Blogs by Ashwin

  Create an instance store-backed AMI The AMI you choose when launching your instance dictates the kind of root device volume. To generate an instance store-backed Linux AMI, begin with an instance that was launched from an existing instance store-backed Linux AMI. After personalizing the instance to meet your requirements, bundle the volume and register a new AMI, which can be used to launch additional instances with these modifications. It is not possible to create an instance-store backed Windows AMI since Windows AMIs do not support instance store for the root device. Overview of AMI Creation Initially, start an instance using an AMI that is similar to the one you wish to create. You can connect to your instance and modify it as needed. Once your instance is configured to your specifications, you can proceed to bundle it. The bundling process may take several minutes to finish. After this process concludes, you will have a bundle that includes an image manifest and files outlin...

  Create an Amazon EBS-backed AMI You can generate your own Amazon EBS-backed AMI from an Amazon EC2 instance or a snapshot of the root volume of an Amazon EC2 instance. To generate an Amazon EBS-backed AMI from an instance, begin by launching an instance using an existing Amazon EBS-backed AMI. This AMI could be one sourced from the AWS Marketplace, made through VM Import/Export, or any other AMI that you have access to. After you modify the instance to suit your particular needs, create and register a new AMI. You can then utilize the new AMI to launch additional instances with your modifications. The AMI creation process is different for instance store-backed AMIs. Overview of AMI creation from an instance The steps below outline how to create an Amazon EBS-backed AMI from an active EC2 instance: Begin with an existing AMI, start an instance, personalize it, generate a new AMI from that instance, and ultimately launch an instance using your newly created AMI. AMI #1: Start with ...

  Introduction An Amazon Machine Image (AMI) is an image that includes the necessary software setup to initialize and run an instance. When launching an instance, you need to select an AMI. You have the option to utilize AMIs offered by Amazon or to create your own. The AMI has to be in the AWS Region where you plan to launch your instance. The lifecycle of an AMI includes creating, copying, deprecating, disabling, and deleting (deregistering) the AMI. Create AMIs Although Amazon offers AMIs for launching your instances, you have the option to develop custom AMIs that suit your specific requirements. To create a personalized AMI, start by launching an instance from a pre-existing AMI, make your customizations to the instance (such as installing software and adjusting operating system settings), and then generate an AMI from that instance. All customizations made to the instance will be preserved in the new AMI, ensuring that any instances launched from it will incorporate those...

  About A paid AMI refers to an AMI available for purchase in the AWS Marketplace. The AWS Marketplace serves as an online shop where you can acquire software that operates on AWS, including AMIs for launching your EC2 instances. In the AWS Marketplace, AMIs are categorized, such as under Developer Tools, to help you discover products that meet your needs. You can buy AMIs from third-party vendors in the AWS Marketplace, which may include AMIs that come with service agreements from companies like Red Hat. Additionally, you have the option to create your own AMI and sell it in the AWS Marketplace to other users of Amazon EC2. Creating a secure, reliable, and user-friendly AMI for public use is a relatively simple task if you adhere to a few basic guidelines. Launching an instance using a paid AMI is identical to launching one with any other AMI. There are no extra parameters needed. The charges for the instance are based on the rates established by the AMI's owner, along with the re...

  Introduction When you start an instance with the EC2 launch instance wizard in the Amazon EC2 console, you have the option to choose an AMI from the provided list or select a Systems Manager parameter that references an AMI ID (as explained in this section). If you utilize automation scripts to initiate your instances, you can indicate the Systems Manager parameter instead of the AMI ID. A Systems Manager parameter is a key-value pair defined by the customer that can be created in the Systems Manager Parameter Store. The Parameter Store offers a centralized repository for externalizing your application configuration settings. When a parameter that refers to an AMI ID is defined, make sure to indicate the data type as aws:ec2:image. This specification guarantees that when the parameter is created or updated, the value of the parameter is checked to confirm it is a valid AMI ID. Use Case Using Systems Manager parameters to reference AMI IDs makes it simpler for your users to ...

  Introduction Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) are images that deliver the necessary software to set up and initiate an Amazon EC2 instance. Each AMI includes a block device mapping that outlines the block devices to be connected to the instances you launch. When launching an instance, you must provide an AMI. The AMI needs to be compatible with the instance type you selected for your instance. You can utilize an AMI offered by AWS, a public AMI, one that has been shared with you by someone else, or an AMI purchased from the AWS Marketplace. An AMI is specific to the following:  Region Operating System Processor Architecture Root Device Type Virtualization Type You can initiate several instances from a single AMI when you need multiple instances with identical settings. Different AMIs can be utilized to launch instances when you need instances with varying configurations. You can generate an AMI from your Amazon EC2 instances and subsequently use it to launch instances that hav...

  Security  • Manage access to AWS resources and APIs using identity federation with an identity provider and IAM roles whenever possible. • Implement the least permissive rules for your security group. • Regularly patch, update, and secure the operating system and applications on your instance. • Use Amazon Inspector to automatically discover and scan Amazon EC2 instances for software vulnerabilities and unintended network exposure.  • Use AWS Security Hub controls to monitor your Amazon EC2 resources against security best practices and security standards. • Understand the implications of the root device type for data persistence, backup, and recovery.  • Use separate Amazon EBS volumes for the operating system versus your data. Ensure that the volume with your data persists after instance termination.  • Use the instance store available for your instance to store temporary data. Remember that the data stored in instance store is deleted when you stop, hibernat...

  Overview The following diagram shows the key components: • An image-  A template that contains the software to run on your instance, such as the operating system. • A key pair-  A set of security credentials that you use to prove your identity when connecting to your instance. The public key is on your instance and the private key is on your computer. • A network-  A virtual private cloud (VPC) is a virtual network dedicated to your AWS account. To help you get started quickly, your account comes with a default VPC in each AWS Region, and each default VPC has a default subnet in each Availability Zone. • A security group-  Acts as a virtual firewall to control inbound and outbound traffic. • An EBS volume-  We require a root volume for the image. You can optionally add data volumes. Step 1: Launch an Instance 1. Open the Amazon EC2 console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2/. 2. In the navigation bar at the top of the screen, we display t...

  Access Amazon EC2 You can create and manage your Amazon EC2 instances using the following interfaces: Amazon EC2 Console- An easy-to-use web interface for creating and handling Amazon EC2 instances and resources. After registering for an AWS account, you can enter the Amazon EC2 console by logging into the AWS Management Console and choosing EC2 from the homepage. AWS Command Line Interface- A llows you to engage with AWS services through commands in your command-line interface. It is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. AWS Cloud Formation- Amazon EC2 allows for the creation of resources through AWS CloudFormation. You design a template in either JSON or YAML format that outlines your AWS resources, and AWS CloudFormation handles the provisioning and configuration of those resources on your behalf. You have the ability to reuse your CloudFormation templates to deploy the same resources numerous times, whether within the same Region and account or across d...

  What is Amazon EC2?  Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) offers scalable computing power on demand within the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud. Utilizing Amazon EC2 helps lower hardware expenses, enabling quicker development and deployment of applications. You can launch any number of virtual servers based on your needs, set up security and networking, and oversee storage. It's possible to increase capacity (scale up) to manage computationally intensive tasks, such as monthly or annual operations, or during traffic surges on your website. When demand decreases, you can also decrease capacity (scale down) as needed.  An EC2 instance functions as a virtual server within the AWS Cloud. When you initiate an EC2 instance, the instance type you choose dictates the hardware configuration available for your instance. Each instance type provides a distinct combination of computing power, memory, networking, and storage capabilities. Features of Amazon EC2 Amazon EC2 provide...