Each user cluster requires its own user cluster configuration file. Decide if you want to generate a new user cluster configuration file and modify it, or copy an existing user cluster configuration file and modify it.
Locate the admin cluster's kubeconfig file. You reference this file when you specify the command to create the new user cluster.
Verify that enough IP addresses are available
Be sure that you have enough IP addresses allocated for the new user cluster.
Verifying that you have enough IP addresses depends on whether you're using a
DHCP server or static IPs.
In addition, be sure that you have enough IP addresses allocated for your admin
cluster. The admin cluster has one or three control-plane nodes for each user
cluster, and the admin cluster will need one or three additional control-plane
nodes for the user cluster you want to create. There must be enough IP addresses
available for all of those control-plane nodes. To upgrade your admin cluster to
have more IP addresses, see
Upgrading--verify that enough IP addresses are available.
DHCP
Verify that the DHCP server in the network in which the cluster will be created
has enough IP addresses. There should be more IP addresses than there will be
nodes running in the user cluster.
Static IPs
Verify that there are enough IP addresses set aside for the new cluster nodes that will be created in the existing admin cluster and in the new user cluster.
Create another user cluster configuration file
The new user cluster requires its own user cluster configuration file. You can either generate a new file, or copy an existing one. In each case, you must modify the settings for the new cluster.
To generate a new user cluster configuration file:
ADMIN_CLUSTER_KUBECONFIG is the existing admin cluster's
kubeconfig file.
NEW_USER_CLUSTER_CONFIG is the name of the new user cluster configuration file.
Create the user cluster
Now that you've populated a NEW_USER_CLUSTER_CONFIG file to match the specifications you want for the new user cluster, you can use that file to create this user cluster. Run the following command:
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-25 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThis guide explains the process of creating an additional user cluster for Google Distributed Cloud, requiring an existing admin cluster.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eBefore creating a new user cluster, ensure sufficient IP addresses are available, whether using a DHCP server or static IPs, for both the new user cluster and the admin cluster's additional control-plane nodes.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eA unique user cluster configuration file is required for the new cluster, which can be generated or copied from an existing file and must be modified with the new cluster's details.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eIf using a bundled Seesaw load balancer, create and configure the necessary VMs using the \u003ccode\u003egkectl create loadbalancer\u003c/code\u003e command, referencing the admin cluster's \u003ccode\u003ekubeconfig\u003c/code\u003e file and the new user cluster's configuration file.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThe new user cluster is created using the \u003ccode\u003egkectl create cluster\u003c/code\u003e command, specifying the new user cluster configuration file and the admin cluster's \u003ccode\u003ekubeconfig\u003c/code\u003e file.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Creating additional user clusters\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nThis page explains how to create an additional user cluster for Google Distributed Cloud.\n\nBefore you begin\n----------------\n\n- Be sure that an admin cluster is running. You created an admin cluster when you [installed Google Distributed Cloud](/anthos/clusters/docs/on-prem/1.9/how-to/cloud-sdk).\n- Each user cluster requires its own user cluster configuration file. Decide if you want to generate a new user cluster configuration file and modify it, or copy an existing user cluster configuration file and modify it.\n- Locate the admin cluster's `kubeconfig` file. You reference this file when you specify the command to create the new user cluster.\n\n### Verify that enough IP addresses are available\n\nBe sure that you have enough IP addresses allocated for the new user cluster.\nVerifying that you have enough IP addresses depends on whether you're using a\nDHCP server or static IPs.\n\nIn addition, be sure that you have enough IP addresses allocated for your admin\ncluster. The admin cluster has one or three control-plane nodes for each user\ncluster, and the admin cluster will need one or three additional control-plane\nnodes for the user cluster you want to create. There must be enough IP addresses\navailable for all of those control-plane nodes. To upgrade your admin cluster to\nhave more IP addresses, see\n[Upgrading--verify that enough IP addresses are available](/anthos/clusters/docs/on-prem/1.9/how-to/upgrading#verify_ips). \n\n### DHCP\n\nVerify that the DHCP server in the network in which the cluster will be created\nhas enough IP addresses. There should be more IP addresses than there will be\nnodes running in the user cluster.\n\n### Static IPs\n\nVerify that there are enough IP addresses set aside for the new cluster nodes that will be created in the existing admin cluster and in the new user cluster.\n\nCreate another user cluster configuration file\n----------------------------------------------\n\nThe new user cluster requires its own user cluster configuration file. You can either generate a new file, or copy an existing one. In each case, you must modify the settings for the new cluster.\n\n- To generate a new user cluster configuration file:\n\n ```\n gkectl create-config cluster --config NEW_USER_CLUSTER_CONFIG\n ```\n\n Replace the following:\n - \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eUSER_CLUSTER_CONFIG\u003c/var\u003e is the name you choose for the user cluster configuration file.\n - \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eNEW_USER_CLUSTER_CONFIG\u003c/var\u003e is the name you choose for the copy of the user cluster configuration file.\n- Otherwise, locate an existing user cluster configuration file on your admin workstation. Run this command to copy this file to a new filename.\n\n ```\n cp USER_CLUSTER_CONFIG NEW_USER_CLUSTER_CONFIG\n ```\n\nModify this new user cluster configuration file as described in [Filling in your configuration file](/anthos/clusters/docs/on-prem/1.9/how-to/create-user-cluster#fill-in-configuration-file)\n\nCreate a Seesaw load balancer for your additional user cluster\n--------------------------------------------------------------\n\nIf you have chosen to use the bundled Seesaw load balancer, proceed with the following step. Otherwise, skip this section.\n\nCreate and configure the VMs for your\n[Seesaw load balancer](/anthos/clusters/docs/on-prem/1.9/how-to/bundled-load-balance):\n\n```\ngkectl create loadbalancer --kubeconfig ADMIN_CLUSTER_KUBECONFIG --config NEW_USER_CLUSTER_CONFIG\n```\n\nReplace the following:\n\n- \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eADMIN_CLUSTER_KUBECONFIG\u003c/var\u003e is the existing admin cluster's `kubeconfig` file.\n- \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eNEW_USER_CLUSTER_CONFIG\u003c/var\u003e is the name of the new user cluster configuration file.\n\nCreate the user cluster\n-----------------------\n\nNow that you've populated a \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eNEW_USER_CLUSTER_CONFIG\u003c/var\u003e file to match the specifications you want for the new user cluster, you can use that file to create this user cluster. Run the following command: \n\n```\ngkectl create cluster --config NEW_USER_CLUSTER_CONFIG --kubeconfig ADMIN_CLUSTER_KUBECONFIG\n```\n\nReplace the following:\n\n- \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eNEW_USER_CLUSTER_CONFIG\u003c/var\u003e is the configuration file you just created. You might have chosen a different name for this file.\n- \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eADMIN_CLUSTER_KUBECONFIG\u003c/var\u003e points to the existing admin cluster's `kubeconfig` file.\n\nTroubleshooting\n---------------\n\nSee\n[Troubleshoooting cluster creation and upgrade](/anthos/clusters/docs/on-prem/1.9/troubleshoot-cluster-creation-upgrade)."]]
