Step into the Cloud: Begin Your Journey with AWS EC2

In this blog, we'll explore how to launch and connect to an EC2 instance. An instance is essentially a virtual server in the AWS Cloud. With Amazon EC2, you have the flexibility to set up and configure the operating system and applications that run on your instance.

Overview

The following diagram shows the key components to start with:

• 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.

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Setting up the Server

Create your EC2 resources and launch your EC2 instance:

You can refer to the official docs for detailed EC2 instance creation- https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/EC2_GetStarted.html#ec2-launch-instance

Steps for launching an EC2 instance in the free tier service

• Log in to AWS Management Console: Navigate to the EC2 Dashboard.

  • https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2/.

• Launch Instance: Click on the "Launch Instance" button.

• Name your server

  

• Choose an Amazon Machine Image (AMI):

  • Select an Amazon Linux 2023 AMI (Free tier eligible).

    

• Choose an Instance Type:

  • Select an instance type (e.g., t2.micro for free tier eligibility).

    

• Create key pair:

  • Create a key pair to connect with the instance securely.

    

    

• Configure Instance:

  • Proceed with the default settings, or adjust according to your needs.

    

• Add Storage:

  • Modify the storage options if necessary.

    

• Launch Your instance:

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Connecting securely to Amazon EC2 instance

AWS Document to Connect to Your Instance Using SSH

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Putty

Step 1: Download and Install PuTTY

1. Download PuTTY and PuTTYgen from the official site:
   🔗 https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/latest.html

2. Install PuTTY on your computer.

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Step 2: Convert the .pem Key to .ppk Using PuTTYgen

AWS provides a .pem key, but PuTTY requires a .ppk key. Convert it using PuTTYgen:

1. Open PuTTYgen.

2. Click "Load" and select your .pem private key.

   

3. Click "Save private key", give it a name, and save it as a .ppk file.

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Step 3: Get the Public IP of Your EC2 Instance

1. Log in to AWS Console → Open EC2 Dashboard.

2. Select your running EC2 instance.

3. Copy the Public IPv4 Address (e.g., 52.15.220.100).

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Step 4: Connect to EC2 Using PuTTY

1. Open PuTTY.

2. In the Host Name (or IP Address) field, enter:

   Example: ec2-user@52.15.220.100

   

3. In the Category section (left sidebar), expand SSH → Select Auth → Credentials.

4. Click Browse and select the .ppk private key file you converted.

5. Click Open to start the session.

6. If prompted with a security alert, click Yes.

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Step 5: Login to EC2 Instance

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• If using an Amazon Linux/Ubuntu instance, enter: ec2-user

• If using an Ubuntu instance, use: ubuntu

• For CentOS, use: centos

Once logged in, you can run commands on your EC2 instance!

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Alternatives to PuTTY

• Windows PowerShell (with OpenSSH)

• MobaXterm

• Termius

• Git Bash (for Windows)

• WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)

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WinSCP

For easy configuration and file transfer from your Windows system, you can use WinSCP.

Additionally, you can utilize the Putty terminal for the command line.

• Download- WinSCP :: Official Site :: Download

• Connecting securely to Amazon EC2 server with SFTP :: WinSCP

With WinSCP you can easily upload and manage files on your Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) instance/server over SFTP protocol.

Conclusion

Launching and connecting to an AWS EC2 instance is a straightforward process that involves setting up key components such as an image, key pair, network, security group, and EBS volume. By following the steps outlined, you can successfully create and manage your virtual server in the AWS Cloud. Whether using PuTTY or WinSCP, you can securely connect to your instance and manage files efficiently. This guide provides a solid foundation for getting started with AWS EC2, enabling you to harness the power of cloud computing for your applications and services.

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