FAQ on Elastic Compute Cloud

What is EC2?

  •  Amazon EC2 provides scalable computing capacity in the AWS cloud.
  • You can use Amazon EC2 to launch as many or as few virtual server as you needs configure security & Networking , Many storage.
  • Amazon EC2 enables you to scale up or scale down the instance.
  • Amazon EC2 is having two storage option i.e EBS & Instance store (Elastic BlockStore).
  • Pre configured templates are available known as Amazon templates are available.
  • By default , when you create on EC2 account with amazon , your account is limited to a maximum of 20 Instance per EC2 region with two default high I/O instance.

Types of EC2 Instance:

  • General purpose - Balance Memory and CPU
  • Compute Optimized Instance - More CPU than RAM
  • Memory Optimized Instance - More RAM
  • Storage Optimized Instance - Low Battery 
  • Accelerating Computing GPU - Graphics Optimized
  • High Memory Optimized Instance - High RAM and Nitro System.
  • Previous Generation
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About AWS EC2

Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) is a fundamental component of Amazon Web Services (AWS) and is widely used for deploying virtual servers in the cloud. As one of the most popular services offered by AWS, EC2 often raises various questions among users. In this blog, we'll address some frequently asked questions (FAQ) about AWS EC2 to provide clarity and guidance to both beginners and experienced users.

1. What is AWS EC2?

Amazon EC2 is a web service that allows users to rent virtual servers, known as instances, in the cloud. It provides resizable compute capacity, allowing users to scale their computing resources up or down based on demand.

2. How does EC2 work?

EC2 works by providing users with virtual servers in the cloud, which can be launched, configured, and managed using the AWS Management Console, CLI (Command Line Interface), or SDKs (Software Development Kits). Users can choose from a variety of instance types, operating systems, and configurations to meet their specific requirements.

3. What are EC2 instances?

EC2 instances are virtual servers hosted in the AWS cloud. Each instance is equipped with CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, storage, and networking capacity, and users can choose the instance type that best suits their workload, such as general-purpose, compute-optimized, memory-optimized, or storage-optimized instances.

4. How do I launch an EC2 instance?

To launch an EC2 instance, users need to sign in to the AWS Management Console, navigate to the EC2 dashboard, and click on the "Launch Instance" button. They can then follow the wizard to select an Amazon Machine Image (AMI), choose an instance type, configure instance details, add storage, configure security groups, and launch the instance.

5. What operating systems are supported by EC2?

EC2 supports a wide range of operating systems, including Amazon Linux, Ubuntu, Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, and more. Users can choose the desired operating system when launching an EC2 instance.

6. How do I connect to an EC2 instance?

Users can connect to their EC2 instances using SSH (Secure Shell) for Linux instances or RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) for Windows instances. They need to have the appropriate security group rules configured to allow inbound traffic on the SSH or RDP port, depending on the operating system.

7. How does billing work for EC2 instances?

EC2 instances are billed based on the instance type, usage hours, and any additional resources (such as storage and data transfer) associated with the instance. Users are charged per hour or per second, depending on the instance type, and can monitor their usage and costs using the AWS Cost Explorer and Billing Dashboard.

8. What is an EC2 key pair?

An EC2 key pair is a set of public and private keys used for securely accessing EC2 instances. Users must create a key pair during the instance launch process, and the private key is used to authenticate SSH or RDP connections to the instance.

9. Can I resize an EC2 instance?

Yes, users can resize (or resize) an EC2 instance by stopping the instance, changing its instance type, and then restarting it. However, not all instance types support resizing, so users should refer to the AWS documentation for compatibility details.

10. How do I secure my EC2 instances?

Users can secure their EC2 instances by implementing security best practices, such as configuring security groups to control inbound and outbound traffic, using IAM (Identity and Access Management) roles to control access to resources, enabling encryption for data at rest and in transit, and regularly applying security patches and updates to the operating system and applications.

In conclusion, Amazon EC2 is a powerful and versatile service that provides on-demand compute capacity in the cloud. By addressing these frequently asked questions, users can gain a better understanding of EC2 and leverage its capabilities to build scalable and resilient applications on AWS. For further information and assistance, users are encouraged to refer to the AWS documentation and consult with AWS experts.

An Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) instance stops incurring charges under the following circumstances:

1. Instance Termination: When an EC2 instance is terminated using the AWS Management Console, CLI (Command Line Interface), API (Application Programming Interface), or SDK (Software Development Kit), it stops incurring charges. Termination deletes the instance and associated resources, such as storage volumes and Elastic IP addresses, from the AWS account.

2. Instance Stoppage: If an EC2 instance is stopped using the "Stop" option in the AWS Management Console, CLI, API, or SDK, it also stops incurring charges. When stopped, the instance is no longer running, and users are only charged for the storage associated with the instance (e.g., EBS volumes) and any Elastic IP addresses that are not associated with a running instance.

It's important to note that EC2 instances are billed per hour or per second, depending on the instance type, and users are charged for the usage duration, regardless of whether the instance is actively running or stopped. Additionally, users should be aware of any additional resources associated with the instance, such as EBS volumes, data transfer, and Elastic IP addresses, as these may continue to incur charges even when the instance is stopped.

Therefore, to minimize costs, users should regularly review their AWS resources, terminate or stop instances that are not actively being used, and implement cost optimization strategies, such as using Auto Scaling to adjust instance capacity based on demand and leveraging AWS Spot Instances for cost-effective compute capacity.


Where can a customer go to get more details about amazon elastic compute cloud? 

The Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) Auto Scaling feature that can help with fault tolerance is "Health Check". 

The Health Check feature in Auto Scaling allows you to define how Auto Scaling determines the health status of instances in your Auto Scaling group. By regularly checking the health of instances, Auto Scaling can identify and replace any unhealthy instances, thereby improving fault tolerance and ensuring the availability and reliability of your application.

When you configure Health Checks in Auto Scaling, you can specify parameters such as the type of health check (EC2 or ELB), the grace period (the amount of time to wait before performing the first health check), and the thresholds for determining the health status of instances (e.g., the number of consecutive successful health checks required to consider an instance healthy).

By using Health Checks in Auto Scaling, you can automatically detect and replace unhealthy instances, helping to maintain fault tolerance and minimize downtime in your application. This feature ensures that your application can continue to operate smoothly even in the event of instance failures or other issues.



Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post