Tutorial 1: Launch my very first Amazon EC2 instance

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Tutorial objective	Learn how to quickly launch an Amazon EC2 instance by using the default settings in the Amazon EC2 launch instance wizard. Also learn how to review the instance configuration fields and terminate the instance.
EC2 experience	Beginner
Duration	10 minutes
Cost	Free tier eligible When you sign up for AWS, you can get started with Amazon EC2 using the AWS Free Tier. If you created your AWS account less than 12 months ago, and have not already exceeded the Free Tier benefits for Amazon EC2, it won't cost you anything to complete this tutorial, because we help you select options that are within the Free Tier benefits. Otherwise, you'll incur the standard Amazon EC2 usage fees from the time that you launch the instance (even if it remains idle) until you terminate it. For instructions to determine whether you're eligible for the Free Tier, see Track your Free Tier usage for Amazon EC2.
Prerequisites	You must have an AWS account, configure a user with administrator access, and use the administrator user to sign into the AWS Management Console. Not sure how to do this? Try this tutorial: Setting Up Your AWS Environment You must have general familiarity with the AWS console. Not sure where to start? Try this getting started guide: Getting Started with the AWS Management Console

Tutorial overview

This tutorial is designed for beginners with no prior experience using Amazon EC2. We'll guide you through the steps for creating—we call it launching—your very first EC2 instance using the EC2 console. An instance is essentially a web server in the AWS Cloud. After launching your instance, we'll show you how to find it in the console. Finally, to help you manage costs, we'll show you how to delete—we call it terminate—your instance.

This tutorial is divided into the following short tasks. You must complete each task before moving to the next one.

• Task 1: Launch your instance

• Task 2: Find your instance

• Task 3: View your instance configuration

• Task 4: Terminate your instance

Task 1: Launch your instance

In this task, you'll take the quickest path to launching your instance by doing only the essentials. We'll use the EC2 launch instance wizard, a web-based form that provides all the fields for configuring and launching your instance. It simplifies the process by providing default values for the instance configuration fields.

Before you start

Make sure you've completed the prerequisites listed in the preceding table, including signing into the AWS Management Console with your administrator user.

Follow these steps to quickly launch your instance

1. Open the Amazon EC2 console:

   Go to https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2/.

2. Open the EC2 launch instance wizard:

   From the EC2 dashboard, choose Launch instance.

   The Launch an instance web-based form opens. This is the EC2 launch instance wizard.

3. Name your instance:

   Under Name and tags, for Name, enter a descriptive name like My first EC2 instance.

   While naming your instance isn't required, it helps identify your instance later.

4. Proceed without a key pair:

   Under Key pair (login), for Key pair name, choose Proceed without a key pair (Not recommended).

   A key pair can be used for secure login. However, because we won't be logging into the instance in this tutorial, you don't need a key pair for now.

5. Launch your instance:

   In the Summary panel on the right, choose Launch instance.

   Amazon EC2 quickly launches your instance using the default settings. A Success banner confirms the launch.

Congratulations! You've successfully launched your very first EC2 instance!

Task 2: Find your instance

In this task, you'll locate the instance that you just launched in the EC2 console.

Follow these steps to find your instance in the EC2 console

1. Open the Instances page:

   If you're still on the success page, choose Instances in the breadcrumb at the top of the screen. You might need to choose the three ellipses first to access it.

   If you've navigated away, choose Instances from the navigation pane.

2. Locate your instance:

   In the Name column, find your instance by the name you gave it.

Task 3: View your instance configuration

In this task, you'll become familiar with viewing your instance's configuration details.

Follow these steps to view your instance's configuration

1. Locate the instance ID:

   In the Instance ID column, take note of your instance's unique ID. It begins with i– followed by 17 alphanumeric characters, for example, i-01aeed690c9fb5322.

   The instance ID is automatically assigned to your instance when it's launched.

2. Open the instance details page:

   In the Instance ID column, choose the ID link to open the instance details page where you can review its configuration.

3. Explore instance configuration details:

   Take a few minutes to explore the configuration details of your instance. In the next tutorial, we'll dive deeper into the configuration. For now, use this time to familiarize yourself with the instance details page.

   Tip: To quickly find a field, press Ctrl+F or command+F on your keyboard.

   1. Instance type: Can you find the instance type? It's either t2.micro or t3.micro.

   2. Public IPv4 address: Can you find the public IPv4 address that was allocated to your instance? It's in a format similar to the following example: 34.242.148.128.

   3. Instance owner: Can you identify the owner of this instance? It's you! Your AWS account number is listed under the Owner field.

   4. Instance tags: The name you gave your instance is actually a tag. Can you find your instance tags? Choose the Tags tab. The key is Name, and the value is the name you provided.

   5. Launch time: Can you find when you launched your instance? Choose the Details tab and find the Launch time field.

   6. Instance state: Can you verify the state of your instance? It should be Running.

Take a few more minutes to explore the other instance configuration fields. When you're ready, proceed to the next task.

Task 4: Terminate your instance

In this task, you'll delete your instance to preserve your Free Tier benefits. In EC2, terminate is the term used for deleting an instance.

Follow these steps to terminate your instance

1. Initiate termination:

   If you're still on the instance details page, choose the Instance state menu (top right), and then choose Terminate (delete) instance.

   If you've navigated away, choose Instances from the navigation pane. Then, on the Instances page, select the checkbox next to the name of your instance, and then choose the Instance state menu (top right), and choose Terminate (delete) instance.

2. Confirm termination:

   In the Terminate (delete) instance window that opens, choose the Terminate (delete) button to confirm that you want to terminate your instance.

3. Monitor instance state:

   On the Instances page, check the Instance state column. The state of your instance changes to Shutting-down. If you don't see the full text, try widening the column.

   Once the instance has shut down, Amazon EC2 deletes the instance, and it disappears from the Instances page.

Key takeaways

In this tutorial, you covered the following key concepts:

• Instance refers to an Amazon EC2 web server in the AWS Cloud.

• Launch refers to creating an EC2 instance.

• Terminate refers to deleting an EC2 instance.

• The EC2 launch instance wizard contains default values for instance configuration, allowing for a quick and easy instance launch.

• The instance ID is a unique identifier automatically assigned to your instance, while the instance name is an optional tag that you can assign for easier identification.

Next steps

To build confidence in launching and terminating instances, consider repeating the steps in this tutorial. Be sure to terminate any instances that you launch to preserve your Free Tier benefits.

Once you're comfortable with these basics, move onto the next tutorial, which provides a deeper dive into key instance configuration fields.