Introduction to AWS EC2 Instances and Their Importance

Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) is one of AWS’s core services. It allows users to rent virtual servers (instances) for running applications, websites, or other workloads. EC2 provides scalable, secure, and cost-effective computing resources, empowering startups and enterprises to deploy applications with flexibility and efficiency. Ubuntu, a widespread Linux distribution, is often chosen for EC2 instances due to its user-friendly interface, extensive community support, and compatibility with cloud environments.

Prerequisites for Setting Up an AWS EC2 Instance

Before starting, ensure you have:

  1. An AWS account – Sign up at aws.amazon.com if you don’t have one.
  2. Basic AWS IAM permissions – Access to EC2, VPC, and related resources.
  3. AWS CLI (optional but recommended) – Install for additional management options.

Step-by-Step Guide to Launching an EC2 Instance

  1. Log in to the AWS Console – Visit the AWS Management Console and sign in.
  2. Navigate to EC2 Dashboard – Choose “EC2” from the Services menu to access the EC2 Dashboard.
  3. Launch an Instance – Click the “Launch Instance” button to start the setup.
  4. Choose an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) – Select Ubuntu from the list of AMIs. Standard options include “Ubuntu Server 20.04 LTS” or “Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS.”
  5. Select an Instance Type – Choose an instance type based on your workload requirements. For testing, the free-tier-eligible t2.micro is a good option.
  6. Configure Instance Details – Specify the number of instances, networking options, and IAM roles if required.
  7. Add Storage – Add EBS volumes as needed. By default, an 8GB root volume is provided.
  8. Add Tags – Tag your instance for easy identification, e.g., “Name: MyUbuntuServer.”
  9. Configure Security Group – Set up inbound and outbound rules. For SSH access, ensure port 22 is open to your IP.
  10. Review and Launch: Verify all settings, then click “Launch.” When prompted, download the key pair for SSH access.

Configuring Network Settings for Secure Access

When configuring the security group:

  1. Restrict SSH Access—You can Limit SSH access to your IP address by selecting “My IP” instead of allowing public access.
  2. Add Custom Rules – Based on application requirements, you can open additional ports (e.g., HTTP on port 80, HTTPS on port 443) for web traffic.
  3. Enable VPC Settings—For additional security, Place instances within a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) subnet, restricting access to the public Internet unless necessary.

Connecting to Your EC2 Instance: A Detailed Walkthrough

Once the instance is running:

  1. Obtain the Public IP Address – Find the instance’s public IP in the EC2 Dashboard.
  2. Open Terminal and SSH into the Instance:
    ssh -i /path/to/your-key.pem ubuntu@your-public-ip

Replace /path/to/your-key.pem with the path to your downloaded key pair and your-public-ip with the instance’s IP address.

  1. Manage Permissions – If you encounter a permissions error, set the critical file’s permissions to read-only:
    chmod 400 /path/to/your-key.pem

Best Practices for Managing and Stopping Your EC2 Instance

  1. Stop When Idle – Save on costs by stopping instances when not in use. Navigate to the EC2 Dashboard, select the instance, and choose “Stop” from the instance actions menu.
  2. Set Up Backups – Regularly create snapshots of your instance volumes or create AMIs for recovery.
  3. Monitor Access Logs – Regularly review SSH access logs using:
    sudo cat /var/log/auth.log
  4. Use Cost Optimization Tools – Tag instances and Cost Explorer to track expenses (details below).

Exploring AWS Cost Explorer for EC2 Usage Monitoring

AWS Cost Explorer helps you understand your EC2 spending patterns:

  1. Access Cost Explorer – Go to the Billing and Cost Management console and select “Cost Explorer.”
  2. Filter by Service – Choose “EC2” to view instance-related costs.
  3. Set Up Budgets and Alerts – Create a cost budget for your EC2 usage and receive alerts when the threshold is reached.
  4. Analyze Cost Trends – Use historical data to optimize future spending and identify instances running unnecessarily.

Conclusion

Setting up an AWS EC2 instance with Ubuntu opens the door to flexible, scalable computing. This guide lets you launch, connect, secure, and manage your instance effectively while monitoring costs. EC2 provides the backbone for various applications, from simple websites to complex workloads, giving you control over your cloud resources.

References

Get started with Amazon EC2

Create an Ubuntu Amazon EC2 instance