Lecture Notes: Introduction to AWS EC2 and Creating an Instance

Story Introduction

• Sophia works at a startup creating a website/app for locating tire air pumps.
• Her boss, Alex, has the idea after having trouble finding an air pump for his car.
• The startup uses an old Windows server donated by Sophia's uncle due to a limited budget.
• The website gains traffic after a mention on Reddit causing the server to crash.
• Sophia suggests using AWS and EC2 for scalable, reliable, and cost-effective hosting.

Understanding AWS EC2

• EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud): A virtual server rented in AWS.
  • Benefits:
    • Scalability: Easy to add more servers with features like auto scaling.
    • Reliability: Backup infrastructure globally, automatic replacements.
    • Integration: Works well with other AWS services (networking, storage, security).
    • Cost-effective: Pay as you use, no upfront hardware cost.

Launching an EC2 Instance

• AWS Management Console: Interface to create/manage EC2 instances.
• Steps to Launch an Instance:
  1. Choose AMI (Amazon Machine Image):
     • Base deployment unit with OS, application server, and software.
     • AWS provides various AMIs (Linux, Mac, Windows, etc.).
     • Select a free tier eligible AMI (e.g., Microsoft Windows Server 2019).
  2. Choose Instance Type:
     • Different combinations of CPU, memory, networking, and storage.
     • Select based on needs (e.g., T2 Micro for free tier).
  3. Configure Instance Details:
     • Pricing, networking (VPC, subnet), access management, shutdown behavior.
     • Default settings often sufficient; shutdown options: stop (temporary) or terminate (permanent).
  4. Add Storage:
     • Default EBS (Elastic Block Store) volume, 30GB SSD.
     • Option to add/change storage volumes.
  5. Add Tags:
     • Organize resources (e.g., environment: development).
  6. Configure Security Group:
     • Create firewall rules for traffic.
     • Default: RDP access, adjust as needed (best to restrict access).
  7. Review and Launch:
     • Verify settings, create key pair for login.
     • Launch instance and track status.

Connecting to an EC2 Instance

• Connection Methods:
  • RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) for Windows Server.
• Logging In:
  • Use key pair to decrypt password for administrator login.

Post-Launch Actions

• Terminate Instance:
  • Stop and terminate to avoid unnecessary costs.
  • Ensure all resources are properly managed and terminated if not in use.

Conclusion

• EC2 offers an efficient, scalable solution for startups like Sophia's.
• AWS provides powerful tools for managing server resources dynamically.
• Encourage feedback and suggestions for further learning.