Amazon EC2 Instances and Images

What you will be able to do

• Explain the five core cloud decisions involved in amazon ec2 instances and images.
• Choose a cloud resource or configuration that matches a stated workload requirement.
• Interpret provider state, workload behavior, and operational evidence before changing broader cloud state.
• Apply an inventory, select, configure, verify, recover, and document workflow to a realistic cloud decision.

01

Build the Cloud Decision Map

Operate Amazon EC2 by connecting instance configuration, AMIs, storage, network interfaces, lifecycle, and health evidence.

Cloud services combine provider-managed layers with customer-controlled configuration. A useful design keeps workload need, resource scope, identity, network path, data, health, cost, and recovery visible instead of relying on a product name.

Start with an inventory and read-only evidence. Record the account or project, location, resource identifier, owner, configuration source, dependencies, expected behavior, and current observation before changing state.

02

EC2 instance

An EC2 instance is a virtual server created from selected compute, image, storage, network, identity, and placement settings. It answers one distinct architecture or operating question within amazon ec2 instances and images.

Choose instance capacity from measured workload needs and supported architecture. Keep the target, location, identity, configuration, and observed outcome together so another person can reproduce the reasoning.

Respect this boundary: Do not treat instance state as proof that the application is healthy. The expected evidence is the instance and application both report expected health.

03

Amazon Machine Image

An Amazon Machine Image provides the software and block-device template used to launch compatible EC2 instances. It answers one distinct architecture or operating question within amazon ec2 instances and images.

Record the image identifier, owner, architecture, root device, and build provenance. Keep the target, location, identity, configuration, and observed outcome together so another person can reproduce the reasoning.

Respect this boundary: Do not launch an untrusted or unversioned image into a controlled account. The expected evidence is the running instance maps to the approved image version.

04

Instance storage

EC2 storage can include persistent EBS volumes and temporary instance-store devices with different lifecycle behavior. It answers one distinct architecture or operating question within amazon ec2 instances and images.

Map every application path to its backing storage and required persistence. Keep the target, location, identity, configuration, and observed outcome together so another person can reproduce the reasoning.

Respect this boundary: Do not place irreplaceable data on storage that disappears with the instance lifecycle. The expected evidence is a restart and recovery check preserve the required data.

05

Network interface

An EC2 network interface connects an instance to a VPC subnet with addresses and security-group associations. It answers one distinct architecture or operating question within amazon ec2 instances and images.

Verify subnet, private address, route, security group, and source-destination requirements. Keep the target, location, identity, configuration, and observed outcome together so another person can reproduce the reasoning.

Respect this boundary: Do not open broad inbound access to compensate for a route or identity problem. The expected evidence is the intended flow succeeds through the documented interface.

06

Instance health

Useful EC2 health combines platform status, guest operating-system signals, and application checks. It answers one distinct architecture or operating question within amazon ec2 instances and images.

Inspect each health layer before replacing, rebooting, or resizing an instance. Keep the target, location, identity, configuration, and observed outcome together so another person can reproduce the reasoning.

Respect this boundary: Stop when unsaved state or recovery protection is not understood. The expected evidence is the action addresses the failing layer and application service returns.

07

Verify One Cloud Change

Before changing cloud state, name the exact resource, required authorization, user impact, expected signal, cost effect, and recovery path. Preview the scope with an inventory or policy view and protect data or configuration that cannot be recreated safely.

Make one narrow change and stop. If the provider response, location, identity, dependency, or effective configuration differs from the plan, preserve that evidence and reassess instead of adding unrelated changes.

A successful API response or portal notification proves only that an operation was accepted. Repeat the original workload path, inspect health and security signals, verify the resulting resource state independently, and remove temporary access or test resources.

08

Recap Before Practice and Prove

Start with ec2 instance. Choose instance capacity from measured workload needs and supported architecture. Confirm that the instance and application both report expected health.

Keep amazon machine image separate. Record the image identifier, owner, architecture, root device, and build provenance. Respect this boundary: do not launch an untrusted or unversioned image into a controlled account.

Use instance storage as its own decision. Map every application path to its backing storage and required persistence. Preserve the resulting evidence.

Before a broader change, review network interface. Verify subnet, private address, route, security group, and source-destination requirements. Stop when do not open broad inbound access to compensate for a route or identity problem.

Finish with instance health. Inspect each health layer before replacing, rebooting, or resizing an instance. Record the final state, health signal, recovery boundary, owner, and next decision.