/) and its [guides and documentation](https://guides.rubyonrails.org/).

content/learning-paths/servers-and-cloud-computing/ruby-on-rails/baseline.md

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+---
+title: Ruby on Rails Baseline Testing on Google Axion C4A Arm Virtual Machine
+weight: 5
+
+### FIXED, DO NOT MODIFY
+layout: learningpathall
+---
+
+## Baseline Setup for Ruby on Rails with PostgreSQL
+This section covers the installation and configuration of **PostgreSQL** and a **Rails application** on a SUSE Arm-based GCP VM. It includes setting up PostgreSQL, creating a Rails app, configuring the database, and starting the Rails server.
+
+### Install and Configure PostgreSQL
+PostgreSQL is used with Ruby on Rails as a robust, production-ready relational database that reliably stores and manages application data.
+
+```console
+sudo zypper install postgresql-devel postgresql-server
+sudo systemctl start postgresql
+sudo systemctl enable postgresql
+```
+- `postgresql-devel` is required to compile the pg gem for Rails.
+
+Verify that the PostgreSQL service is active and running:
+
+```console
+systemctl status postgresql
+```
+
+This command creates a new PostgreSQL role (user) named `gcpuser` with **superuser privileges**.  
+
+```console
+sudo -u postgres createuser --superuser gcpuser
+```
+- `sudo -u postgres` → Runs the command as the `postgres` user (default PostgreSQL superuser).
+- `createuser --superuser gcpuser` → Creates a PostgreSQL role named `gcpuser` with full admin privileges.
+    - Can create databases
+    - Can create other roles/users
+    - Can grant privileges
+
+This role will be used by Rails to connect to the PostgreSQL database.
+
+### Create a Rails App with PostgreSQL
+Creates a new Rails application configured to use PostgreSQL as its database.
+
+```console
+rails new db_test_rubyapp -d postgresql
+cd db_test_rubyapp
+bundle install
+```
+- Creates a new Rails application called `db_test_app`.
+- `d postgresql` → Tells Rails to use PostgreSQL as the database instead of the default SQLite.
+- `bundle install` ensures all required gems are installed.
+
+{{% notice Note %}}
+Check `config/database.yml` to ensure the `username` and `password` match your PostgreSQL role `(gcpuser)`.
+{{% /notice %}}
+
+### Verify and Update Database Configuration
+Open the Rails database configuration file:
+
+```console
+nano config/database.yml
+```
+Find the `default`: and `development`: sections.
+Ensure the username matches the PostgreSQL user you created (gcpuser):
+
+You should see output similar to:
+```output
+default: &default
+  adapter: postgresql
+  encoding: unicode
+  username: gcpuser
+  password:
+  host: localhost
+  pool: 5
+
+development:
+  <<: *default
+```
+### Create and Initialize the Database
+Initializes and creates the development and test databases for your Rails app using PostgreSQL.
+
+```console
+rails db:create
+```
+You should see output similar to:
+```output
+Created database 'db_test_rubyapp_development'
+Created database 'db_test_rubyapp_test'
+```
+This means Rails successfully connected to PostgreSQL and created both dev and test databases.
+
+### Generate a Scaffold for Testing
+A database and Scaffold are required to create the actual PostgreSQL database for your Rails app and quickly generate the model, controller, views, and migrations for your data.
+Let’s create a small test model and table — for example, a simple Task tracker:
+
+```console
+rails generate scaffold task title:string due_date:date
+```
+This command automatically generates:
+- Database migration for the tasks table
+- A model (task.rb)
+- A controller and views for CRUD operations
+- **Scaffold** → Automatically generates boilerplate code for CRUD operations, saving time and ensuring your app has working forms and routes.
+
+Then apply the migration:
+
+```console
+rails db:migrate
+```
+
+You should see output similar to:
+```output
+== 20251006101717 CreateTasks: migrating ======================================
+-- create_table(:tasks)
+   -> 0.0127s
+== 20251006101717 CreateTasks: migrated (0.0128s) =============================
+```
+
+Database schema successfully updated.
+
+### Verify Table and Database Connectivity
+The previous command `rails generate scaffold task title:string due_date:date` created a `tasks` table in your PostgreSQL database.
+
+Now, verify that the table exists and has the correct structure following the steps below:
+
+```console
+sudo -u postgres psql
+\c db_test_rubyapp_development
+\d tasks
+```
+- `sudo -u postgres psql` → Launches the PostgreSQL shell as the superuser `postgres`.
+- `\c db_test_rubyapp_development` → Connects to the Rails app’s development database.
+- `\d tasks` → Displays the schema (columns and types) of the `tasks` table.
+
+You should see output similar to:
+```output
+psql (15.10)
+Type "help" for help.
+
+postgres=# \c db_test_rubyapp_development
+You are now connected to database "db_test_rubyapp_development" as user "postgres".
+db_test_rubyapp_development=# \d tasks
+                                          Table "public.tasks"
+   Column   |              Type              | Collation | Nullable |              Default
+------------+--------------------------------+-----------+----------+-----------------------------------
+ id         | bigint                         |           | not null | nextval('tasks_id_seq'::regclass)
+ title      | character varying              |           |          |
+ due_date   | date                           |           |          |
+ created_at | timestamp(6) without time zone |           | not null |
+ updated_at | timestamp(6) without time zone |           | not null |
+Indexes:
+    "tasks_pkey" PRIMARY KEY, btree (id)
+```
+
+### Run Rails Server
+Before proceeding to run the Rails server, you need to allow port 3000 from your GCP console. Below are the steps to do that:
+
+a. On the GCP console, navigate to **Firewall** -> **Create Firewall Rule**
+
+ ![Firewall Info alt-text#center](images/firewall1.png "Figure 1: Firewall Create")
+
+b. Fill in the details as below:
+
+Give a **name** for your desired port (e.g., `allow-3000-ingress`).
+
+![Allow Ingress alt-text#center](images/firewall2.png "Figure 2: Allow-3000-ingress ")
+
+
+Set **Direction of Traffic** to **"Ingress"**.
+
+Set **Target** to **"All Instances in the Network"**. You can also choose **"Specific Tags"**.
+
+Set the **Source IPv4 range** to **"0.0.0.0/0"**, for global access.
+
+![Set Direction of Traffic  alt-text#center](images/firewall3.png "Figure 3: Target Set")
+
+In the **"Protocols and Ports"**, click on **"TCP"**, and mention the port number **"3000"**.
+
+![Set Protocols and Ports  alt-text#center](images/firewall4.png "Figure 4: Protocols and Ports")
+
+
+Click on **"Create"**. The Firewall rule will be created successfully and can be viewed in the Firewall Policies Page:
+
+![ Create Firewall rule alt-text#center](images/firewall5.png "Figure 5: Create Firewall rule")
+
+Once done, go back to the VM, and execute the below commands to allow port 3000:
+
+```console
+sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=3000/tcp
+sudo firewall-cmd --reload
+```
+Now that port 3000 is allowed in your VM’s ingress firewall rules, you can start the Rails server using the following command:
+
+```console
+rails server -b 0.0.0.0
+```
+- `rails server -b 0.0.0.0` → Starts the Rails server and binds it to all network interfaces, not just `localhost`.
+- Binding to `0.0.0.0` allows other machines (or your local browser) to access the Rails app running on the VM using its external IP.
+
+
+### Access the Application:
+Open a web browser on your local machine (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.) and enter the following URL in the address bar:
+
+```console
+http://[YOUR_VM_EXTERNAL_IP]:3000
+```
+- Replace `<YOUR_VM_PUBLIC_IP>` with the public IP of your GCP VM.
+
+You will see a Rails welcome page in your browser if everything is set up correctly. It looks like this:
+
+![Rails-info page alt-text#center](images/rails-web.png "Figure 6: Ruby/Rails Welcome Page")
+
+This verifies the basic functionality of the Ruby/Rails installation before proceeding to the benchmarking.