From order to first archive
This is more than a guide to logging in. Choose between two physical device tiers, select one of four Asia-Pacific nodes, then harden credentials, restore your toolchain, verify code and signing, connect your CI Runner, and validate the first task with a reproducible record.
Before you start
The preparation phase defines the device configuration, node, access methods, and data responsibilities. If any one is missing, environment recovery can turn into trial and error.
Confirm whether the repository uses SSH or short-lived access tokens, and list private dependencies, submodules, and artifact repositories. Do not copy long-lived personal private keys; generate a separate key for the Cloud Mac and grant only the permissions the project needs.
Organize certificates, provisioning profiles, Keychain access requirements, and archive export procedures. Migrate only sanitized copies needed for testing, record the import order and access controls, and never put complete credentials in the repository or build logs.
Choose a target node from Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong. Test the connection path from the actual office network first; for cross-region teams, validate separately from the primary operator's network and the CI source network.
Use a daily or weekly period for short-term validation, or a monthly or quarterly period for stable projects. Whichever you choose, define the backup location, artifact export directory, and owner responsible for migration before the rental ends.
Order and provisioning
Your order only needs a model, node, billing period, and options. Actual availability is determined by the live console status; both models are offered in all four available nodes.
NUMACS M4 Core M4 with 16GB RAM and a 256GB SSD—ideal for maintaining a single project, everyday debugging, and lightweight automation. NUMACS M4 Plus M4 with 24GB RAM and a 512GB SSD—better for multitask builds, larger dependency caches, and parallel testing.
Choose Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, or Hong Kong. Prefer the node with a stable path and low round-trip latency from the primary operator's network; test again from the Runner's network before connecting CI.
Rent by the day, week, month, or quarter. Cover environment recovery, the first build, fixes, and artifact export—do not estimate only by how long installation takes.
Large asset libraries, multiple Xcode versions, simulator runtimes, and long-lived build caches can quickly consume space. For additional capacity, choose +1TB SSD, +2TB SSD, or Thunderbolt 5 expansion when ordering.
First secure login
After receiving the device details, do not immediately import code and certificates. First rotate credentials, verify access paths, and check administrator permissions, then record the clean baseline.
After first entering the macOS graphical interface, set a unique strong password immediately. Do not reuse passwords from the repository, email, or shared team systems, and never put credentials in chat records or automation scripts.
Generate a key pair locally for this device and add the public key to the authorized list. After verifying key-based login, disable unnecessary access methods and record who owns key rotation.
Check resolution, keyboard layout, clipboard policy, and idle disconnect behavior. Use remote desktop for graphical tools and SSH for scripts and diagnostics; verify both paths independently.
Run one controlled administrator command to confirm that software installation and system settings work as expected. Do not bypass permission issues by disabling system security; first identify the command, file owner, and execution context.
Migration paths
Do not copy the entire local directory at once. Data, the toolchain, and CI fail for different reasons; migrating them separately enables quick rollback and helps identify whether the issue is with files, versions, or the execution environment.
Migrate the repository, configuration inventory, and required assets first, then restore large caches as needed. Compare checksums or file counts, and avoid copying temporary directories, derived data, and outdated archives.
Reinstall Xcode, Homebrew, Ruby, Node.js, and the package managers from the version inventory. Lock files are the source of truth for recovery; caches only speed things up and cannot replace a reproducible installation process.
Register a dedicated Runner and set the working directory, cache boundaries, concurrency limit, and failure-log retention. Run an unsigned test task first, then add archive and export steps incrementally.
Development environment installation
The most common issue on a new device is not a missing tool but version drift. Restore a combination that builds reliably, then test upgrades on a separate branch.
| Layer | Content to pin | Recovery method | Acceptance evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| macOS | The system major version and patch range validated by the project | Record the current system first; do not cross major versions during the initial migration | sw_vers |
| Xcode | Xcode version, command-line tools path, and SDK | Install the specified version and explicitly select the developer directory | xcodebuild -version |
| Homebrew | Brewfile, repository source, and key tool versions | Reinstall from the inventory; do not copy the old cache directory | brew bundle check |
| Ruby | Interpreter version, Bundler version, and Gemfile.lock | Restore using the project's version file, then install dependencies | ruby -v |
| Node.js | Runtime version, package manager version, and lock file | Install from the version file and restore in frozen-lockfile mode | node -v |
| Project dependencies | CocoaPods, Swift Package, and JavaScript dependencies | Restore in layers and retain separate logs for each failure | Dependency resolution without implicit upgrades |
After the first successful build, save the system, Xcode, Ruby, Node.js, package manager, and key dependency versions to the internal run record. During the next migration or troubleshooting session, compare the baseline before changing the environment.
sw_vers
xcodebuild -version
ruby -v
node -v
brew bundle checkCode and signing integration
Validate code checkout, dependency restoration, Keychain access, and archive export separately. Even if the production project fails, you can quickly determine whether the issue involves the repository, dependencies, or signing permissions.
Clone the repository with a dedicated SSH key and check submodule and private dependency access. Install dependencies in lockfile mode; do not update every dependency as part of the migration.
Import only sanitized signing assets needed for testing and restrict Keychain file permissions. Recovery codes, private keys, and complete payment credentials must never enter tickets, repositories, or shared logs.
Build, test, and archive the smallest test project first, then switch to the production project. A successful archive does not guarantee a successful export; save export logs and artifact checksum results separately.
CI Runner integration
The priority for Runner integration is not simply being online: job directories must be cleanable, caches bounded, concurrent jobs isolated, and failure logs retained.
Register a dedicated Runner and run only one unsigned environment-check task.
Add dependency restoration and unit tests, confirming success after clearing the cache.
Add the archive step and verify the scope of Keychain access in non-interactive sessions.
Add artifact export, checksum, and upload, and record the complete job-duration baseline.
First-task acceptance
Acceptance should cover the complete path from code checkout to artifact export, recording duration, available resources, and retry results. This record becomes the comparison baseline when upgrading the toolchain or switching projects.
Clone the target commit into an empty workspace, verify private dependencies, submodules, and repository permissions, and do not rely on leftovers from an old directory.
Restore all dependencies from the lock file, record cold- and warm-cache durations, and confirm that no versions were upgraded implicitly.
Run unit tests and required automation tests, recording failed cases, retry counts, and log locations.
Check the build configuration, signing identity, and archive location, and confirm that non-interactive and graphical-interface results match.
Verify that exported files are readable, record file sizes and checksums, and copy required artifacts to a separate backup location.
Save peak CPU usage, memory pressure, disk space before and after the build, total duration, and cache size for future anomaly comparisons.
Routine operations
NUMACS physical nodes operate normally 365 days a year. You still need to continuously manage caches, disk space, backups, and access credentials so project state does not exist on only one machine.
Review the workspace, DerivedData, simulator runtimes, package manager caches, and historical archives. Clean by source first; do not use full-disk deletion commands with an unclear scope.
After changing macOS, Xcode, Ruby, Node.js, or key dependencies, rerun tests and archiving, and record duration and failure differences before and after the change.
Rotate SSH keys, repository access tokens, and device passwords regularly. Revoke access immediately when a member leaves the project or permissions change; never share personal keys.
Before the rental ends, export code changes, build artifacts, the environment inventory, CI configuration, and required logs. Checksum the exported files and verify them by opening them elsewhere.
Choose a model, node, billing period, and options, then manage the order and device from one console. Payments are limited to USDT-TRC20 and Visa / Mastercard / Amex (via Stripe); all charges are settled in USD.