UPDATED Amazon/AWS EC2 Basics | Create an EC2 Instance | AWS Tutorials for Beginners

Summary

In this tutorial, we follow Sophia and Alex, startup founders, who face challenges when their website crashes due to increased traffic. Sophia suggests switching to AWS EC2 for scalable and cost-efficient cloud hosting. The video walks viewers through the process of setting up an EC2 instance, from selecting an operating system to configuring security and storage options. It also explains how to connect to a Windows instance via RDP and how to stop or terminate instances to manage costs. This tutorial is perfect for beginners wanting to learn about cloud hosting and EC2's capabilities.

Takeaways

• 😀 EC2 allows startups to move from physical servers to virtual cloud instances, reducing hardware overhead.
• 😀 EC2 instances are scalable, meaning you can easily adjust server capacity as your website or app traffic grows.
• 😀 With EC2, you pay only for what you use, making it cost-effective compared to owning and maintaining physical servers.
• 😀 EC2 instances are reliable, with Amazon’s global infrastructure ensuring automatic server replacement if one fails.
• 😀 AWS EC2 integrates seamlessly with other AWS services like storage, networking, and security, providing a cohesive cloud environment.
• 😀 The free tier of EC2 provides an option for startups to try out AWS services at no cost for the first 12 months.
• 😀 When launching an EC2 instance, selecting the right AMI (Amazon Machine Image) determines your operating system and pre-installed applications.
• 😀 The EC2 instance type you select determines your server’s CPU, memory, and pricing. Options are available to match different needs.
• 😀 The security settings for your EC2 instance, including firewall rules and remote access configurations, can be customized during setup.
• 😀 After launching an EC2 instance, it can take a few minutes to fully initialize before you can connect and start using it.
• 😀 To avoid unexpected charges, make sure to stop or terminate your EC2 instances when you no longer need them. Stopping keeps the storage but stops the compute charges, while terminating deletes everything and halts all charges.

Q & A

What is EC2, and why is it useful for startups?

EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) is a service provided by AWS that allows you to rent virtual servers to run your applications. It's useful for startups because it eliminates the need for physical hardware, provides scalability to handle growing traffic, and operates on a pay-as-you-go model, reducing upfront costs.

What happened to Sophia's company's server, and how did they decide to solve it?

Sophia's company's server crashed due to increased traffic after their website was mentioned on Reddit. They decided to solve the problem by migrating to AWS EC2, which would provide more reliable and scalable hosting.

What is an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) in the context of EC2?

An AMI is a pre-configured template in EC2 that defines the operating system and pre-installed software for the instance. It allows users to quickly launch instances with specific setups.

What are some of the benefits of using EC2 over traditional physical servers?

EC2 offers several benefits including scalability (easily add or remove servers), reliability (AWS infrastructure ensures minimal downtime), integration with other AWS services, and cost efficiency (you pay only for the resources you use).

What instance type did the script's example choose, and why?

The script chose the `t2.micro` instance type, which is part of the free tier offered by AWS. This option provides 1 virtual CPU and 1GB of RAM, making it suitable for small-scale use and for users who are just starting with EC2.

What is the difference between stopping and terminating an EC2 instance?

Stopping an EC2 instance shuts it down temporarily but retains the data on the attached storage, which still incurs storage costs. Terminating an instance completely removes the instance and its associated storage, stopping all charges for that instance.

What is a key pair in AWS, and why is it important?

A key pair in AWS is used for securely connecting to your EC2 instance. It consists of a public key (stored in AWS) and a private key (downloaded by the user). The private key is essential for decrypting the password for Windows instances or for SSH access to Linux instances.

How does AWS handle traffic increases to EC2 instances?

AWS EC2 allows you to scale your instances easily, either manually or automatically using autoscaling. If traffic increases, you can quickly add more instances to handle the load, ensuring your application remains stable and responsive.

What role do security groups play in EC2 instance configuration?

Security groups in AWS function as firewalls that control the inbound and outbound traffic to your EC2 instances. They define which types of traffic are allowed (e.g., HTTP, RDP), helping protect your instance from unauthorized access.

Why is it important to terminate an EC2 instance if you're done with it?

It’s important to terminate an EC2 instance to avoid ongoing charges. While stopping an instance only halts its compute usage, terminating it completely removes the instance and its associated storage, ensuring you are not billed further.