ec2 - Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud tips and howtos

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I use Amazon's ec2 for most of my server needs and then some.
And have decided to document some of these uses, for others benefit.

This is relevant if you:

• Are interested in running servers in the cloud...
• Have a preference for Ubuntu...
• Need tips on how to use these servers...
• Need step by steps how to set up apache, tomcat, postfix etc...

General Tips:

Some handy tips on general usage of ec2.

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• Amazon ec2 introduction & beginners guide

  Required minimum to follow the rest.
  • Benefits of ec2
    Why use ec2? Pros & cons of ec2.
  • Beginners guide
    Quick list of things to do and know about ec2 before proceeding.
  • Risks
    Costs, security and data loss.

• ec2 instances

  Explanation of the common instances, and suggested choices if similar setup to mine.
  • Instance types
    Different server instances available at different cost levels.
  • My suggestions
    My recomendation for an ec2 layout of permanent and instances readily available on demand.
  • Costs
    What costs to expect from using Amazon AWS such as ec2 and S3. And how to keep them down.

• How to make an Amazon Machine Image (AMI)

  After awhile you will be making a few of these.

• Data

  How to survive instance death.
  • EBS tips.
    A usefull feature of AWS & ec2. Basically network disks.
  • Backup tips (s3sync).
    Simple and usefull scripts.

Howtos:

Step by step howtos for specific use of the elastic cloud:

• Ubuntu server

  Setting up an simple server as a base for all future server demands. Based on Canonical's own release images.
  • Shorewall
    

• Apache Httpd and Tomcat servers

  For web sites and applications:
  • Just Apache
    
  • On one server
    
  • On different servers
    

• Mail server

  Hosting and relaying mail through the cloud.
  • Main server
    
  • As backup mail servers
    

• Remote access

  Using ec2 as a gateway to simplify access to remote pcs (ie. Family helpdesk...)
  • As a VNC tunnel
    
  • Remote SSH gateway
    
  • Jungle Disk uploading
    
  • Tunnel SSH over Http
    

Helpful links:

• Amazon AWS ec2
• Amazon AWS S3
• Elasticfox
• s3fox
• Ubuntu cloud
• alestic
• Jungle Disk
• S3Sync

Feedback

• If you spot any errors, please let me know.
• If there are elements you want to discuss, the Ubuntu forums and the Alestic forums are very busy and usefull.
• If you found this helpfull, why not buy a a t-shirt from my shop?
• If you would like committed help from me, consider hiring me?
• If you write/find similar howto, or even one based on these, please let me know so I can link to it!

• by flurdy |
• @flurdy |
• contact/feedback |
• hire me
• donate/shirts |
• more docs