What is AWS EC2?
If we need to set up a website, we need a server to setup. To setup, we have to follow many processes, such as procuring the server, cost management, approvals from the management, maintaining the servers (power backup), etc. This is complex and time-consuming. What if a vendor like Amazon provides us a server in a cloud, and we just need to configure the server to use it. That is Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2). Amazon has many data centers, and they provide us a facility to create a server on the cloud by creating an AWS account. After an account and an EC2 server are created, we need to connect to the server (Connecting to EC2). There are various ways to connect to the server, which will be discussed in the next posts. Also, we shall discuss how these servers are protected from unauthorized access (Security Group).
A few advantages of using EC2 is that -
- Pay as you go model. You pay for the usage. If the server is not used, then you pay a minimum fee.
- Easy ways to create and configure the server.
Note - Even if you are using AWS free-tier account, make sure you check the estimated billing section to avoid minimum billing. If you create an EC2 and it's running you be charged a minimum fee( I think it's $0.02 per hour). You avoid this, you need to terminate the EC2 server after you create it either to learn or practice.
