Chapter 8: Amazon EC2 Intro

Amazon EC2 Intro (Elastic Compute Cloud).

If AWS is the big supermarket of cloud tools (as we said earlier), EC2 is the “fresh produce” section — the virtual servers (computers) you rent to run almost anything: websites, apps, databases, games, AI models, you name it.

This is where beginners get their hands dirty first — launching your own “cloud laptop/server” in minutes. EC2 launched in 2006 as one of AWS’s first services, and it’s still the backbone for millions of workloads in 2026.

Let me teach it step-by-step like we’re in a real lab session — analogies, Hyderabad examples, console walkthrough ideas, and why it’s still super relevant even with serverless options everywhere.

1. What is Amazon EC2? (Simple Definition – 2026 Version)

Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) = AWS’s service for secure, resizable virtual servers (called instances) in the cloud.

• “Elastic” = scale up/down instantly (add more power when busy, shrink when quiet).
• “Compute Cloud” = rent CPU, memory, storage, networking over internet.
• You get full control: choose OS (Linux/Windows/macOS), install software, configure like your own physical server — but AWS handles hardware, power, cooling, physical security.

Official short line (from aws.amazon.com/ec2/): “Amazon EC2 provides secure, resizable compute capacity in the cloud, offering the broadest choice of processor, storage, networking, OS, and purchase model.”

In Hyderabad terms: Instead of buying a ₹2–5 lakh Dell/HP server for your college project or startup app → rent a virtual one on EC2 for ₹300–1,000/month (or free in tier), launch in 5 minutes, and delete when done. No UPS worries during power cuts!

2. Core Idea: What is an “EC2 Instance”?

An EC2 instance = your virtual server/machine in AWS.

When you launch one:

• Pick instance type (hardware specs: how much CPU/RAM/disk/network).
• Pick AMI (Amazon Machine Image) — pre-made template with OS + software (like Ubuntu, Amazon Linux, Windows Server, or custom with your app).
• Pick Region/AZ (e.g., ap-south-2 Hyderabad for low latency).
• Add storage (EBS volume like SSD), networking (VPC, security group firewall), key pair (SSH login).
• Launch → in seconds, you get a running server with public IP!

You connect via:

• SSH (Linux) — ssh -i key.pem ec2-user@public-ip
• RDP (Windows) — remote desktop
• Or browser-based: EC2 Instance Connect / Session Manager (no public IP needed — super secure).

Example analogy: Think of EC2 like renting a bike on Bounce or Yulu:

• Choose type: normal, electric, gearless.
• Pick location (near you).
• Pay per minute/hour.
• Ride (use), return (terminate) when done.

3. Why Use EC2? (Key Benefits – Real 2026 Wins)

• Full control — Root/admin access, install anything (unlike Lambda serverless).
• Scalable — Auto Scaling Groups add/remove instances based on CPU/traffic.
• Flexible pricing — Free tier t3.micro, On-Demand, Spot (up to 90% off), Reserved/Savings Plans.
• Huge variety — Over 1,000+ instance types in 2026 (Intel, AMD, AWS Graviton ARM, NVIDIA GPUs, Mac for iOS dev).
• High availability — Spread across AZs, 99.99% SLA.
• Still king for many workloads — Databases, web apps, ML training, gaming servers, legacy Windows apps — even in AI era.

Hyderabad example: A startup in Madhapur builds a Telugu news app:

• Runs backend (Node.js/Python) on EC2 t4g.medium (Graviton — cheap & efficient).
• Scales to 10 instances during elections.
• Costs ~₹1,500–4,000/month vs buying physical servers.

4. Instance Types – The Heart of EC2 (2026 Overview)

Instance types = families grouped by purpose (pick based on workload).

Main categories (with latest 2026 examples):

Free tier favorite: t3.micro / t4g.micro — 2 vCPU burstable, 1 GB RAM — free 750 hours/month first year.

New in 2026 highlights: M8azn (AMD EPYC 5GHz turbo), C8id/R8id (Intel Granite Rapids + huge SSD), more Graviton for 30–40% better price/performance.

5. Pricing Models (How You Pay – Very Important!)

• On-Demand — Pay per second (min 60s) — no commitment (~₹0.01–few ₹/hour).
• Spot — Bid on spare capacity — up to 90% off — great for non-urgent jobs (can be interrupted).
• Reserved Instances / Savings Plans — Commit 1–3 years — 40–70% savings.
• Dedicated Hosts — Your own physical server for licenses/compliance.

Tip for beginners: Start On-Demand in free tier — set billing alarm at ₹500!

6. Mini Hands-On: Launch Your First EC2 (Do This Today – Free!)

1. Log in to console.aws.amazon.com → search “EC2” → “Launch instance”.
2. Name: “MyFirstHyderabadEC2”.
3. AMI: Amazon Linux 2023 or Ubuntu (free tier eligible).
4. Instance type: t3.micro (free).
5. Key pair: Create new → download .pem file (save safely!).
6. Network: Default VPC, enable public IP.
7. Security group: Allow SSH (port 22) from your IP.
8. Launch!
9. Wait 2–3 min → connect via SSH (use PuTTY/Terminal).
10. Run sudo yum update or sudo apt update — you’re inside your cloud server!

Terminate when done (right-click → Instance state → Terminate) — stops billing.

Cost? Usually ₹0 first year.

Quick Summary Table – EC2 Intro Cheat Sheet

EC2 is your first big “I built something in cloud” moment — everything else (RDS, Lambda, ECS) often connects to it.

Ready for next?

• Step-by-step launch with screenshots in mind?
• Deep dive on instance types/families?
• Or EC2 vs Lambda (when to choose what)?

Tell me — next practical class starts now! 🚀🖥️