Introduction

Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) allows you to rent virtual servers in the cloud. This guide provides a step-by-step process to launch your first EC2 instance.

Step-by-Step Guide to Launching an EC2 Instance

1. Choosing AMIs (Amazon Machine Images)

   AMIs are pre-configured templates containing the operating system and software you need. Select an AMI based on your requirements (e.g., Amazon Linux, Ubuntu, Windows). Consider the AMI's age and security updates.

   Do You Know?

   Amazon provides a wide variety of AMIs, both from Amazon and its partners. Choose one that best suits your needs and budget.

2. Selecting Instance Types

   Instance types define the compute capacity of your EC2 instance (CPU, memory, storage). Common types include:

   • General Purpose: Balanced CPU and memory, suitable for many applications.
   • Compute Optimized: High CPU performance for compute-intensive tasks.
   • Memory Optimized: Large memory for in-memory databases.

   Choose an instance type that meets your application's performance and cost requirements.

   Important Note

   Selecting the right instance type is crucial for performance and cost optimization. Incorrect selection can lead to suboptimal performance or excessive costs.

   Example: t2.micro (general purpose), c5.large (compute optimized)

3. Key Pair Creation for Secure SSH Access

   A key pair consists of a private key (keep this secret!) and a public key. The public key is added to your EC2 instance, allowing you to securely connect using SSH with your private key. Choose a strong key name.

   Avoid This

   Never share your private key with anyone. Losing your private key will prevent you from accessing your EC2 instance.

   #Example using ssh on linux/macOS
   ssh -i "my-key-pair.pem" ec2-user@

Summary

• Choose an appropriate AMI based on your operating system and software needs.
• Select an instance type that aligns with your application's resource requirements and budget.
• Create a strong key pair for secure access to your instance via SSH.