MACHINE TEMPLATES FOR PREDETERMINED COMPUTE UNITS

Machine templates are described herein that provide for configuration and deployment of arrangements of physical computing components coupled over a communication fabric. A method includes presenting a user interface having indications of computing component types includable in a new template specifying at least an arrangement of physical computing components for inclusion in compute units. The method includes receiving selections made by a user for inclusion of selected physical computing component types within the new template, and determining properties of the selections to generalize an arrangement of the selected physical computing component types into a specification for the new template. The method includes storing the specification of the new template for subsequent usage in creation of a target compute unit based at least on the arrangement indicated by the new template.