🚀 AWS Learning Guide

A comprehensive, hands-on guide to Amazon Web Services (AWS) fundamentals covering core services, security, and best practices. This repository contains detailed documentation, practical examples, and real-world scenarios to help you master AWS from beginner to intermediate level.

📚 Table of Contents

🔐 Core Services

• 01. IAM - Identity & Access Management

  • User management, roles, policies, and permissions
  • Multi-factor authentication (MFA) setup
  • Best practices for secure access control

• 02. S3 - Simple Storage Service

  • Bucket creation, object storage, and lifecycle policies
  • Static website hosting and CDN integration
  • Security configurations and access controls

• 03. EC2 - Elastic Compute Cloud

  • Virtual server deployment and management
  • SSH access, key pairs, and remote connections
  • Instance lifecycle and cost optimization

⚙️ EC2 Deep Dive

• 04. Instance Types

  • Choosing the right instance for your workload
  • Performance characteristics and use cases
  • Cost comparison and optimization strategies

• 05. Security Groups

  • Network-level security and firewall rules
  • Inbound/outbound traffic configuration
  • Common security patterns and troubleshooting

• 06. Ports Configuration

  • Essential port configurations for web services
  • SSH, HTTP, HTTPS, and custom application ports
  • Security considerations and best practices

💾 Storage & Images

• 07. EBS - Elastic Block Store

  • Persistent storage for EC2 instances
  • Volume types, performance, and encryption
  • Backup and disaster recovery strategies

• 08. Versioning & Snapshots

  • Data protection through versioning
  • Automated backup strategies
  • Point-in-time recovery procedures

• 09. AMI - Amazon Machine Images

  • Creating custom server images
  • Image sharing and marketplace usage
  • Version control for infrastructure

🔧 Operations

• 10. Cleanup Scripts
  • Automated resource cleanup procedures
  • Security hardening before AMI creation
  • Cost optimization through proper resource management

🎯 Structured Learning Path

Phase 1: Foundation (Week 1-2)

1. 🔐 IAM Fundamentals

   • Create your first IAM user
   • Set up MFA for enhanced security
   • Understand the principle of least privilege

2. 💾 S3 Basics

   • Create and configure your first bucket
   • Upload files and set permissions
   • Enable versioning and lifecycle policies

Phase 2: Compute Services (Week 3-4)

3. ⚙️ EC2 Essentials

   • Launch your first EC2 instance
   • Connect via SSH and configure basic services
   • Understand instance states and billing

4. 🛡️ Security Configuration

   • Configure security groups and NACLs
   • Set up proper port access
   • Implement security best practices

Phase 3: Advanced Storage (Week 5-6)

5. 💿 EBS and Storage

   • Attach additional storage to instances
   • Create and restore from snapshots
   • Implement backup strategies

6. 📸 AMI Management

   • Create custom AMIs from configured instances
   • Share AMIs across accounts
   • Version control your infrastructure

Phase 4: Operations (Week 7-8)

7. 🔧 Automation and Cleanup
   • Implement automated cleanup procedures
   • Create deployment scripts
   • Monitor and optimize costs

🛠️ Prerequisites & Setup

Required Knowledge

• Basic Linux/Unix commands (ls, cd, chmod, ssh)
• Networking fundamentals (IP addresses, ports, protocols)
• Basic understanding of virtualization concepts
• Command line comfort (Terminal/PowerShell)

Required Accounts & Tools

• AWS Free Tier Account - Sign up here
• AWS CLI - Installation guide
• SSH Client (PuTTY for Windows, built-in for Mac/Linux)
• Text Editor (VS Code, Sublime, or similar)

Initial Setup Checklist

• Create AWS account and verify email
• Set up billing alerts (recommended: $10 threshold)
• Install AWS CLI and configure credentials
• Create your first IAM user (don't use root account)
• Enable MFA on root and IAM accounts

📖 How to Use This Guide

Document Structure

Each guide follows a consistent format:

• 🎯 Purpose - Clear objectives and use cases
• 🧠 Key Concepts - Essential terminology and theory
• 🛠️ Hands-on Labs - Step-by-step practical exercises
• ⚠️ Common Pitfalls - Mistakes to avoid
• 💡 Best Practices - Industry-standard recommendations
• 🔍 Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions
• 📊 Cost Optimization - Tips to minimize expenses

Learning Approach

1. Read the theory - Understand concepts before implementation
2. Follow labs step-by-step - Hands-on practice is essential
3. Experiment safely - Use Free Tier resources for testing
4. Document your progress - Keep notes of configurations
5. Clean up resources - Avoid unexpected charges

🎓 Learning Objectives

By completing this guide, you will be able to:

Security & Access Management

• ✅ Implement proper IAM policies and user management
• ✅ Configure multi-factor authentication
• ✅ Apply principle of least privilege
• ✅ Secure AWS resources using best practices

Storage & Data Management

• ✅ Design and implement S3 storage solutions
• ✅ Configure EBS volumes for optimal performance
• ✅ Create and manage snapshots for backup/recovery
• ✅ Implement data lifecycle and retention policies

Compute & Networking

• ✅ Deploy and manage EC2 instances effectively
• ✅ Configure security groups and network access
• ✅ Choose appropriate instance types for workloads
• ✅ Implement auto-scaling and load balancing concepts

Operations & Automation

• ✅ Create and manage AMIs for consistent deployments
• ✅ Implement automated cleanup and maintenance scripts
• ✅ Monitor resource usage and optimize costs
• ✅ Troubleshoot common AWS issues

🧪 Hands-on Labs & Projects

Beginner Projects

1. Personal Website Hosting - Deploy a static website using S3 and CloudFront
2. Secure File Storage - Create encrypted S3 buckets with proper access controls
3. Web Server Setup - Launch and configure a basic web server on EC2

Intermediate Projects

4. Multi-tier Application - Deploy a web app with separate database server
5. Backup Strategy Implementation - Automated EBS snapshots and S3 lifecycle
6. Custom AMI Pipeline - Create standardized server images for deployment

Advanced Challenges

7. High Availability Setup - Multi-AZ deployment with load balancing
8. Disaster Recovery Plan - Cross-region backup and recovery procedures
9. Cost Optimization Audit - Analyze and optimize existing AWS resources

🔗 Essential Resources

Official AWS Documentation

• AWS Free Tier - Start with free resources
• AWS Well-Architected Framework - Best practices
• AWS CLI Reference - Command line tools
• AWS Pricing Calculator - Cost estimation

Learning Resources

• AWS Training and Certification - Official courses
• AWS Whitepapers - In-depth technical guides
• AWS Architecture Center - Reference architectures
• AWS Blog - Latest updates and tutorials

Community & Support

• AWS Forums - Community discussions
• AWS re:Post - Q&A platform
• AWS Reddit Community - Informal discussions
• Stack Overflow AWS Tag - Technical questions

⚠️ Important Considerations

Security Best Practices

• Never share AWS credentials in code or public repositories
• Always use IAM users instead of root account for daily operations
• Enable MFA on all accounts with console access
• Regularly rotate access keys and review permissions
• Monitor billing to detect unauthorized usage

Cost Management

• Set up billing alerts before starting any labs
• Use Free Tier resources whenever possible
• Clean up resources immediately after completing exercises
• Understand pricing models before launching paid services
• Monitor usage through AWS Cost Explorer

Free Tier Limits (12 months)

• EC2: 750 hours/month of t2.micro instances
• S3: 5GB storage, 20,000 GET requests, 2,000 PUT requests
• EBS: 30GB of General Purpose SSD storage
• Data Transfer: 15GB outbound per month

🚨 Troubleshooting Guide

Common Issues

Connection Problems

• SSH key permissions (chmod 400 keyfile.pem)
• Security group configuration
• Instance state verification

Permission Errors

• IAM policy attachments
• Resource-based policies
• Cross-account access issues

Billing Surprises

• Data transfer charges
• EBS snapshot storage
• Elastic IP addresses

Getting Help

1. Check AWS Service Health - status.aws.amazon.com
2. Review CloudTrail logs - Audit API calls and changes
3. Use AWS Support - Basic support included with all accounts
4. Community forums - Often fastest for common issues

📊 Progress Tracking

Completion Checklist

• [1] IAM: Created users, roles, and policies
• [2] S3: Configured buckets with proper security
• [3] EC2: Launched and managed instances
• [4] Security Groups: Configured network access
• [5] EBS: Attached storage and created snapshots
• [6] AMI: Created custom images
• [7] Cleanup: Implemented automation scripts
• [8] Project: Completed at least one end-to-end project

Next Steps

After completing this guide, consider:

• AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification
• Advanced services: RDS, Lambda, CloudFormation
• DevOps practices: CI/CD with AWS CodePipeline
• Monitoring: CloudWatch and AWS X-Ray
• Networking: VPC, Route 53, and Load Balancers

---

📞 Support & Contributions

Found an Issue?

• Create an issue in this repository
• Include detailed steps to reproduce
• Specify which guide section needs correction

Want to Contribute?

• Fork this repository
• Add improvements or new content
• Submit a pull request with clear description

Stay Updated

• ⭐ Star this repository for updates
• 👀 Watch for new content releases
• 🔄 Pull latest changes regularly

---

🎉 Ready to start your AWS journey? Begin with 01. IAM - Identity & Access Management!

Last updated: October 2025 | AWS Free Tier compatible