One of the most popular AWS solutions is EC2 - the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud is a cloud service that allows businesses to run applications on the public cloud. As for EC2 instances, these are virtual servers that let you run applications without having to worry about infrastructure. Let us learn about EC2 instances, the types of instances, and how to create one in AWS.
What is an EC2 Instance in AWS?
In the AWS cloud solution ecosystem, an EC2 instance is a virtual server that offers you the basic infrastructure, like RAM, storage, and processing power to run your applications on the AWS ecosystem. EC2 instances are different from standard virtual machines. This is because AWS offers several unique properties that make EC2 instances a great option for businesses.
- EC2 offers auto-scaling - this feature helps businesses automatically manage their computing capacity based on their requirements.
- AWS EC2 instances are pay-as-you-go - there is no minimum fee to be paid upfront for provisioning capacity in AWS.
- EC2 instances pair up with other AWS services, such as Elastic Block Storage and Simple Storage Service, to offer better durability and storage facilities.
Types of EC2 Instances in AWS
Amazon has five categories of EC2 for a variety of uses. We will see the categories in brief here:
General Purpose Instances
The general-purpose instances are mainly for providing CPU, RAM, storage, and networking resources so that the workload can be balanced. These instances are used for applications, gaming servers, and databases.
Compute-Optimized Instances
Compute-optimized instances are more suited for high-performance processing workloads. These instances are ideal for high-traffic web servers and servers that require batch processing.
Memory-Optimized Instances
As the name suggests, these instances deal with large loads of datasets. When a server as an application requires the processing of big data, these instances come in handy.
Storage-Optimized Instances
When you have large datasets on local storage and need I/O operations, you can opt for storage-optimized instances. They allow rapid access to local storage data.
Accelerated Computing Instances
Specific tasks that require hardware accelerators, such as graphic processing, are done with the help of accelerated computing instances.
How to Create an Instance in AWS - Step-by-Step Explanation
First of all, to create an EC2 instance, you will need an AWS account. You can set up a free-tier account to continue with the next step. The next steps are briefed below:
Step 1: In your AWS management console, click services. This week I'll be present on the left of the screen. In the drop-down menu that appears, click EC2. You can create an instance from here by picking the Launch Instance button.
Step 2: You will be taken to a different launch page once you click the button. Here, you can pick the settings and requirements for the instance and create it accordingly.
Step 3: Next, you have to select an Amazon Machine Image. This is the required OS for your requirement - AWS offers options including Linus, macOS, Ubuntu, Windows, etc.
Step 4: If you are eligible for the free tier, AWS selects a default storage tier. The instance type options refer to the no. of CPUs and memory required for your application. By default, the available free-tier instance type is t2.micro - selecting other instances will lead to a billing amount, so do not opt for any other.
Step 5: In the main instance setup page, fill in the boxes with corresponding values. You will have to fill in the number of instances, purchasing option, tenancy, network, subnet, shutdown behavior, monitoring, user data, and more fields.
Step 6: Now click you have to create a key pair from the pop-up window. Click Create new key pair - this value pair will be crucial in connecting the instance as it will act as an SSH key. Create the pair by entering the name, and then selecting “.pem”. The pair that is created will download automatically. Select the created key pair.
Step 7: Now keep the network settings in default and select Launch Instance. Make sure that all your options are corresponding to free-tier instances.
Why Opt for AWS EC2 Instances?
AWS EC2 and AWS solutions, in general, are preferred over other cloud solutions because of their strong security and management efficiency. Here are some benefits of EC2 instances that can be a benefit to your business:
Flexibility
AWS offers you different types of instances that will come in handy for clients with varying requirements from a virtual server. For example, small-scale applications can work with general instances, whereas high-performance gaming servers might need compute-optimized instances.
Security
Amazon works on a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC). This provides a secure network for the resources. Since the instances are located in VPC, they are set in a specific IP range. This feature keeps them safe from being exposed to any possible threats on the internet.
Comprehensive Solutions
EC2 can be paired up with a variety of other AWS solutions like S3, DynamoDB, and RDS. This way, users can access a comprehensive set of cloud solutions for all their application development needs.
Cost-saving
AWS gives its customers multiple options when it comes to the cost of the services. Compared to other cloud solutions, AWS is cheap as, for a minimal amount, one can access a wide range of resources and tools. One can also use the free-tier service to explore and learn the tools in the AWS suite - this is a great option for budding developers.
Summing it Up
AWS offers a number of cloud solutions, out of which EC2 is widely utilized by organizations across the world. An instance is a virtual server that lets you run your applications by providing the required infrastructure and storage you need. EC2 instances boast many advantages, too, as they are reliable, secure, and cost-saving.
