🌩️ Beginner's Guide to AWS Cloud: Everything You Need to Know

🌩️ Beginner's Guide to AWS Cloud: Everything You Need to Know

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5 min read

Why Cloud? ☁️

In today's digital world, businesses need scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions to manage their IT infrastructure. This is where cloud computing comes in! Instead of maintaining physical servers, companies can leverage cloud platforms like AWS (Amazon Web Services) to store, process, and manage data efficiently.

What is Cloud Computing?

Benefits of Cloud Computing πŸš€

βœ… Cost-Effective – Pay only for what you use.

βœ… Scalability – Easily scale up or down as needed.

βœ… Flexibility – Access from anywhere in the world.

βœ… Security – Advanced security measures to protect data.

βœ… Disaster Recovery– Automatic backups and failover mechanisms.


Steps to Create a Free AWS Account

1️⃣ Go to AWS Signup Page – Visit AWS Free Tier

2️⃣ Click "Create an AWS Account" – Sign up with your email and set a password.

3️⃣ Provide Contact Information – Enter your details and select β€œPersonal” for non-business use.

4️⃣ Enter Payment Information – AWS requires a credit/debit card for verification, but you won’t be charged for Free Tier services.

5️⃣ Verify Identity – AWS will send a verification code via SMS or call.

6️⃣ Select a Support Plan – Choose the Free "Basic Support" plan.

7️⃣ Start Using AWS! – Log in to the AWS Management Console and explore Free Tier services like EC2, S3, Lambda, RDS, and more.

AWS Free Tier Benefits πŸš€

βœ… 12 Months Free – Use services like EC2, S3, RDS, and Lambda for free up to a limit.
βœ… Always Free Services – Services like DynamoDB and AWS Lambda have free usage limits forever.
βœ… No Hidden Charges – Monitor usage to avoid exceeding Free Tier limits.

On-Premise🏒 vs. Cloud ☁️

FeatureOn-Premise 🏒Cloud ☁️
Upfront CostHigh (Hardware & Maintenance)Low (Pay-as-you-go)
ScalabilityLimitedHigh
SecurityFully ControlledManaged by Provider
MaintenanceIT Team RequiredManaged by Cloud Provider
AccessibilityLimited to NetworkAccessible Globally

πŸ”Ή With cloud computing, businesses can focus on innovation rather than infrastructure maintenance!


Types of Cloud Deployment Models 🌎

  1. Public Cloud ☁️ – Shared resources hosted by a cloud provider (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).

  2. Private Cloud 🏠 – Dedicated cloud environment for a single organization.

  3. Hybrid Cloud πŸ”„ – Combination of both public and private cloud, offering flexibility and security.


Cloud Service Models πŸ—οΈ

AWS provides three major cloud service models:

1️⃣ Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) πŸ—οΈ – Provides virtual servers, storage, and networking (e.g., AWS EC2, S3).

2️⃣ Platform as a Service (PaaS) πŸ”§ – Provides development platforms and tools (e.g., AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Lambda).

3️⃣ Software as a Service (SaaS) πŸ“¦ – Ready-to-use applications over the internet (e.g., Gmail, Dropbox, Salesforce).

πŸ”Ή Analogy: Think of IaaS as renting an empty apartment, PaaS as a furnished one, and SaaS as staying in a hotel room! 🏨


What is AWS EC2? πŸ–₯️

Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) is a web service that provides resizable compute capacity in the cloud. It allows businesses to run virtual machines (instances) on AWS infrastructure without needing to invest in physical hardware.

Why Use EC2? πŸ€”

βœ… Scalability – Quickly scale up or down based on demand.

βœ… Cost-Effective – Pay only for the compute resources you use.

βœ… Flexibility – Choose different instance types based on workload.

βœ… Security – AWS provides built-in security and compliance features.

βœ… Integration – Seamlessly connects with other AWS services.

EC2 Instance Types & Pricing πŸ’°

AWS EC2 offers various instance types to suit different workloads:

πŸ”Ή General Purpose (e.g., t3, m5) – Balanced performance, suitable for web servers and small databases.

πŸ”Ή Compute Optimized (e.g., c5, c6g) – High-performance processors for compute-heavy applications.

πŸ”Ή Memory Optimized (e.g., r5, x1e) – Ideal for in-memory databases and big data analytics.

πŸ”Ή Storage Optimized (e.g., i3, d2) – Designed for applications requiring high disk throughput.

πŸ”Ή GPU Instances (e.g., p3, g5) – Best for AI/ML workloads and graphics-intensive applications.

Pricing πŸ“Š

AWS EC2 pricing depends on factors such as instance type, region, and usage model:

βœ… On-Demand – Pay for compute capacity per hour or second, with no upfront commitment.

βœ… Reserved Instances – Save up to 75% by committing for 1 or 3 years.

βœ… Spot Instances – Get unused EC2 capacity at up to 90% discount but with potential interruptions.

βœ… Savings Plans – Flexible pricing model that provides discounts for consistent usage.

Steps to Install Linux on EC2:

  1. Launch an EC2 Instance – Navigate to EC2 and click Launch Instance.

  2. Choose a Linux AMI (Amazon Machine Image) – Select a Linux distribution like:

    • Amazon Linux 2 (Optimized for AWS)

    • Ubuntu (Popular for general use)

    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) (Enterprise-ready)

  3. Select an Instance Type – Choose a size based on your needs (e.g., t2.micro for free tier users).

  4. Configure Security Group – Allow SSH access by opening port 22. (Here I am allowing HTTP & HTTPS as I will be needing it further)

  5. Download Key Pair – Click on create new Key pair. This will be used to securely connect to the instance.

  6. Launch –

    πŸŽ‰ Congratulations! You now have a running EC2 instance. πŸš€

  7. Connect – Once launched, connect via SSH or any other method you wish to:

    Start Using Linux! πŸŽ‰

     bashCopyEditssh -i your-key.pem ec2-user@your-instance-ip
    

Conclusion 🎯

AWS Cloud is a game-changer, offering cost savings, scalability, and flexibility. Whether you're a developer, business owner, or cloud enthusiast, understanding AWS can open new opportunities in the tech world.

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ’» Ready to dive deeper? Explore AWS free-tier services and start experimenting!

Disclaimer ⚠️

The information in this guide is for educational purposes only. AWS services, pricing, and features are subject to change. Always refer to the official AWS documentation for the latest updates.

πŸ’¬ Have questions? Drop them in the comments! 😊

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