EC2 Instance with Python Environment

This project deploys an Amazon EC2 instance with Python 3.11 and a dedicated user environment using AWS CloudFormation.

AWS Configuration

Before deploying the CloudFormation stack, configure your AWS credentials:

# Configure AWS CLI with your credentials
aws configure

# Enter the following information when prompted:
# AWS Access Key ID: [Your Access Key]
# AWS Secret Access Key: [Your Secret Key]
# Default region name: us-east-1
# Default output format: json

# Alternatively, you can set environment variables:
export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="your_access_key"
export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="your_secret_key"
export AWS_DEFAULT_REGION="us-east-1"

Components

• VPC: A Virtual Private Cloud with CIDR block 10.0.0.0/16
• Public Subnet: A subnet with CIDR block 10.0.1.0/24
• Internet Gateway: Allows communication between instances in the VPC and the internet
• Security Group: Controls inbound and outbound traffic to the EC2 instance (SSH access)
• EC2 Instance: t2.micro instance running Amazon Linux 2023
• Key Pair: SSH key pair for secure access to the instance
• Users: ec2-user (default) and testaccount (custom) users
• Python Environment: Python 3.11 with a virtual environment at /apps/testaccount/venv

Deployment

Prerequisites

• AWS CLI installed and configured
• Permissions to create CloudFormation stacks and associated resources

Deployment Steps

1. Generate SSH Key Pair:

   ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 2048 -f ~/.ssh/ec2_key
   chmod 400 ~/.ssh/ec2_key

2. Deploy CloudFormation Stack:

   aws cloudformation create-stack \
     --stack-name testaccount-ec2-stack \
     --template-body file://create-ec2-stack.yaml \
     --parameters ParameterKey=PublicKeyMaterial,ParameterValue="$(cat ~/.ssh/ec2_key.pub)" \
     --capabilities CAPABILITY_IAM \
     --region us-east-1

3. Monitor Stack Creation:

   aws cloudformation describe-stacks \
     --stack-name testaccount-ec2-stack \
     --region us-east-1

4. Get EC2 Instance Public IP:

   aws cloudformation describe-stacks \
     --stack-name testaccount-ec2-stack \
     --query "Stacks[0].Outputs[?OutputKey=='PublicIP'].OutputValue" \
     --output text \
     --region us-east-1

Accessing the Instance

Connect to the instance using SSH:

ssh -i ~/.ssh/ec2_key testaccount@<PUBLIC_IP>

The testaccount user will have:

• Python 3.11 virtual environment automatically activated
• Sudo privileges for administrative tasks
• Welcome message with usage instructions

Testing the Environment

Once connected, verify the Python environment:

python /apps/testaccount/test_python.py

Cleanup

When you're done testing, remove all resources:

aws cloudformation delete-stack \
  --stack-name testaccount-ec2-stack \
  --region us-east-1

Features

• Isolated Python Environment: Dedicated virtual environment for Python development
• Multiple Users: Both ec2-user and testaccount users available
• Secure Access: SSH key-based authentication
• Automatic Setup: Python environment automatically activated on login
• Complete Infrastructure: VPC, subnet, security groups, and all necessary components

Security Considerations

• The security group allows SSH access from any IP (0.0.0.0/0). For production use, restrict this to specific IP ranges.
• Both users have sudo privileges. Consider limiting these permissions in production environments.
• The SSH key is used for authentication. Keep your private key secure.