Embarking on Cloud Adventures: A Beginner’s Guide to AWS and Cloud Computing

Within this article, we shall delve into the foundational concepts of cloud computing, explore the pivotal role played by AWS in this domain, and unravel the fundamentals of AWS for those eager to embark on a journey into the captivating realm of cloud computing.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is a transformative technology paradigm that involves accessing computing resources and services over the internet, rather than relying on local servers or physical infrastructure. Users can leverage remote servers hosted in data centers by cloud service providers, offering scalability, cost-effectiveness, accessibility, and reliability, enabling seamless access to computing power, storage, databases, applications, and more from anywhere with an internet connection.

Cloud computing services

IaaS,?PaaS, and?Saas?are the three most common models of cloud computing services that you can select based on the level of control, flexibility, and management your business needs.

1. Infrastructure as a Service(Iaas)

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) allows users to access and manage virtualized computing resources like servers, storage, and networking over the internet, providing the flexibility to scale resources as needed.

2 . Platform as a Service(Paas):

PaaS (Platform as a Service) provides developers with a complete development and deployment environment, including tools, programming languages, databases, and application services, allowing them to focus solely on building and deploying applications without dealing with infrastructure management.

3. Software as a Service(SaaS)

SaaS (Software as a Service) delivers fully functional applications over the internet, eliminating the need for local installations and maintenance, and enabling users to access and use the software through web browsers from any device with an internet connection.

AWS has a vast global infrastructure with data centers in multiple regions, providing high availability and low-latency access for cloud services. This empowers businesses with scalable and reliable cloud solutions worldwide.

Due to its worldwide infrastructure and global reach, AWS has emerged as a frontrunner in the field of cloud computing

Key AWS Products and Services

AWS offers a vast array of cloud products and services, including computing, storage, machine learning, IoT, security, and more, empowering businesses to innovate and scale in the cloud. Its comprehensive portfolio also encompasses deployment and management services, such as AWS Elastic Beanstalk and AWS CloudFormation, alongside foundational services like Amazon EC2 and Amazon S3, enabling organizations to accelerate their digital transformation and achieve greater efficiency and agility in the modern digital landscape.

Amidst AWS’s diverse suite of services, I have curated a list of the ten most pivotal offerings that stand out as the most popular services(for beginners) provided by this leading cloud provider:

1. Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud)

Amazon EC2 provides resizable compute capacity in the cloud, enabling users to launch and manage virtual servers (instances). It can be used to host websites, run applications, and perform various computational tasks, allowing users to scale resources up or down based on demand.

2. Amazon VPC (Virtual Private Cloud)

Amazon VPC lets users create isolated virtual networks within AWS, providing enhanced security and control over resources. It allows businesses to deploy resources in a private, isolated environment, making it ideal for setting up secure and robust network architectures.

3. AWS Lambda

AWS Lambda enables serverless computing, executing code in response to events without managing servers. It is commonly used for automating tasks, processing data, and building event-driven applications, reducing operational overhead and ensuring cost-effective execution.

4. Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service)

Amazon S3 offers scalable object storage for data and files. It is widely used for storing and retrieving any amount of data, making it suitable for hosting static websites, storing backups, and serving media files.

5. Amazon DynamoDB

Amazon DynamoDB is a fully managed NoSQL database service with seamless scalability and low-latency performance. It is used in e-commerce, social media, gaming, and IoT for high-speed, flexible data storage, handling massive workloads, and ensuring data availability and protection in data-intensive applications.

6. Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service)

Amazon RDS provides managed databases, simplifying database setup, operation, and scaling. It is commonly used for running relational databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Microsoft SQL Server, making it easier to manage databases without the need for administrative tasks.

7. AWS IAM (Identity and Access Management)

AWS IAM manages access control and security for AWS resources. It enables administrators to control user access and permissions, ensuring the security and integrity of AWS resources in a real-world setting.

8. AWS S3 Glacier

AWS S3 Glacier offers long-term data archival and backup storage solutions. It is suitable for storing data that require infrequent access but needs to be retained for compliance or archival purposes.

9. Amazon SNS (Simple Notification Service)

Amazon SNS enables real-time notifications and messaging. It is often used to send push notifications to mobile devices, publish events to applications, and communicate time-sensitive information in real-life scenarios.

10. Amazon CloudFront

Amazon CloudFront is a content delivery network that speeds up content delivery to end-users globally, such as images, videos, and static files. It is utilized to improve website performance and reduce latency, enhancing user experience

Creating AWS Account

To embark on your AWS journey, you need to create an AWS account (for starters?AWS Free Tier ?is available). I’ll guide you through the account setup process.

Creating a root user account.

• Click?here ?or visit the?AWS homepage ?and?click?the “Create an AWS Account” button, which will redirect you to the signup page.
• Provide your email address and name. Verify your email address by entering the verification code sent to your email, create a password, and then click “Continue” to proceed.

Select an account type

Select either personal (for learning and development) or business (for work/professional use). Personal accounts are recommended for beginners as both types function the same way.

• Choose “?Personal?— for your own projects” as the account type.
• Provide a phone number, country/region, and address for validation.
• Mark the checkbox to agree to the AWS customer agreement and proceed by clicking “Continue (step 2 of 5).”

Paying and billing

• Input credit or debit card information.
• Then, select “Verify and Continue.”

Identification

confirm your identity using a verification code:

• Choose a?text message?or a?voice call?to receive the code, based on your preference.
• After entering the code in the captcha text box, click “Verify Code,” and upon successful verification, proceed by clicking “Continue.”

Select a Plan

AWS provides multiple plans with additional services like 24/7 support, best practice advisors, and guidance. As you move to higher-tiered plans, more services become available, along with additional costs.

• for free select the “Basic support — Free” plan. and enter?Signup

• Amazing! You just finished setting up your AWS basic account. You should see a message from AWS that says your account is being activated, after which you will get an email once that is complete.

AWS Console Overview

Once your AWS account is created, you can?log in ?to the AWS Management Console to start exploring and utilizing the wide range of more than 150 AWS services, many of which are available for free trial. The console provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to manage your cloud resources, deploy applications, and access various tools and features to enhance your cloud computing experience.

The console serves as the primary gateway to access and manage various AWS services and resources in the cloud.

Conclusion

Starting from understanding the basics of cloud computing to navigating the AWS console, In between we learn about the cloud services, AWS’s leading role in the cloud and get to know about the key services creating account to introductory of AWS console.

I?am always open to feedback and suggestions, so feel free to share your thoughts as you embark on your cloud adventure with AWS. Happy cloud adventuring!

I hope you found this article helpful!

Created by : Ismail LAMAAKAL