Table of Contents
Amazon Lightsail – How to Launch an Amazon Lightsail Instance
This video demonstrates how to launch a cPanel & WHM instance on Amazon Lightsail.
We filmed this video in cPanel & WHM version 108.
Amazon Lightsail – https://go.cpanel.net/lightsail
Build applications and websites fast with pre-configured cloud resources
✔ Lightsail gets you started quickly with preconfigured Linux and Windows application stacks and an intuitive management console.
✔ Focus on your code, not your bill. Lightsail bundles all the resources you need into a single, simple price.
✔ Lightsail automatically configures networking, access, and security environments, taking the guesswork out of launching your server.
What is Amazon Lightsail?
Amazon Lightsail is a virtual private server (VPS) provider that offers a low-cost, simple way for developers, small businesses, and other users to build and host applications in the cloud. With Lightsail, users get compute, storage, and networking capabilities to deploy and manage websites and web applications, along with pre-configured virtual private server plans that include everything needed to launch projects quickly. Amazon plans are charged on an hourly, on-demand basis and include fixed amounts of RAM, compute, and SSD-based storage, along with static IP addresses and DNS management. Users can run various software on their instances, including pre-configured operating systems and application templates. Lightsail offers an API and CLI for creating and managing instances, and users can sign up for using their Amazon Web Services account.
Lightsail instances are specifically engineered by AWS for web servers, developer environments, and small database use cases. Such workloads don’t use the full CPU often or consistently, but occasionally need a performance burst. Lightsail uses burstable performance instances that provide a baseline level of CPU performance with the additional ability to burst above the baseline. This design enables you to get the performance you need, when you need it, while protecting you from the variable performance or other common side effects that you might typically experience from over-subscription in other environments. For more information on burstable performance, go here.
DNS records are a critical component of the internet infrastructure. They provide a mapping between human-readable domain names like example.com and IP addresses that computers use to connect to each other. With Amazon , users can map their registered domain names to the public IP addresses of their Lightsail instances, allowing users to connect to their applications using easy-to-remember domain names.
Users can manage firewall settings for their instances using the console, allowing them to control data traffic to and from their instances. They can also create snapshots, which are point-in-time backups of instances, databases, or block storage disks. Snapshots can be taken manually or automatically, and they allow users to create new resources or back up their data. Automatic snapshots are taken daily and can be scheduled to occur at a specific time, while manual snapshots can be tagged, exported, and copied.
In order to use a domain name in Lightsail, users must first register it. They can do so using the domain support features, Amazon Route 53, or their preferred DNS registrar.
Related documentation:
cPanel & WHM licenses –
https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/how-to-sign-up-for-a-trial-license/
https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/how-to-purchase-a-cpanel-license/
Amazon Launch Scripts – https://lightsail.aws.amazon.com/ls/docs/en_us/articles/lightsail-how-to-configure-server-additional-data-shell-script
Use a launch script to configure your Amazon instance when it starts up
When you create a Linux/Unix-based instance, you can add a launch script that does things like add software, update software, or configure your instance in some other way.
Amazon Lightsail SSH Key Pairs –
https://lightsail.aws.amazon.com/ls/docs/en_us/articles/understanding-ssh-in-amazon-lightsail
Amazon Tags –
https://lightsail.aws.amazon.com/ls/docs/en_us/articles/amazon-lightsail-tags
Contents:
0:00 – Introduction
0:32 – Log in to Amazon Lightsail
1:00 – Create an Instance
4:33 – Watch the Installation Progress
5:42 – Assign a Static IP Address
6:36 – Update Hostname
7:14 – Change Root Password
7:37 – Log in to WHM
8:18 – Outro
Why use Amazon Lightsail?
There are several compelling reasons to use Amazon Lightsail for your cloud computing needs:
- Ease of Use: Amazon Lightsail offers a user-friendly interface and streamlined experience, making it accessible to users with varying levels of technical expertise. It simplifies the process of launching and managing virtual private servers (VPS) in the cloud, allowing you to focus on your applications rather than infrastructure management.
- Cost-Effective: Lightsail provides predictable and affordable pricing with flat-rate monthly plans. This eliminates the complexity of pay-as-you-go pricing models and allows you to budget your expenses more effectively. The plans include a fixed amount of compute power, storage, and data transfer, making it easier to estimate your costs.
- Scalability: Lightsail allows you to easily scale your infrastructure to meet changing demands. You can choose from a range of instance sizes and add additional storage or attach load balancers as needed. This scalability ensures that your applications can handle increased traffic and workload without disruptions.
- Integration with AWS Ecosystem: Lightsail seamlessly integrates with other Amazon Web Services (AWS) services, providing you with access to a wide range of additional features and capabilities. You can leverage services like Amazon RDS for managed databases, Amazon S3 for object storage, and Amazon CloudFront for content delivery, among others, to enhance the functionality of your applications.
- Reliable Infrastructure: Lightsail runs on the same robust and secure infrastructure as other AWS services. It benefits from the global network of AWS data centers, ensuring high availability, data durability, and reliable performance for your applications. You can trust that your infrastructure is backed by industry-leading infrastructure and security practices.
- Developer-Friendly: Lightsail offers developer tools and APIs that enable automation and integration with your existing workflows and applications. You can programmatically manage and customize your infrastructure using the Lightsail API or leverage popular tools and frameworks compatible with AWS services.
- Global Reach: Lightsail is available in multiple regions around the world, allowing you to deploy your applications closer to your target audience. This reduces latency and improves the overall user experience, especially for geographically distributed users.
In summary, Amazon Lightsail provides a convenient, cost-effective, and scalable solution for launching and managing virtual private servers in the cloud. Whether you are a developer, small business owner, or individual looking to simplify your infrastructure management, Lightsail offers a reliable and user-friendly platform backed by the power and flexibility of AWS.
