Forem: Mohd Ahsan

Installing Git & Setting Up Your GitHub Account

Mohd Ahsan — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 10:49:56 +0000

Here’s a guide to installing Git and setting up your GitHub account:

i. For Linux using Package Manager:

Open Terminal.
For Debian-based distributions (e.g., Ubuntu):

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install git -y

For Red Hat-based distributions (e.g., Fedora):

sudo dnf update
sudo dnf install git -y

ii. Verifying Git Installation:

Open Terminal and type the following command and press Enter:

git --version

We should see the installed version of Git displayed.

iii. Configuring Git for the first time:

Setting up Git with our identity:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"

iv. Verifying the configuration:

git config --list

V. Setting Up Your GitHub Account

i. Visit GitHub:

Go to GitHub website.

ii. Sign Up:

Click on the Sign up button located at the top right corner of the page.

iii. Create Account:

Enter your email address, create a password, and choose a username.
Verify your email address by clicking the link sent to your email.

iv. Personalize Account:

Optionally, fill out additional information like whether you want to receive updates from GitHub, and set your preferences.

v. Finish Setup:

Complete the CAPTCHA to verify you're not a robot.
Click on Create account.

vi. Choose a Plan:

Select the free plan unless you need the features of a paid plan.

vii. Setup:

Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your profile and preferences.

VI. Create Your First GitHub Repository

i. Create GitHub Repository:

Log in to GitHub
Click on the + icon in the top right corner / select Create Repository.
Fill in the repository details (name, description, visibility, README) and click Create repository.

ii. Clone the Repository to Your Local Machine:

Open Command Prompt or Terminal.
Clone the repository using:

git clone https://github.com/your-username/my-first-repo.git

Navigate to the repository directory:

cd my-first-repo

iii. Create and Add a New File:

Create a new file in the repository directory:

echo "Hello, World!" > hello_world.txt

Add the file to the staging area:

git add hello_world.txt

iv. Commit Your Changes:

Commit the changes with a descriptive message:

git commit -m "Add hello_world.txt"

v. Push Your Changes to GitHub:

Push the committed changes to your GitHub repository:

git push origin main

Git - GitHub: How it works

Key Concepts:

Working Directory: The local directory where you make changes to your files.
Staging Area: An intermediate area where you prepare changes before committing them.
Local Repository: The versioned history of your project stored on your local machine.
Remote Repository: A versioned history of your project stored on a server, accessible over the internet.

Git Commands

git add: Adds changes from the working directory to the staging area.
git commit: Records the staged changes in the local repository with a descriptive message.
git push: Sends committed changes from your local repository to a remote repository.
git fetch: Retrieves updates from the remote repository without merging them into your local branch.
git merge: Combines changes from different branches into your current branch.
git pull: Fetches updates from the remote repository and merges them into your local branch.
git clone: Creates a local copy of an existing remote repository.
git checkout: Switches to a different branch or restores files to a previous state.

Additional resources and references for further learning.
Git Documentation Here
GitHub Documentation Here

Raising and handling an AWS Support cases for billing and account-related inquiries.

Mohd Ahsan — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 10:38:34 +0000

Under the AWS Basic Support Plan (Free Tier), we can create and manage AWS Support cases for billing and account-related inquiries only. Technical support is not included in the Basic plan, but AWS documentation and the AWS community forums are available for technical assistance.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to raise an AWS Support Ticket under the Basic Support Plan:

Head to the AWS Support Center:
- Sign in to your AWS Management Console.
- Navigate to the AWS Support Center under services.
Create a Support Case:
- Click on "Create Case" to begin.
- Select the issue type: Choose either "Account and Billing" or "Technical" depending on your specific concern.
- If your issue relates to billing, specify "Billing Inquiry" as the issue type.
- Select the severity level that matches your issue, specifying "General Question" as the severity.
- Click on "Next step" to proceed.
- Enter a subject and description for your case.
Choose your Contact Method:
- Select how you prefer AWS Support to contact you (e.g., email, phone).
- Provide accurate contact information.
Submit your Case:
- Review all case details for accuracy.
- Click "Submit Case." AWS Support will acknowledge receipt promptly.
Stay Informed and Respond:
- Keep track of your support case in the AWS Support Center.
- AWS Support may request additional details or provide updates as they investigate your case.
Reaching Resolution
- Work collaboratively with AWS Support to resolve the issue.
- Resolution times may vary based on the complexity and severity of the problem.
Track your cases:
- Access the Case history section in the AWS Support Center.
- Use the provided Case ID to track and reference each case for monitoring purposes.

Following these steps will help ensure effective handling of AWS Support cases, from submission through resolution and ongoing monitoring.

AWS EC2 for Beginners: How to Launch and Connect to Your First Instance

Mohd Ahsan — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 10:07:25 +0000

An AWS EC2 instance is a virtual server that enables you to run applications and manage workloads on Amazon Web Services (AWS). EC2, or Elastic Compute Cloud, is a core AWS service offering scalable and resizable compute capacity in the cloud. EC2 instances provide flexible and scalable computing resources, making them an ideal solution for a diverse range of applications and workloads.

Step-by-step guide to launching an EC2 instance and SSH into an EC2 instance. 🛠️

Step-1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console:

Go to the AWS Management Console.
Sign in with your AWS account credentials.

Step-2. Navigate to EC2 dashboard & Launch an Instance:

In the AWS Management Console, search for EC2 in the search bar and select it to go to the EC2 Dashboard.
On the EC2 Dashboard, click on the Launch Instance button.

Step-3. Name & Tags:

Enter a name to identify your instance. For this example, name the instance MyServer (this helps in identifying our instance).

Step-4. Choose an Amazon Machine Image (AMI):

Select an AMI based on your needs (e.g., Amazon Linux 2, Ubuntu Server, Windows Server).
For this example, choose Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS (Free Tier eligible).

Step-5. Choose an Instance Type:

Select an instance type. For basic purposes, you can choose t2.micro or t3.micro (Free Tier eligible). These instance types provide a balance of compute, memory, and network resources.

Step-6. Select or Create a Key Pair:

In the Key pair (login) section:
- Choose Create a new key pair if you don’t have one. Provide a name, select the key pair type (usually RSA for SSH), and click Download Key Pair. This will download a .pem file. Keep this file safe, as it will be required to access your instance.
- If you already have a key pair, select it from the list under Select an existing key pair.

Step-7. Configure Network Settings:

Under Network settings, leave the default settings for now. You can adjust these based on your specific needs (e.g., VPC, Subnet, Auto-assign Public IP). Ensure that Auto-assign Public IP is enabled if you need to access your instance over the internet.
Create a new security group or select an existing one. A security group acts as a virtual firewall to control inbound and outbound traffic.
Add a rule to allow SSH access (port 22). Set the source to My IP to restrict access to your IP address only, which enhances security.

Step-8. Configure Storage:

By default, an 8 GB (General Purpose SSD) root volume is allocated.
You can adjust the storage size or add additional volumes if necessary, depending on your use case.

Step-9. User Data (Optional):

Scroll down to the Advanced Details section on the "Configure Instance Details" page.

In the User Data field, enter the script you want to run when your instance launches.

#!/bin/bash
sudo apt update -y  # Updates all installed packages on Ubuntu
sudo apt install apache2 -y  # Installs the Apache HTTP server
systemctl start httpd  # Starts the Apache server
systemctl enable httpd  # Enables Apache to start on boot
echo "<h1>Welcome to your EC2 instance!</h1>" > /var/www/html/index.html  # Creates a basic web page

Step-10. Review and Launch:

Review all your instance settings. Make sure everything looks correct, including the AMI, instance type, key pair, and security group settings and Click Launch.
Click View Instances to go to the Instances page, where you can see the status of your instance.

Step-11. Access Your EC2 Instance:

Locate the folder where you have downloaded the .pem file earlier.
Open a terminal (Git Bash on Windows, Terminal on macOS/Linux) to SSH into your instance.
Go back to your instances, and note down the Public IPv4 address (or Public IPv4 DNS) of your instance.
Use the SSH command to connect to your instance. Replace the placeholders with your actual key pair path and instance public IP or DNS:
```
ssh -i /path/to/your-key-pair.pem ubuntu@your-public-dns
```

Default Usernames for Different AMIs:
- Amazon Linux: ec2-user
- Ubuntu: ubuntu
- RHEL: ec2-user or root
- CentOS: centos or ec2-user
- Debian: admin or root

Instance Management:

In AWS, you can manage the state of an EC2 instance by stopping or terminating it. However, if your workload is actively running on the instance, it is essential to back up your data before terminating it, as this action will permanently delete the instance and its associated data.

Below are examples of different instance states for an EC2 instance:

Stopping an EC2 Instance: Halts the instance, saving its state and resources for later use without incurring additional instance costs.
Rebooting an EC2 Instance: Restarts the instance without changing its state, useful for applying updates or troubleshooting.
Terminating an EC2 Instance: Permanently deletes the instance and all associated data, releasing its resources back to AWS.

Additional Notes:

Make sure your instance's security group allows inbound SSH traffic from your IP.
Ensure that you’re connecting with the correct username associated with your AMI.
Run this command, if necessary, to ensure your key is not publicly viewable.
```
chmod 400 /path/to/your-key-pair.pem
```

Follow these steps, and you should be able to successfully launch and SSH into your EC2 instance.

Differentiating Git from GitHub: A Comprehensive Guide

Mohd Ahsan — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 15:49:58 +0000

To understand the difference between Git and GitHub, we first need to grasp the concept of version control.

Version Control is a system that tracks changes to files over time, creating a historical record of versions. It enables developers to monitor and manage modifications made to source code or other files, supporting collaboration and facilitating effective project management. This system, which manages the versioning of code, is called a Version Control System (VCS).

I. Understanding Git: A Distributed Version Control System

GIT is a distributed version control system primarily used for tracking changes in source code during software development. It monitors code changes, tracks who made those changes, and enables seamless collaboration among team members.

i. Version Control: Git tracks changes to files, allowing developers to revert to previous versions, compare changes over time, and collaborate effectively.
ii. Distributed: Each developer has a complete copy of the repository (repo), including its full history. This enables offline work and faster operations compared to centralized version control systems.
iii. Branching and Merging: Git allows developers to create branches to work on features or fixes independently. Branches can be merged back into the main branch (usually master or main) to incorporate changes.

II. Exploring GitHub: A Collaborative Platform for Developers

GITHUB is a web-based platform built around Git, offering repository hosting, collaboration tools, and project management features to enhance team productivity and code quality.

i. Remote Hosting: GitHub provides a centralized cloud-based platform to host Git repositories. It offers a convenient way to manage, collaborate, and share code with others.
ii. Repositories: A repository (or "repo") is a storage space on GitHub where your project's files, along with their revision history, are stored. It allow multiple collaborators to work on the same project simultaneously.
iii. Integration and Automation: GitHub integrates with various third-party tools and services (CI/CD pipelines, issue trackers, etc.) to automate workflows and streamline development processes.

III. Git vs. GitHub: Key Differences

Aspect	Git	GitHub
Primary Function	Distributed version control system	Web-based Git repository hosting service
Usage	Tracks changes in source code	Hosts repositories, facilitates collaboration
Local/Remote Access	Works locally and can be used offline	Requires internet for remote repository access
Features	Committing changes, branching, merging	Pull requests, issue tracking, project boards
Community	Core tool used by developers globally	Platform for open-source collaboration
Integration	Used independently or with other hosting services	Integrates with CI/CD pipelines, third-party tools
Accessibility	Available on command line and various GUI tools	Accessed via web interface
Cost	Free and open-source	Offers free public repositories, paid plans for private

Understanding AWS Support Plans: Which One is Right for You?

Mohd Ahsan — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 07:41:52 +0000

AWS provides several Support Plans tailored to different needs and budgets. Here's a detailed comparison to help you select the best option:

1. Basic Support (Free Tier):

Perfect for: Getting started with AWS, managing account and billing.
Cost: Free
Access: Email support for basic questions and AWS Community Forums for general troubleshooting. Access to AWS Community Forums

2. Developer Support:

Ideal for: Experimenting and developing on AWS.
Cost: Starts at $29/month or 3% of your monthly AWS usage (whichever is higher).
Access: Technical questions via the Support Center.
Response Time: 12-14 hours during local business hours.
Features: Basic Trusted Advisor checks for security and service quotas.

3. Business Support:

Recommended for: Running production workloads on AWS.
Cost: Starts at $100/month or 10% of your first $10,000 in monthly AWS usage (whichever is higher).
Access: 24/7 technical support via phone, email, and chat.
Response Time: 1 hour for urgent cases.
Features: Full access to Trusted Advisor, support for third-party applications, architectural guidance, and AWS Support API for case automation.
Optional: Proactive Infrastructure Event Management.

4. Enterprise Support:

Best for: Mission-critical applications on AWS.
Cost: Starts at $15,000/month or 10% of your first $150,000 in monthly AWS usage (whichever is higher).
Access: 24/7 technical support via phone, email, and chat with a 15-minute response time for critical cases.
Features: Includes all Business Support features, plus a dedicated Technical Account Manager (TAM), Support Concierge for billing and account analysis, proactive programs, and full access to Trusted Advisor best practice checks.

Choosing the Right Plan:

Basic Support: Ideal for basic needs and trials.
Developer Support: Cost-effective for development and testing phases.
Business Support: Comprehensive for production environments.
Enterprise Support: Provides the highest level of service and dedicated support for mission-critical workloads.

Selecting the appropriate AWS Support Plan depends on your specific requirements, from initial experimentation to running critical applications, ensuring you receive the right level of technical assistance and support for your AWS environment.

Generating and Managing AWS Security Credentials: A Beginner's Guide

Mohd Ahsan — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 07:27:06 +0000

AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) is used to enhance security and manage access effectively in AWS, it's crucial to avoid using the root user account for regular operations due to its broad permissions. Instead, creating IAM Users with specific permissions is recommended. IAM (Identity and Access Management) in AWS involves Users, Roles, Groups, and Policies:

Users: Individuals within your organization who need access to AWS resources.
Roles: Used to delegate access to resources securely between AWS services.
Groups: Collections of users. Policies are attached to groups to define permissions for multiple users at once.
Policies: Documents defining permissions. For instance, the "Administrator Access" policy grants full AWS control.

AWS Access Keys are credentials used for programmatic access to AWS services. They consist of two parts:
i. Access Key ID: A unique identifier used to identify the access key when making requests to AWS services.
ii. Secret Access Key: A confidential key used in conjunction with the Access Key ID to sign API requests, ensuring that requests are authentic and have not been tampered with.
Purpose: Access keys are used to authenticate and authorize access to AWS resources via the AWS CLI, SDKs, or API calls.

AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Step 1 - Create IAM User:

Go to the AWS Management Console and sign in with your root user credentials.
Type "IAM" in the search bar and select the IAM service from the list.

Step 2 - Access IAM Dashboard:

In the IAM dashboard, click on "User groups" in the left-hand menu.
Click on the "Create group" button to begin creating a new IAM group.
Enter a suitable name for the group, such as "AdminGroup" or any other descriptive name.

Step 3 - Attach Policies:

In the "Attach permissions policies" step, search for and select policies such as "AdministratorAccess" and "Billing" from the AWS managed policies list. These policies provide permissions for administrative tasks and billing management.
Review the policies that are attached to the group.
Click on "Create group" to complete the creation of the IAM group.

Step 4 - Add User:

Click on the "Add user" button to start creating a new IAM user.
Enter a suitable name for the user, such as "Admin" or another descriptive name.
Choose the type of access for the user:
- Programmatic access: Allows interaction with AWS services via APIs, SDKs, and CLI.
- AWS Management Console access: Enables sign-in to the AWS Management Console with a custom password. Ensure the option "User must create a new password at next sign-in" is selected.
Add the user to the IAM group created earlier with defined permissions.
Review the user details, permissions, and tags (if applicable).
Click on "Create user" to complete the creation of the IAM user.

Step 5 - Sign-in with IAM User:

If it's your first time logging in, you'll be prompted to set a new password. Ensure to choose a secure password.
Access the AWS Management Console either with the provided console login link or by visiting the AWS Management Console homepage directly.
Once logged in, you can manage AWS services based on the permissions assigned to your IAM user.

Step 6 - Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):

Go to the AWS Management Console.
Navigate to the IAM (Identity and Access Management) service.
Select "Users" and then your username.
Under the "Security Credentials" tab, click "Activate MFA" and follow the instructions to enable MFA using a virtual MFA device like Google Authenticator.Here is a list of compatible applications

Best Practices:
Use IAM: Avoid using the root account for daily tasks. Create IAM users for individuals needing access and group them based on roles, applying appropriate policies.

AWS Access Key

Step-1 Create AWS Access key:

Go to the AWS Management Console and log in with your AWS account credentials.

Step-2 Navigate to IAM Console:

Select Services from the top menu and search "IAM" in the search bar and select the IAM service from the list.

Step-3 Access the Users:

In the IAM dashboard, click on Users in the left-hand menu.
Click on the name of the user for whom you want to create access keys. If you don't have any users set up, you may need to create a new user first.
Once you are on the user details page, click on the Security credentials tab.

Step-4 Create New Access Key:

Scroll down to the Access keys section.
Click on the Create access key button.
A new access key will be generated, consisting of an Access key ID and a Secret access key

Step-5 Securely Store the Credentials:

Important: Download the key file or copy the credentials immediately. The secret access key will not be shown again after you close this dialog.
Store the access key ID and secret access key in a secure location. Do not share or expose these credentials.

Best Practices:
1. Keep Secrets Secure: Never share or expose your access keys. Use environment variables or AWS Secrets Manager to store them securely.
2. Monitor and Rotate Keys: Regularly review and rotate your access keys to reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

How to Set Up an AWS Free Tier Account: A Step-by-Step Guide

Mohd Ahsan — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 11:27:40 +0000

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a cloud computing platform that offers IT resources on-demand over the Internet, featuring pay-as-you-go pricing. Instead of owning and managing physical data centers and servers, users can access compute, storage, databases, and more as required.

AWS offers a free tier with limited usage available to new AWS customers for 12 months from the date of sign-up. See more details on the free tier here.

Let's create an AWS Free Tier Account.

Step 1 - Visit AWS Website:

Navigate to the AWS website and click on the create an AWS account button on the top right corner.

Step 2 - Provide Your Email Address:

Enter your vaild Email, Password and AWS account name, then click verify email address. You will recive the verification code on your mail, enter the verification code then Click “Next.”

Step 3 - Provide Contact Information:

Provide your contact information, including your name, company name (if applicable), and phone number. AWS may use this information to reach out regarding your account.

Step 4 - Payment Information:

Enter your payment information. AWS requires valid credit card details during account setup to verify your identity.
A nominal charge of about INR ₹2.00 may be applied to confirm the card's validity, it will refunded within 2-3 working days. You will receive OTP to verify your identity and complete the payment process.

Step 5 - Choose your Support Plan:

Select your desired AWS support plan. If you're new to AWS, consider starting with the free Basic support plan. Select a support plan from below and make your choice from the available options.
I recommend familiarizing yourself with the details of each Support plan to understand what is covered. For me, I've opted for the Basic support - Free plan.
Finally, proceed with completing the sign-up process.

Step 6 - Confirmation:

Your AWS account has been successfully created.

Step 7 - Sign in to AWS:

After completing the setup, navigate to the AWS Management Console. Enter your personalized experience and click Submit. Sign in to the Console using your new AWS account credentials.

Step 8 - Welcome to AWS!

Congratulations, your AWS account is now active! You can begin exploring AWS services, creating resources, and managing your cloud infrastructure.

Step 9 - Secure Your AWS Account:

Let's enable Multi-Factor Authentication(MFA) for the root user in AWS.
Navigate to "Security Credentials" under your account settings.
In the "Security Credentials" tab, locate the section for Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
Click on "Assign MFA Device".
Give Device a Name and select MFA option from list. Select Authenticator App and click "Next".
Follow the instructions provided to enable MFA using a virtual MFA device such as Google Authenticator:
Here is a list of compatible applications
- Download and install Google Authenticator or a similar app on your smartphone.
- Scan the QR code displayed on the AWS console screen using your MFA app, or enter the secret key manually.
- Enter the verification code generated by your MFA app to complete the setup.
AWS will confirm successful MFA activation.
Enabling MFA adds an extra layer of security to your AWS root account, helping protect it against unauthorized access.

Step 10 - Configure Billing Alarm:

Let's Configure Billing Alarm to ensure compliance with AWS Free Tier limits and avoid incurring charges. Below are the steps to achieve this:

Step i - Navigate to AWS Billing Dashboard:

Sign in to the AWS Management Console, then navigate to the "Billing and Cost Management" dashboard under your user account.

Step ii - Access Billing Alarms:

In the left-hand menu, go to the "Preferences and Settings" section and click on "Billing Preferences." Next, enable "Invoice delivery preferences" and "Alert preferences" by entering your email ID, and ensure all three options are selected to receive alerts via email.

Step iii - Setup CloudWatch Alram:

Now under services, locate the CloudWatch service (which is a monitoring service). Ensure you are in the "N. Virginia" region to create a billing alarm and monitor your bills effectively.
In the left-hand menu, navigate to the "Alarms" section and click on "All Alarms" to view existing alarms or "Create Alarm" to set up a new one.
Now click on "Select Metric", choose "Billing" as the service, then select "Total Estimated Charge", ensure the currency is set to "USD", and click "Select Metric" to proceed.

Step iv - Define Alarm Threshold:

Set the alarm threshold just below the Free Tier usage limits to receive alerts before incurring charges. For example, set the alarm when estimated charges exceed $5 if applicable.

Step v - Configure Notification:

Create an SNS topic to receive notifications when the alarm threshold is reached, then click "Next" to proceed.

Step vi - Confirm and Create:

Give the alarm a name, then click "Next" to review your settings.
Finally, click "Create Alarm" to activate the billing alarm.
You will receive an email to confirm your subscription and start receiving alerts.

AWS Billing and Cost Management offers tools and resources for monitoring, managing, and optimizing AWS spending and usage. It enables setting budgets, tracking costs, analyzing usage patterns, and accessing detailed billing reports to effectively manage AWS expenses.

Documentation:
AWS Free Tier.
AWS Billing & Cost Management.

Regularly monitor your AWS usage and configure billing alerts to notify you when your usage nears or exceeds the free tier limits. Ensure responsible and secure account management at all times!