If you’ve ever wanted a server to practice DevOps, cloud computing, or test your projects, you probably know most providers only give temporary trials or limit usage.

But here’s the good news — Oracle Cloud’s Always Free Tier gives you a server with lifetime access at no cost.

🌍 The Secret: Oracle Cloud Free Tier

Unlike AWS, GCP, or Azure’s temporary credits, Oracle offers certain resources free forever.

Here’s what you get for life:

• AMD or ARM compute instance (up to 4 OCPUs, 24GB RAM if you pick ARM)
• 200GB Block Storage
• Public IP & SSH access
• Free database options (MySQL, Postgres, Autonomous DB)
• Load balancer (Always Free)

And yes — you can use it for any personal projects, learning, or experimentation.

🖥 Step-by-Step: How to Get Your Free Lifetime Server

1️⃣ Sign Up for Oracle Cloud Free Tier

1. Go to Oracle Cloud Free Tier
2. Click "Start for free"
3. Fill in your details (Name, Email, Country)
4. Use a credit/debit card for verification
   • They won’t charge unless you upgrade
5. Verify your phone number and card
6. Log in to the Oracle Cloud Console

2️⃣ Create a Virtual Cloud Network (VCN)

1. In the console, search "VCN"
2. Click "Create VCN with Internet Connectivity"
3. Name it (e.g., free-vcn)
4. Ensure it has:
   • Public Subnet
   • Internet Gateway
5. Click Create

3️⃣ Launch Your Always Free Server

1. Go to Compute → Instances → Create Instance
2. Name it (e.g., free-server)
3. Image: Select Canonical Ubuntu 22.04
4. Shape: Click Change Shape → Choose Ampere (ARM) → 4 OCPUs, 24GB RAM
5. Networking: Select your VCN & Public Subnet
6. Add your SSH key: ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096
   Paste the public key
7. Click Create

4️⃣ Allow Access to Your Server

1. Go to Resources → VNIC → Subnet → Security Lists
2. Add Ingress Rules for:
   • Port 22 (SSH)
   • Port 80 (HTTP)
   • Port 443 (HTTPS)
3. Save

5️⃣ Connect to Your Server

From your terminal:

ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa ubuntu@<your_public_ip>

✅ Done! You now have a completely free lifetime server that’s ready for any project or learning experiment.


Happy Devops ❣️