# Read an instance's Overview

> See an instance's status, how to connect to it, what it runs and what it costs this month, and start or stop it from one tab.

Source: https://www.coritan.com/docs/cloud-compute/overview/

In the dashboard:

- /dashboard/compute/…/overview: https://www.coritan.com/dashboard/compute

The **Overview** tab is the first tab of an instance. It answers the questions a new customer has first: is it on, how do I sign in, what did I buy and what does it cost.

## Open the Overview

1. In the [dashboard](https://www.coritan.com/dashboard/compute), go to **Cloud Compute**.
2. Select the instance's hostname. The **Overview** tab opens.

The tabs after it are **Console**, **Access**, **Snapshots**, **Backups**, **Rescue**, **Network**, **Graphs**, **Billing** and **Settings**.

## Read the cards

**Status**
: The badge shows the power state. **Up for** is how long the instance has run, and **Traffic this month** is the data used against the plan's allowance. **Start** shows when the instance is stopped and **Stop** when it runs. They do the same as the buttons in the header, which also has **Restart**. A suspended instance has neither button; the alert at the top of the page links to **Billing**.

**Connect**
: The **IPv4 address**, the **IPv6 address** when the instance has one, and the **User** to sign in as. Each has a copy button. Under them, three steps say how to start: copy the SSH command, such as `ssh ubuntu@203.0.113.24`, add your public key on the **Access** tab, or open the **Console** tab to use the instance in your browser, which works without a network. **Open console** and **Manage access** open those tabs. An instance with no address shows **No public address** and **Open Network**, where you attach a floating IP.

**Details**
: The **Operating system**, the **Size** as vCPU, memory and disk, the **Plan**, the **Location** and when the instance was **Created**.

**Cost this month**
: For an instance billed by use, the amount so far this month, with a line that says what we bill. An instance with a flat price says so. **See cost and billing** opens the **Billing** tab, which has the rates, the estimate and the plan. [How Cloud Compute is billed](/docs/cloud-compute/how-billing-works/) explains the figure.

## Start or stop the instance

1. On the **Status** card, select **Start** or **Stop**.
2. A message confirms `Starting.` or `Shutting down.` The status changes a few seconds later.

[Start, stop and restart an instance](/docs/cloud-compute/power/) describes every power action, including **Kill…** in the **Instance actions** menu of the header.

## Result

You see the instance's state and its addresses, and you can copy the command that signs you in.

## Related

- [Connect to an instance over SSH](/docs/cloud-compute/connect-to-an-instance/)
- [Use an instance's console](/docs/cloud-compute/console/)
- [Manage an instance's password and SSH keys](/docs/cloud-compute/access/)