Step 2: Install the Command Line Tools

We'll need to install some command line tools for Auto Scaling. Do this first to minimize your usage of billable services.

To install the Auto Scaling command line tools to your local computer, go to Using the Command Line Tools in the Auto Scaling Developer Guide. After you have installed the command line tools, try a couple of commands to make sure they work. For example, try typing the as-cmd command at the prompt.

PROMPT>as-cmd

This command returns a list of all the Auto Scaling commands and their descriptions. You should see something similar to the following illustration.

After you have installed the command line tools, you can start creating your AWS resources. Move on to Step 3: Find a Suitable AMI to learn how to find a suitable AMI. You will use this AMI to launch your Amazon EC2 instance. It will also serve as a baseline for creating your own custom AMI.