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AWS Free Tier Cloud Server Setup Guide

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Let us create a weekend project to setup Cloud Server using Amazon Web Services (AWS)

AWA Free Tier allows new users to launch a t2.micro EC2 instance for free, providing 750 hours per month of Linux or Windows usage, ideal for learning cloud computing without costs.

Prerequisites: Create an AWS Free Tier Account

Before launching an instance, sign up for an AWS account. This process verifies your identity with a credit card (small temporary charge for validation, refunded) and phone OTP.

Step 1: Sign Up

  • Go to the AWS Free Tier page and click Create a Free Account.
  • Enter a new email, strong password, and complete CAPTCHA.
  • Provide contact info: Select Personal or Professional, add full name, phone, address.
  • Enter payment details (credit/debit card) and billing address. AWS charges ~2 INR (or equivalent) for verification, refunded immediately.
  • Verify phone via SMS or call with OTP.

Step 2: Log In and Secure Account

  • Visit AWS Console, sign in as Root User with email/password.
  • Enable MFA for security: Go to IAM > Add MFA > Use authenticator app (e.g., Google Authenticator). Scan QR code and enter codes.
Tip: Monitor billing with AWS Cost Explorer and set alerts to stay within Free Tier limits. Always terminate unused instances.

Launch Your First EC2 Instance (Free Tier Eligible)

This tutorial launches a t2.micro instance (1 vCPU, 1 GiB RAM) in ~10 minutes, fully covered by Free Tier if your account is <12 months old and unused.

Step 1: Access EC2 Dashboard

  • Log in to AWS Console, search for EC2, and click it.
  • Select a region (e.g., us-east-1) close to you for low latency.
  • Click Launch Instance > Launch Instance.

Step 2: Configure Instance

  • Name: Enter “MyFirstInstance”.
  • AMI (OS): Select Amazon Linux 2023 (free, lightweight).
  • Instance Type: Choose t2.micro (Free Tier eligible).
  • Key Pair: Create new or use existing (for SSH access). Download .pem file securely.
  • Network Settings: Allow SSH (port 22) from your IP. Edit inbound rules.
  • Storage: Default 8 GiB gp2/gp3 (Free Tier covers up to 30 GiB).

Step 3: Launch and Connect

  • Click Launch Instance. Wait 1-2 minutes for “Running” status.
  • Select instance > Connect > SSH client.
  • Use command: chmod 400 "your-key.pem"
    ssh -i "your-key.pem" ec2-user@your-public-ip

Free Tier Limits for EC2

ResourceMonthly Limit
EC2 t2.micro/t3.micro (Linux)750 hours
EC2 t2.micro (Windows)750 hours
EBS Storage30 GiB
Data Transfer Out100 GiB

Exceeding limits incurs standard charges. Track via Billing Dashboard.

Cleanup to Avoid Charges

  • Right-click instance > Instance State > Terminate. Confirm deletion.
  • Delete key pairs/volumes if unused.
  • Set billing alarms: Billing > Budgets > Create Budget (e.g., $0 threshold).

Next Steps

  • Explore S3 (5 GB free), Lambda (1M requests), RDS.
  • Build a simple web server: sudo yum install httpd -y; sudo systemctl start httpd on instance.
  • If issues: Create support case under Account and Billing.

This setup is ideal for testing environments, personal projects, or mastering AWS fundamentals—all at zero cost within the generous Free Tier limits. It supports lightweight applications like static websites, simple APIs, or development sandboxes without incurring charges, as long as you stay under t2.micro instance limits (750 hours/month) and basic EBS storage (30 GB).

What’s Next

We can dive deeper into AWS terminology (like EC2, VPC, AMIs), alternative instance types, and scaling strategies in dedicated follow-up blog posts. Happy Cloud Computing! 

Jitendra Chaudhary
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