AWS Part 1 — Introduction to Cloud and EC2

Amazon Web Services (AWS) introduces the fundamentals of cloud computing and Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud), focusing on how to launch, configure, and connect to virtual servers in the cloud. The key takeaway is that EC2 provides secure, resizable compute capacity, allowing you to run applications without investing in physical hardware.

🌐 Introduction to Cloud Computing

• Cloud computing delivers IT resources (servers, storage, databases, networking, software) over the internet.

• Benefits include:

  • On-demand access: No upfront hardware costs.

  • Scalability: Easily scale resources up or down.

  • Pay-as-you-go pricing: Pay only for what you use.

  • Global reach: Deploy applications across multiple regions.

⚡ Amazon EC2 Overview

• Amazon EC2 is a web service that provides virtual servers (instances) in the AWS cloud.

• Key features:

  • Secure and resizable compute capacity.

  • Wide choice of instance types for different workloads.

  • Integration with other AWS services like S3 (storage) and RDS (databases).

• Use cases: Hosting websites, running applications, big data analytics, machine learning, and disaster recovery.

🖥️ Steps to Launch Your First EC2 Instance

1. Log in to AWS

   • Create an AWS account and access the AWS Management Console.

   • Free Tier offers 750 hours/month of t2.micro instances for 12 months.

2. Choose an AMI

   • An Amazon Machine Image (AMI) is a template with the OS and software.

   • Example: Amazon Linux 2 AMI (Free Tier eligible).

3. Select Instance Type

   • Start with t2.micro (low-cost, general-purpose).

4. Configure Instance

   • Set up security groups (firewall rules).

   • Attach storage volumes (EBS).

5. Create Key Pair

   • Used for secure SSH/RDP access.

   • Download the .pem file for authentication.

6. Connect to Instance

   • Use EC2 Instance Connect (browser-based) or SSH terminal.

7. Terminate Instance

   • Important to avoid charges when not in use.

🔑 Key Concepts

• Security Groups: Virtual firewalls controlling inbound/outbound traffic.

• Elastic Block Store (EBS): Persistent storage volumes for EC2.

• Virtual Private Cloud (VPC): Isolated network environment for your instances.

• Free Tier: Helps beginners experiment without cost.

⚠️ Risks & Best Practices

• Cost management: Always terminate unused instances to avoid charges.

• Security: Protect your key pairs and configure firewall rules carefully.

• Scalability: Choose the right instance type to balance performance and cost.