How to Create an EC2 Instance Using CloudFormation

 

How to Create an EC2 Instance Using CloudFormation

Start automating your AWS infrastructure today with CloudFormation!

CloudFormation is an AWS service that allows you to define and provision AWS infrastructure using code. By writing a CloudFormation template, you can automate the creation of resources like EC2 instances, making your deployments consistent and repeatable.

In this blog, we will walk through the process of creating an EC2 instance using CloudFormation.

Prerequisites

1. An AWS account with appropriate permissions to create EC2 instances and other resources.
2. Basic understanding of YAML/JSON and AWS services.
3. AWS CLI or AWS Management Console access.

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Step 1: Write the CloudFormation Template

Below is a simple YAML template to create an EC2 instance:

AWSTemplateFormatVersion: '2010-09-09'

 

Description: Template to create an EC2 instance

 

Resources:

  MyEC2Instance:

    Type: "AWS::EC2::Instance"

    Properties:

      InstanceType: "t2.micro"

      KeyName: "your-key-pair-name" # Replace with your actual key pair name

      ImageId: "ami-0abcdef1234567890" # Replace with the desired AMI ID

      SecurityGroupIds:

        - !Ref MySecurityGroup

      SubnetId: "subnet-0abcd1234efgh5678" # Replace with your subnet ID

 

  MySecurityGroup:

    Type: "AWS::EC2::SecurityGroup"

    Properties:

      GroupDescription: "Enable SSH access"

      VpcId: "vpc-0abcd1234efgh5678" # Replace with your VPC ID

      SecurityGroupIngress:

        - IpProtocol: "tcp"

          FromPort: 22

          ToPort: 22

          CidrIp: "0.0.0.0/0"

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Step 2: Validate the Template

Before deploying the template, validate it using the AWS Management Console or AWS CLI:

Using AWS CLI:

aws CloudFormation validate-template --template-body file://template.yaml

This command ensures the syntax and resources in your template are correct.

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Step 3: Deploy the CloudFormation Stack

Using AWS Management Console:

1. Go to the CloudFormation section in the AWS Management Console.
2. Click Create Stack > With New Resources (Standard).
3. Upload the template file or paste it into the editor.
4. Follow the prompts, providing any required parameters.
5. Review and click Create Stack.

Using AWS CLI:

Run the following command to create a stack:

aws cloudformation create-stack \

  --stack-name MyEC2Stack \

  --template-body file://template.yaml \

  --parameters ParameterKey=KeyName,ParameterValue=your-key-pair-name \

               ParameterKey=SubnetId,ParameterValue=subnet-0abcd1234efgh5678 \

               ParameterKey=VpcId,ParameterValue=vpc-0abcd1234efgh5678

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Step 4: Verify the Deployment

1. Navigate to the CloudFormation section in the AWS Management Console.
2. Check the status of your stack. Once it reaches CREATE_COMPLETE, your EC2 instance is ready.
3. Go to the EC2 section in the AWS Management Console to see your instance.

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Step 5: Clean Up

To avoid incurring costs, delete the CloudFormation stack when you're done:

Using AWS Management Console:

1. Select the stack in the CloudFormation section.
2. Click Delete Stack.

Using AWS CLI:

aws cloudformation delete-stack --stack-name MyEC2Stack

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Conclusion

Using CloudFormation to create an EC2 instance simplifies infrastructure management and ensures consistent deployments. This approach is especially beneficial for teams practicing Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Experiment with more advanced configurations to tailor your deployments to your needs.