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GitLab Runner on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS — Support & Quick Start

GitLab Runner on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS — A pre-configured GitLab Runner: register it with your GitLab instance or gitlab.com and start executing CI/CD jobs in minutes. Published by Derek Coleman & Associates Inc on the Azure Marketplace, deployed in your own Azure subscription.

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At a glance

Application portsnone inbound (runner connects outbound)
Service(s)gitlab-runner
Configuration/etc/gitlab-runner/config.toml (written by `gitlab-runner register`)
Logsjournalctl -u gitlab-runner -f
VersionGitLab Runner (official apt repository, current at build; Docker executor available)
PlatformMicrosoft Azure

Quick start

  1. Deploy from the Azure Marketplace (Get It Now → Create), choosing your SSH key at the Administration step.
  2. Allow inbound SSH (22) for yourself only — the runner itself needs no inbound ports.
  3. In GitLab, create the runner (CI/CD → Runners → New runner) and copy the runner authentication token it shows (`glrt-…`).
  4. On the VM: `sudo gitlab-runner register --non-interactive --url "<your GitLab URL>" --token "glrt-…" --executor docker --docker-image alpine:latest` (see First login below).
  5. Watch your first job land: the runner appears under your project or group's CI/CD → Runners within a minute of registration.

First login

  1. No web login exists. GitLab's current flow is a RUNNER AUTHENTICATION TOKEN: create the runner first in your project, group or Admin area (CI/CD → Runners → New instance/project runner), copy the token it shows — it starts with `glrt-` — then register with it.
  2. Register non-interactively: `sudo gitlab-runner register --non-interactive --url "https://gitlab.com/" --token "glrt-…" --executor docker --docker-image alpine:latest --description "azure-runner"` (or run `sudo gitlab-runner register` and answer the prompts). Docker is pre-installed and the gitlab-runner user is already in the docker group.
  3. The older `--registration-token` flow is deprecated upstream and scheduled for removal in GitLab 20.0 — do not use it for a new runner.
  4. Zero-touch alternative: deploy the VM with the tags `GitlabUrl` and `GitlabToken` and first boot registers for you. ⚠ That path still passes the token on the legacy `--registration-token` flag, so a `glrt-` authentication token will NOT register that way — register by hand (above) until a newer image ships. Check with `sudo gitlab-runner list`.
  5. The service is enabled; after registration jobs are picked up automatically (`sudo gitlab-runner status`).

Still stuck?

Email support@dcassociatesgroup.com (response within 1 business day) or send a message via the contact form. Include the offer name, VM size, region, and any log output — sudo journalctl -u <service> -n 100 usually tells the story.