[[["易于理解","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["解决了我的问题","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["其他","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["很难理解","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["信息或示例代码不正确","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["没有我需要的信息/示例","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["翻译问题","translationIssue","thumb-down"],["其他","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["最后更新时间 (UTC):2025-08-21。"],[],[],null,["# Instances overview\n\nThis page introduces Spanner instances and their two primary characteristics,\ninstance configurations and compute capacity. \n\nOverview of instances\n---------------------\n\nTo use Spanner, you must first create a Spanner *instance*\nwithin your Google Cloud project. This instance is an allocation of resources\nthat is used by Spanner databases created in that instance.\n\nInstance creation includes the following important choices:\n\n- The [*edition*](/spanner/docs/editions-overview): Spanner's tier-based pricing model that provides different capabilities at different price points.\n- The [*instance configuration*](/spanner/docs/instance-configurations): defines the geographic placement and replication topology of the instance.\n- The [*compute capacity*](/spanner/docs/compute-capacity): the amount of server and storage resources that are available to the databases in an instance.\n\nOnce an instance is created, you can list, edit, or delete it.\nSpanner is a fully managed database service which oversees its\nown underlying tasks and resources, including monitoring and restarting\nprocesses when necessary with zero downtime. As there is no need to manually\nstop or restart a given instance, Spanner does not offer a way\nto do so.\n\nSpanner offers a 90-day free trial instance that lets you learn\nand explore Spanner features and capabilities at no cost for 90\ndays. To learn more, see\n[Spanner free trial instances overview](/spanner/docs/free-trial-instance).\n\nSpanner editions\n----------------\n\nSpanner offers different editions to support\nyour various business and application needs. To learn more, see the\n[Spanner editions overview](/spanner/docs/editions-overview).\n\nInstance configurations\n-----------------------\n\nAn instance configuration defines the geographic placement and replication of\nthe databases in that instance. When you create an instance, you must configure\nit as one of the following:\n\n- *Regional* : All resources are contained within a single Google Cloud [region](/docs/geography-and-regions).\n- *Dual-region*: Resources span two regions in a single country.\n- *Multi-region*: Resources span across multiple regions\n\nYou make this choice by selecting an instance configuration, which determines\nwhere your data is stored for that instance.\n\nTo learn more about instance configurations, see\n[Regional, dual-region, and multi-region configurations](/spanner/docs/instance-configurations).\n\nCompute capacity\n----------------\n\nCompute capacity defines amount of server and storage resources that are\navailable to the databases in an instance. When you create an instance, you\nspecify its compute capacity as a number of *processing units* or as a number of\n*nodes*, with 1000 processing units being equal to 1 node.\n\nWhich measurement unit you use does not matter unless you are creating an\ninstance whose compute capacity is smaller than 1000 processing units (1 node);\nin this case, you must use processing units to specify the compute capacity of\nthe instance.\n\nTo learn more about compute capacity, see [Compute capacity, nodes and processing units](/spanner/docs/compute-capacity).\n\nWhat's next\n-----------\n\n- Learn more about [Spanner editions](/spanner/docs/editions-overview).\n- Learn more about [regional, dual-region, and multi-region instance configurations](/spanner/docs/instance-configurations).\n- Learn more about [compute capacity, processing units, and nodes](/spanner/docs/compute-capacity).\n- Learn how to [Create a Spanner instance](/spanner/docs/create-manage-instances#create-instance)."]]