Understanding AWS EC2: Workflow, Terminologies, and Cloud Computing Basics

Khadija sajid — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:06:08 +0000

Aiming to develop and build large-scale applications or advanced systems often requires high computational resources such as increased RAM, CPU cores, storage, and networking capabilities. Purchasing personal or on-premise servers to meet these requirements is extremely expensive and difficult to scale.
This is where cloud computing comes into play. Cloud computing allows us to rent computing resources on demand, meaning we can use as many resources as needed and pay only for what we use. This approach is far more cost-effective and flexible than buying and maintaining physical servers.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is one of the leading cloud service providers and offers a wide range of services such as EC2, S3, and many others.
Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) is a core AWS service that provides virtual machines in the cloud.
In cloud terminology, a virtual machine is called an instance. AWS offers multiple instance types, allowing users to choose hardware configurations based on their requirements. For example, t2.micro is a free-tier eligible instance commonly used by beginners and first-time users.
After selecting the instance type (hardware), we choose the software configuration using an Amazon Machine Image (AMI). An AMI is a preconfigured template that includes an operating system and optional software. It can be used directly or customized according to application needs.
The EC2 workflow starts by selecting networking, hardware (instance type), and software (AMI). After configuring storage, networking, and security, the instance is launched as a virtual machine. Developers then connect to the instance via SSH to deploy applications. EC2 instances can be scaled vertically (by changing instance size) or horizontally (by adding more instances) and managed throughout their lifecycle based on application needs.
In summary, EC2 provides scalable, flexible, and cost-effective virtual computing resources, making it an essential service in cloud computing.

How AWS Makes Life Easier for Students (and Powers Netflix & Instagram!)

Khadija sajid — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 10:15:53 +0000

Ever wondered how Instagram or Netflix never crash, even with millions of users?
As a computer science student, I’ve always been curious about how technology works behind the scenes. That curiosity led me to discover AWS (Amazon Web Services), the hidden power source that keeps apps running, data updated worldwide, and services customized at scale.
What makes AWS so exciting is that it isn’t just for big tech companies; it’s also for students like us. AWS provides free credits so we can experiment without spending money. You can:

Host a personal website
Build projects
Practice machine learning
Run heavy code even if your laptop is slow

In short, AWS removes many of the challenges we face as students. Limited storage? Use AWS cloud space. Want to take your project live? Host it in minutes. Worried about data loss? AWS keeps it secure.
Here’s a quick breakdown of its core services:

Compute → The “brain” where apps run
Storage → An online hard drive to keep files safe
Databases → Store & organize information
Networking → Connect everything like roads in a city
AI & ML tools → Try image recognition, speech-to-text, and more—without building from scratch.
Security → Protects your data at every step

So, the next time you use Netflix, Instagram, or any large-scale app, remember—AWS is working silently in the background.
And the best part? You and I can explore the same technology today. Has anyone here tried AWS credits for student projects?

Forem: Khadija sajid

Understanding AWS EC2: Workflow, Terminologies, and Cloud Computing Basics

How AWS Makes Life Easier for Students (and Powers Netflix & Instagram!)