AWS EC2 Tutorial

What is AWS EC2?

Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) is a web service that provides resizable compute
capacity in the cloud. It allows users to run virtual machines (VMs) called "instances" on-
demand. EC2 instances are scalable, meaning you can start with a small instance and scale up or
down as your needs change.

Key Features:

1. Scalable: You can increase or decrease the size of your instances to meet the changing
demands of your application.
2. Pay-as-you-go: You only pay for what you use, which reduces costs.
3. Customizable: You can choose the operating system, instance type, and more.
4. Secure: Integrates with AWS security services (e.g., IAM, VPC).
5. High Availability: Instances can be deployed across multiple regions and availability
zones.
6. Flexible: Support for different OS (Linux, Windows, macOS), including custom AMIs
(Amazon Machine Images).

Step-by-Step EC2 Setup Tutorial

Step 1: Sign in to AWS Management Console

1. Open the AWS Management Console.

2. Sign in with your AWS account.

Step 2: Launch an EC2 Instance

1. In the AWS Console, search for "EC2" and click on it.

2. Click on Launch Instance to begin the creation of a new EC2 instance.
3. Choose an Amazon Machine Image (AMI):
o Select an AMI. You can choose between Amazon Linux, Ubuntu, Windows, etc.
4. Choose an Instance Type:
o Select the type of EC2 instance based on your needs (e.g., t2.micro for small
workloads).
5. Configure Instance:
o Configure your instance settings (e.g., network, IAM role).
o You can leave most options as default for now.
6. Add Storage:
o You can add additional storage if needed.
7. Add Tags:
o Add tags to identify your instance (optional).
8. Configure Security Group:
o Choose an existing security group or create a new one.
 oFor example, allow SSH (port 22) for Linux or RDP (port 3389) for Windows.
9. Review and Launch:
o Review your settings and click Launch.
o When prompted, select a key pair for SSH access (you can create a new one).

Step 3: Connect to Your Instance

Once your instance is running:

1. Go to the EC2 Dashboard.

2. Find your instance and copy the Public IP.
3. Linux/Unix:
o Use SSH to connect:
ssh -i /path/to/your-key.pem ec2-user@your-instance-public-ip
4. Windows:
o Use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to connect using the instance's Public IP.

Step 4: Manage Your EC2 Instance

You can stop, start, or terminate your EC2 instance at any time from the EC2 dashboard. Make
sure to manage the instance’s lifecycle carefully to avoid unnecessary charges.

Common AWS EC2 Interview Questions and Answers

1. What is EC2 in AWS?

Answer: Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) is a web service that provides resizable
compute capacity in the cloud. It is designed to make web-scale computing easier for developers.
You can launch virtual machines (known as instances) on-demand, which allows you to run
applications without having to invest in physical hardware.

2. What are the different types of EC2 instances?

Answer: AWS offers various instance types optimized for different workloads:

 General Purpose (e.g., t2, m5)

 Compute Optimized (e.g., c5, c6g)
 Memory Optimized (e.g., r5, x1e)
 Storage Optimized (e.g., i3, d2)
 Accelerated Computing (e.g., p3, inf1)

Each type is designed to meet specific needs, such as better CPU performance, memory, storage,
or GPU capabilities.
3. What is the difference between On-Demand, Reserved, and Spot instances?

Answer:

 On-Demand Instances: Pay for compute capacity by the hour or second with no long-
term commitment. Ideal for short-term, irregular workloads.
 Reserved Instances: Commit to a one- or three-year term, offering savings in exchange
for the commitment. Best for predictable workloads.
 Spot Instances: Purchase unused EC2 capacity at a discounted price. These instances can
be terminated by AWS with little notice, so they’re best suited for fault-tolerant and
flexible workloads.

4. What is an AMI (Amazon Machine Image)?

Answer: An AMI is a template that contains the software configuration (OS, application server,
applications) required to launch an instance. You can use AWS-provided AMIs or create your
own custom AMIs for more specific needs.

5. What is an EC2 Key Pair?

Answer: An EC2 key pair is used for secure login to an EC2 instance. The key pair consists of a
public key (stored on the instance) and a private key (kept by the user). When you launch an
instance, you associate it with a key pair to enable SSH (for Linux) or RDP (for Windows)
access.

6. What is the difference between an Elastic IP and a Public IP?

Answer:

 Public IP: A dynamic IP address that is assigned to an instance when it is launched. It

may change when the instance is stopped and started.
 Elastic IP: A static, public IP address that is associated with your AWS account. It
remains the same, even if the instance is stopped and started.

7. What are Security Groups in EC2?

Answer: Security groups act as a virtual firewall for EC2 instances, controlling inbound and
outbound traffic. You can define rules based on protocols, IP ranges, and ports to control access
to your instances. Security groups are stateful, meaning if you allow inbound traffic, the
corresponding outbound traffic is automatically allowed.

8. What is Auto Scaling in AWS EC2?

Answer: Auto Scaling allows you to automatically scale your EC2 instances up or down based
on predefined conditions, such as CPU utilization or traffic load. This helps maintain application
performance and optimize costs by only using the resources you need.
9. What are EBS volumes?

Answer: Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) provides block-level storage that can be attached to
EC2 instances. EBS volumes are persistent, meaning the data remains intact even after the
instance is stopped or terminated. You can use EBS for databases, file systems, and more.

10. How can you improve the security of EC2 instances?

Answer:

 Use Security Groups to control inbound and outbound traffic.

 Enable SSH key pairs for secure login instead of passwords.
 Use IAM Roles for permission management.
 Implement VPC (Virtual Private Cloud) to isolate your EC2 instances.
 Enable encryption for EBS volumes and data at rest.
 Use CloudWatch for monitoring and alerting to detect unusual activity.

Additional EC2 Concepts:

 Elastic Load Balancing (ELB): Distributes incoming traffic across multiple EC2
instances to ensure high availability and fault tolerance.
 Amazon Machine Image (AMI): A pre-configured template that contains the software
environment for EC2 instances.
 Virtual Private Cloud (VPC): A virtual network that you can define for your EC2
instances to ensure security and control.

This should give you a solid foundation in both EC2 and interview prep. If you need more
information or a specific example, feel free to ask!

Attach
Search
Reason
Voice
?

Help us improve your experience

We use cookies and similar technologies to deliver, maintain, and improve our services, and for
security purposes. We also use these technologies to understand how users interact with our
services (including the eff