Cloud computing has made managing IT easier. In the past, companies often guessed wrong about how much computer power they needed, either wasting money on unused servers or not having enough power for their apps. Amazon's EC2 service helps solve this by letting businesses adjust their computer resources as needed, making it easier and more cost-effective without the hassle of physical servers.

Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) is a foundational piece of AWS's cloud computing platform, and it allows users to rent virtual servers on which they can run their applications. This service simplifies web hosting by eliminating the need to invest in physical hardware upfront, thereby easing the management of server hardware and network architecture. Users can scale their compute capacity up or down almost instantly, accommodating changes in requirements and spikes in popularity, all while paying only for what they use.

Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) are another crucial aspect of EC2. An AMI is a template that contains a software configuration (operating system, application server, applications) needed to launch an EC2 instance. This pre-packaged template can be used to create a virtual server within minutes, ensuring that the setup is reproducible and consistent. AMIs can be customized with the exact software stack required for your application, or you can choose from thousands of pre-built configurations provided by Amazon or the community.

Let's Launch an EC2 Instance and Create an AMI

Navigate to EC2 in the search bar, open the 'Instances' section, and click the 'Launch Instance' button to begin the setup process.

Follow the step-by-step configuration process, which includes selecting an AMI, an instance type, configuring network and security settings, and finally reviewing all settings.

The first task is to assign a name to the instance. You can choose any name you prefer. I have named "Master demo".

Next, select an AMI (Amazon Machine Image) that suits your requirements. For this demonstration, I've chosen Amazon Linux. Following the AMI selection, you'll need to choose an instance type. I've opted for the "t2.micro" because it qualifies for the free tier, making it a cost-effective option. Feel free to select an instance type that best fits your needs in terms of memory and CPUs.

Next, set up a Key Pair to secure your instance. A Key Pair consists of a public key that AWS stores, and a private key file that you manage. This setup ensures secure SSH access to your instance. You can use an existing key pair or create a new one. I have already created a key pair for this instance.

Next, configure the network settings by setting up a "security group." Establishing a robust security group is essential for securing your instance and controlling unwanted access. In my setup, I have created a security group that includes rules to "Allow SSH traffic from Anywhere" and "Allow HTTP traffic from the Internet.
Note: You will receive a warning when selecting 'Anywhere' access because it is generally not recommended to allow anyone on the internet access to your production environment.

Next, select the VPC for your instance. I have chosen a VPC that I previously created. You can follow the steps to set up your own VPC by visiting my detailed guide at this link.

Now configure the storage.

Once this is complete, you can launch your instance directly by clicking 'Launch Instance'. Alternatively, you can provide user data for advanced configuration options. The user data script will automate the setup process, including software installation and configuration, ensuring your instance is ready for use upon launch.

This script automates the setup of a LAMP stack on an Amazon EC2 instance, installs WordPress, and configures permissions for the web directory. It includes updates to the system, installs necessary PHP versions and Apache, and sets up the Amazon ElastiCache Cluster Client for PHP session management. You can tailor this bootstrap script according to your specific requirements to automate server configurations and software installations.

Bootstrap scripts are used to automate the setup process, ensuring that instances are configured consistently and automatically upon launch, reducing manual setup errors and operational overhead.
Or you can also configure your instance using the PuTTY terminal.

Now hit on "Launch instance" tab

let's create AMIs

Select the instance and Action-> Image and templates -> Create Image

Enter the name of the Image and Create Image

Creating an AMI from an EC2 instance may take some time. Once the status of the AMI shows as available, it is ready for use.

In conclusion, AWS AMIs are invaluable for deploying and managing EC2 instances efficiently. They allow you to launch instances with pre-configured settings and software, saving both time and resources. With the right security measures and regular maintenance, AWS AMIs can become a cornerstone of your cloud infrastructure.