RStudio Workbench for Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is an on-demand, commercially-licensed, integrated development environment (IDE). It offers all of the capabilities found in the popular RStudio open-source IDE, plus turnkey convenience, enhanced security, additional development environments, the ability to manage multiple R versions and sessions, and more. See https://www.rstudio.com/products/rstudio/ for additional features.
Step-by-step instructions and pricing for RStudio Workbench for GCP are found at this link. For information on configuring RStudio Workbench, please see the administration guide. Additional questions are addressed below.
Why would I buy RStudio Workbench for GCP, rather than RStudio Workbench to install on my own Google Cloud servers or my internal IT servers?
Not all data science projects are alike. RStudio RStudio Workbench for GCP is designed for R users who want the convenience of choosing different computing instances for RStudio Workbench whenever a project requires it (hourly pricing), or those who want the convenience of hosting a persistent instance of RStudio Workbench ready to go on Google Cloud without having to purchase it separately from us.
Does RStudio Workbench for GCP have all the same features as the on-premises RStudio Workbench product?
Yes. This solution is identical. The biggest difference is that it is a pre-configured server with R, Python, RStudio, and several packages nicely configured for a turnkey experience.
Why would I buy RStudio Workbench for GCP, rather than the open-source version of RStudio Server?
RStudio Workbench has several features that differentiate it from the open-source edition, which you can read about here. The main advantages of using RStudio Workbench for GCP are support for multiple sessions, support for multiple versions of R, support for multiple IDEs, the ability to fine-tune the performance of the user experience, the ability to monitor the performance of sessions/users, and a commercial license to remove the restrictions of the AGPL license.
What version of R is part of the default installation for RStudio Workbench for GCP?
RStudio Workbench for GCP comes with R versions 4.1.2, 4.0.5, 3.6.3, 3.5.3, and 3.4.4 preinstalled.
What version of Python is part of the default installation for RStudio Workbench for GCP?
RStudio Workbench for GCP comes with Python version 3.8.9 preinstalled.
What packages are pre-installed with RStudio Workbench for GCP?
The server comes preconfigured with several of the most common R packages and system libraries to minimize the time to get started.
The list of pre-installed system packages can be viewed by running the following command on the host:
apt list --installed
The list of pre-installed R libraries can be found by viewing the Packages pane in the RStudio Workbench interface.
How do I upload other packages, or a different version of R for RStudio Workbench for GCP?
You can install any version of R or any package on your Google Cloud instance of RStudio Workbench. RStudio Workbench for GCP is simply an Ubuntu Focal GCL instance with some extra packages. Customizations are done via SSH just as with any other GCL instance. You will need to pick a key to install during the run instance steps that will allow you to make changes to your environment or access the instance over browser-based SSH.
Can I purchase and install RStudio Workbench on servers managed by my organization’s IT team?
Yes! You can purchase RStudio Workbench at www.rstudio.com, or by contacting sales@rstudio.com.
Can I perform an in-place upgrade of RStudio Workbench?
In-place upgrades for RStudio Workbench are not supported through the marketplace. If you would like an upgraded version of RStudio Workbench, you will need to choose an updated marketplace offering if one is available, or install and configure the latest version on your infrastructure. A guideline for updating marketplace offerings is available here.
Does RStudio Workbench for GCP come with technical support from RStudio?
Yes, but only for RStudio Workbench issues specifically. We do not support Linux, GCL, or R itself. If you are having trouble, you can consult the following resources:
- For Linux issues, please consult the Ubuntu documentation.
- For GCL issues, please see their documentation here.
- For help with R and R packages, please see the resources listed in this support article.
- For RStudio Workbench configuration questions, please see the administration guide.
- For help with the IDE, the support documentation and community forum are excellent resources.
If you believe you have found a bug in RStudio Workbench itself, or you wish to give feedback on the product, please contact us at gcl-feedback@rstudio.com and we will provide assistance over email. Note that RStudio support hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm US Eastern, so if you are having severe issues, we recommend pausing your GCL instance to avoid incurring costs while you wait for our response. Detailed information about our support program can be found here.
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