Step 1: Create a sample Amazon Redshift cluster

When you have the prerequisites completed, you can start creating your Amazon Redshift cluster, based on a sample dataset.

To create an Amazon Redshift cluster based on a sample dataset:

1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the Amazon Redshift console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/redshift/.

2. To create a cluster, do one of the following:

   • On the Amazon Redshift service page, choose Create cluster. The Create cluster page appears.

   • On the https://console.aws.amazon.com/redshift/, choose DASHBOARD, then choose Create cluster.

   • On the https://console.aws.amazon.com/redshift/, choose CLUSTERS, then choose Create cluster.

3. In the Cluster configuration section, specify a Cluster identifier. This identifier must be unique. The identifier must be from 1–63 characters using as valid characters a–z (lowercase only) and - (hyphen).

   Enter examplecluster for this tutorial.

4. If your organization is eligible, you might be able to create a cluster under the Amazon Redshift free trial program. To do this, choose Free trial to create a configuration with the dc2.large node type. For more information about choosing a free trial, see Amazon Redshift free trial.

   The console displays your selection, as shown in the screenshot following.

   

   If you later choose another node type, your organization is no longer eligible for the free trial.

   After you choose your node type, do one of the following:

   • In Sample data, choose Load sample data to load the sample dataset into your Amazon Redshift cluster. Amazon Redshift loads the sample dataset Tickit into the default dev database and public schema. You can start using the query editor v2 to query data.

   • To bring your own data to your Amazon Redshift cluster, choose Production. Then, in Sample data, choose Load sample data. For information about bringing your own data, see Bringing your own data to Amazon Redshift.

   Amazon Redshift automatically loads the sample dataset into your sample Amazon Redshift cluster.

5. In the Database configuration section, specify values for Admin user name and Admin user password. Or choose Generate password to use a password generated by Amazon Redshift.

   For this tutorial, use these values:

   • Admin user name: Enter awsuser.

   • Admin user password: Enter a value for the password.

6. Choose Create cluster.

This tutorial uses the Amazon Redshift query editor v2. You can use this editor to query data immediately, after Amazon Redshift finishes creating the cluster.

You can also choose other SQL client tools that support JDBC or ODBC drivers to work with data in your cluster. For more information, see Connecting to an Amazon Redshift cluster using SQL client tools in the Amazon Redshift Management Guide.