Amazon Web Services (AWS) Basics

Elastic Cloud Compute (EC2)

Want a server? Want a desktop? Want a database? VM? Elastic Cloud Computer, more affectionately know as EC2, is where you want to begin.

AWS’s EC2 allows your to seamlessly spin up a new instance (server) of most any type of end device or host.

This is accessible through the AWS Management Console > Services > Compute > EC2

How to Create an Instance

1. Launch Instance sends you to the “Launch instance wizard.”
   1. Select which Amazon Machine Image you want your instance to be.
      • An AMI is basically like a boot image and install image in one
   2. Select Instance Type
      • Instance types are the configurations and combinations you can choose.
      • Family (OS instance will run), Type (Identifier for instance), vCPUs, Memory, Instance Storage (if the instance will use EBS or SSDs, and how many), EBS-Optimized Available (if additional, dedicated throughput is available for instance), Network Performance, IPv6 Enabled
   3. Configure Instance Details
      • Purchasing Option (allows Spot Instances which dictates the most you are willing to pay. You aren’t guaranteed online instance if compared to on-demand instances), Placement group (allow for instance to have higher redundancy and throughput), Capacity Reservation (RSVP # of instances to an AZ)
      • And more!
   4. Add Storage
      • Add more volumes as you need! EBS volumes are the objects here
   5. Add Tags
      • Tags can be applied to volumes and instances. Ex. Key=Value. Doesn’t mean anything to AWS, but is there to give admins more control.
   6. Configure Security Groups
      • This is AWS’s way of saying ACLs.
   7. Review and Launch
      • You may need to download the private key to access your instance with SSH
2. Connect to Instance
   1. Connect to instances under Instances > Connect