---
title: GCE Tips
description: If you don’t want to repeat the project id each time, you can save it in the local gcloud config If you have created a machine without the correct permissions,...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/2395/reference/elasticsearch/plugins/discovery-gce-usage-tips
---

# GCE Tips
## Store project id locally

If you don’t want to repeat the project id each time, you can save it in the local gcloud config
```sh
gcloud config set project es-cloud
```


## Machine Permissions

If you have created a machine without the correct permissions, you will see `403 unauthorized` error messages. To change machine permission on an existing instance, first stop the instance then Edit. Scroll down to `Access Scopes` to change permission. The other way to alter these permissions is to delete the instance (NOT THE DISK). Then create another with the correct permissions.
<definitions>
  <definition term="Creating machines with gcloud">
    Ensure the following flags are set:
  </definition>
</definitions>

```text
--scopes=compute-rw
```

<definitions>
  <definition term="Creating with console (web)">
    When creating an instance using the web console, scroll down to **Identity and API access**.
  </definition>
</definitions>

Select a service account with the correct permissions or choose **Compute Engine default service account** and select **Allow default access** for **Access scopes**.
<definitions>
  <definition term="Creating with knife google">
    Set the service account scopes when creating the machine:
  </definition>
</definitions>

```sh
knife google server create www1 \
    -m n1-standard-1 \
    -I debian-8 \
    -Z us-central1-a \
    -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa \
    -x jdoe \
    --gce-service-account-scopes https://www.googleapis.com/auth/compute
```

Or, you may use the alias:
```sh
    --gce-service-account-scopes compute-rw
```