Amazon provides a fully functional free account for one year for users to use and learn the different components of AWS. You get access to AWS services like EC2, S3, DynamoDB, etc. for free. However, there are certain limitations based on the resources consumed.

Step 1 − To create an AWS account, open this link https://aws.amazon.com and sign-up for new account and enter the required details.

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If we already have an account, then we can sign-in using the existing AWS password.

Step 2 − After providing an email-address, complete this form. Amazon uses this information for billing, invoicing and identifying the account. After creating the account, sign-up for the services needed.

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Step 3 − To sign-up for the services, enter the payment information. Amazon executes a minimal amount transaction against the card on the file to check that it is valid. This charge varies with the region.

Step 4 − Next, is the identity verification. Amazon does a call back to verify the provided contact number.

Step 5 − Choose a support plan. Subscribe to one of the plans like Basic, Developer, Business, or Enterprise. The basic plan costs nothing and has limited resources, which is good to get familiar with AWS.

Step 6 − The final step is confirmation. Click the link to login again and it redirects to AWS management console.

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Now the account is created and can be used to avail AWS services.

AWS Account Identifiers

AWS assigns two unique IDs to each AWS account.

An AWS account ID
A conical user ID

AWS Account ID

It is a 12-digit number like 123456789000 and is used to construct Amazon Resource Names (ARN). This ID helps to distinguish our resources from resources in other AWS accounts.

To know the AWS account number, click Support on the upper right side of the navigation bar in AWS management console as shown in the following screenshot.

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Conical String User ID

It is a long string of alphanumeric characters like 1234abcdef1234. This ID is used in Amazon S3 bucket policy for cross-account access, i.e. to access resources in another AWS account.

Account Alias

Account alias is the URL for your sign-in page and contains the account ID by default. We can customize this URL with the company name and even overwrite the previous one.

How to Create/Delete Your Own AWS Account Alias?

Step 1 − Sign in to the AWS management console and open the IAM console using the following link https://console.aws.amazon.com/iam/

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Step 2 − Select the customize link and create an alias of choice.

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Step 3 − To delete the alias, click the customize link, then click the Yes, Delete button. This deletes the alias and it reverts to the Account ID.

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Multi Factor Authentication

Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) provides additional security by authenticating the users to enter a unique authentication code from an approved authentication device or SMS text message when they access AWS websites or services. If the MFA code is correct, then only the user can access AWS services or else not.

Requirements

To use MFA services, the user has to assign a device (hardware or virtual) to IAM user or AWS root account. Each MFA device assigned to the user must be unique, i.e. the user cannot enter a code from another user’s device to authenticate.

How to Enable MFA Device?

Step 1 − Open the following link, https:// console.aws.amazon.com/iam/

Step 2 − On the web page, choose users from the navigation pane on the right side to view the list of user name.

Step 3 − Scroll down to security credentials and choose MFA. Click activate MFA.

Step 4 − Follow the instructions and the MFA device will get activated with the account.

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There are 3 ways to enable a MFA device −

SMS MFA Device

In this method, MFA requires us to configure the IAM user with the phone number of the user’s SMS-compatible mobile device. When the user signs in, AWS sends a six-digit code by SMS text message to the user’s mobile device. The user is required to enter the same code on a second web page during sign-in to authenticate the right user. This SMS-based MFA cannot be used with AWS root account.

Hardware MFA Device

In this method, MFA requires us to assign an MFA device (hardware) to the IAM user or the AWS root account. The device generates a six-digit numeric code based upon a time synchronized one-time password algorithm. The user has to enter the same code from the device on a second web page during sign-in to authenticate the right user.

Virtual MFA Device

In this method, MFA requires us to assign an MFA device (virtual) to the IAM user or the AWS root account. A virtual device is a software application (mobile app) running on a mobile device that emulates a physical device. The device generates a six-digit numeric code based upon a time-synchronized one-time password algorithm. The user has to enter the same code from the device on a second web page during sign-in to authenticate the right user.

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AWS Identity & Access Management (IAM)

IAM is a user entity which we create in AWS to represent a person that uses it with limited access to resources. Hence, we do not have to use the root account in our day-to-day activities as the root account has unrestricted access to our AWS resources.

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How to Create Users in IAM?

Step 1 − Open the link https://console.aws.amazon.com/iam/ to sign-in to AWS Management console.

Step 2 − Select the Users option on the left navigation pane to open the list of all users.

Step 3 − We can also create New Users using the Create New Users option, a new window will open. Enter the user-name which we want to create. Select the create option and a new user will be created.

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Step 4 − We can also see Access Key IDs and secret keys by selecting Show Users Security Credentials link. We can also save these details on the computer using the Download Credentials option.

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Step 5 − We can manage the user’s own security credentials like creating password, managing MFA devices, managing security certificates, creating/deleting access keys, adding user to groups, etc.

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There are many more features that are optional and are available on the web page.

So, this brings us to the end of blog. This Tecklearn ‘How to Use AWS Account’ helps you with commonly asked questions if you are looking out for a job in AWS and Cloud Computing. If you wish to learn AWS and build a career in Cloud Computing domain, then check out our interactive, AWS Solutions Architect Training, that comes with 24*7 support to guide you throughout your learning period. Please find the link for course details:

https://www.tecklearn.com/course/aws-solutions-architect-certification-training/

AWS Solutions Architect Certification Training

About the Course

Tecklearn’s AWS Architect Certification Training is curated by industry professionals as per the industry requirements and demands. The entire AWS training course is in line with the AWS Certified Solutions Architect exam. You will learn various aspects of AWS like Elastic Cloud Compute, Simple Storage Service, Virtual Private Cloud, Aurora database service, Load Balancing, Auto Scaling and more by working on hands-on projects and case studies. You will master AWS architectural principles and services such as IAM, VPC, EC2, EBS and elevate your career to the cloud, and beyond with this AWS solutions architect course.

Why Should you take AWS Architect Certification Training?

The Average salary of an AWS Certified Solutions Architect is $129k per annum – Indeed.com
AWS market is expected to reach $236 Billion by 2020 at a CAGR of 22% – Forrester
Netflix, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, BBC, Baidu, ESPN & other MNCs worldwide use Amazon AWS Cloud

What you will Learn in this Course?

Overview of Cloud Computing and AWS

What is Cloud Computing
Definition of Cloud Computing
On Premises Vs Service Models
Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud Computing
Cloud Computing Providers
Why AWS
What is AWS
AWS Benefits
AWS Services
Traditional Vs AWS Components
AWS Global Infrastructure
AWS Availability Zone
AWS Edge Locations
How to Access the AWS Services
AWS architecture
AWS Management Console
AWS offerings Listing (EC2, VPC, AMI, EBS, ELB, Backup)

Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2)

Overview of EC2
Elastic IP Vs Public IP
Launching of AWS EC2 instance demo
How to access EC2
EC2 Purchasing Options
Amazon Machine Images (AMI)
EC2 Storage for the Root Device
EC2 Creating AMI
EC2 Instance Types
Auto Scaling
Cost of EC2
Best Practices of EC2
EC2 Resizing
Placement Groups
Amazon Backup and various Concepts
EC2 Demo
Hands On

Networking and Monitoring Services: Amazon Virtual Public Cloud

Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and its benefits
Default and Non-Default VPC
IP Address
CIDR – Classless Inter-domain Routing
Subnet: Subnet Mask and Subnet Mask Classes
Private and Public Subnet
IPv4 v/s IPv6 – As in AWS Infrastructure
Internet Gateway and Route Tables
Security Group with VPC
Access Control List, NACL and Security Group
NAT Devices: NAT Gateway and NAT Instance
Flow Logs
VPC Peering and its working
VPN and Direct Connect
VPC Limitations
Need for Monitoring Services
AWS CloudWatch and it’s working
AWS Command Line Interface
Use Cases
Hands On

Amazon Storage Services: Elastic Block Storage

What is Storage Services
What is Elastic Block Storage (EBS)
Persistent Storage
EBC Features
EBS Benefits
EBS Types
EBS Pricing
EBS Life Cycle
EBS Snapshot
EBS General Purposed SSD
EBS Provisioned IOPS SSD
EBS Throughput Optimized HDD
EBS Cold HDD
EBS Comparison
EBS Previous Generation Volumes
EBS How Incremental Snapshots Work
EBS Deleting an Amazon EBS Snapshot
EBS Summary
Hands On

Amazon Storage Services: Simple Storage Services (S3)

What is Amazon AWS S3
Simple Storage Services (S3) Advantages
S3 Buckets, Objects, Keys and Endpoints
S3 Data Consistency Model
S3 Transfer Acceleration
S3 Storage Types
S3 Versioning
S3 Life Cycle Management
S3 Data Protection
S3 Cross-Region Replication
S3 Hosting a Static Website
Hands On

Amazon Storage Services

Amazon Glacier Storage
Amazon Storage Gateway
Amazon Snowball (Data Import /Export)
Billing with Amazon CloudWatch
Hands On

AWS Database Services: Relational Database Service (RDS)

Overview of Databases and Relational Database Service (RDS)
What is Amazon RDS
AWS RDS Components
AWS RDS: Interface
AWS RDS: Charges
AWS RDS Multi-AZ: Benefits
AWS RDS Multi-AZ: Failover Process
NoSQL Database: Amazon DynamoDB
Overview of DynamoDB
DynamoDB Benefits
Hands On

AWS Database Services Continued

Data Warehouse: Amazon Redshift
Overview of Amazon Redshift
Redshift Architecture
Amazon Redshift features
In Memory Cache: Amazon ElasticCache
Redis Vs MemCache
Amazon ElasticCache Cluster
Database Migration: AWS Database Migration Service

Load Balancing in AWS

What is Fault Tolerant System
Features of Elastic Load Balancing
What is AWS ELB (Elastic Load Balancer)
Types of Load Balancer: Classic, Application and Network
Classic Load Balancer: Features, Health Check Configuration, Cross-Zone, Connection Draining, Sticky Sessions, Access Logs, Limitation
Application Load Balancer: Features, Application Flow, Limitation
Network Load Balancer
Access Elastic Load Balancing: AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, AWS SDKs, HTTPS Query API

Amazon Route 53

What is Amazon Route 53
Domain Name Registration
Routing Internet Traffic to Resources
Automated check of the health of Resources + Data Pipeline

AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) – Control user access

Authentication (Who can use) and Authorization (Level of Access)
IAM Policies – JSON Structure
Users, Groups and their Roles
AWS IAM Features
User Sign-in to Account
Switch Role
Role to EC2 Instance
Password Policy
How to Access AWS
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Permissions and Permission Types
Policies Structure
User Based Policies
Resource Based Policies
Resource Based Permission
Policies Types
Request Flow
Limitations
IAM HTTPS API
Logging IAM Events with AWS CloudTail
Hands On

Amazon CloudWatch

What is Amazon CloudWatch
Features and Benefits
CloudWatch Architecture
Hands On

AWS Auto Scaling

What is AWS Auto Scaling
Auto Scaling Components
Auto Scaling Group
Auto Scaling Launch Configuration
Auto Scaling Benefits
Auto Scaling Lifecycle
Auto Scaling Plans
Manual Scaling
Schedule Scaling
Dynamic Scaling
Auto Scaling Step Adjustment
Auto Scaling Termination Policy
Default Termination Policy
Health Check
Hands On

Amazon Application Services

Elastic BeanStalk
Simple Email Services (SES)
Simple Queue Service (SQS)
Simple Notification Services (SNS)
AWS Lambda
Introduction to Elastic OpWorks
Hands On

About AWS Solution Architect Associate Exam

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