AWS Linux Tutorial -- Part 1: Why Learn AWS & Linux Together
AWS and Linux are inseparable in the real world. Every time you launch an EC2 instance, it runs Linux. Every time you set up an EKS cluster, the nodes run Linux. Lambda functions execute in Linux containers. ECS tasks are Linux containers. AWS is built on Linux, and working effectively with AWS means working effectively with Linux on AWS.
This series teaches you both simultaneously: the AWS console and CLI for provisioning, Linux commands for operating. By the end, you will be able to launch a server, SSH into it, configure it from scratch, serve traffic, and monitor it -- the complete skillset for cloud infrastructure work.
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing means renting computing infrastructure (servers, storage, networking, databases) from providers like AWS instead of owning it. The advantages: no upfront hardware cost, pay only for what you use, scale instantly from 1 server to 1,000, access via API, and infrastructure managed by the cloud provider.
AWS Global Infrastructure
Regions:
- Geographic areas: us-east-1, ap-south-1 (Mumbai), eu-west-1
- Choose region close to your users
- Some services are global (IAM, Route 53, CloudFront)
- Some are regional (EC2, RDS, S3 buckets)
Availability Zones (AZs):
- Physically separate data centers within a region
- us-east-1 has 6 AZs: us-east-1a through us-east-1f
- Deploy across multiple AZs for high availability
Edge Locations:
- CloudFront CDN endpoints
- Over 400 globally
- Cache content close to usersAWS Free Tier
EC2: 750 hours/month of t2.micro or t3.micro (12 months)
S3: 5 GB storage, 20,000 GET, 2,000 PUT requests (12 months)
RDS: 750 hours of db.t2.micro, 20 GB storage (12 months)
Lambda: 1 million requests/month, 400,000 GB-seconds (always free)
DynamoDB: 25 GB storage, 25 write/read units (always free)
# Important: Set up billing alerts to avoid surprise charges
# AWS Console > Billing > Budgets > Create Budget
# Alert at 80% and 100% of your monthly limitCore AWS Services Overview
EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud): Virtual machines. Launch a Linux server in seconds, SSH in, install software, run your application.
S3 (Simple Storage Service): Object storage. Store any file, any size. Static websites, backups, deployment artifacts, data lakes.
VPC (Virtual Private Cloud): Your private network in AWS. Control which resources are publicly accessible and which are isolated.
IAM (Identity and Access Management): Who can do what in your AWS account. Users, roles, policies, permissions.
RDS (Relational Database Service): Managed databases. PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB with automated backups, failover, and patching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which AWS region should I use?
ap-south-1 (Mumbai) for India-based projects -- lowest latency for Indian users. us-east-1 (N. Virginia) has the most services and is cheapest. us-east-1 is the default for learning because pricing documentation almost always references it.
Do I need a credit card to use AWS Free Tier?
Yes, AWS requires a credit card even for free tier. You will not be charged as long as you stay within free tier limits. Set up billing alerts immediately. Turn off resources you are not using.
What is the AWS CLI?
The AWS Command Line Interface lets you interact with AWS services from your terminal instead of the web console. aws ec2 describe-instances, aws s3 ls, aws iam list-users. Essential for automation and scripting.
What is the difference between EC2 and Lambda?
EC2 is a persistent virtual machine you manage -- install software, keep running 24/7. Lambda is serverless functions -- write code, AWS runs it when triggered, you pay only for execution time. EC2 for always-on applications, Lambda for event-driven tasks.
How do I learn AWS without running up big bills?
Use Free Tier services. Set billing alerts. Stop EC2 instances when not using them (you pay for runtime, not per-instance). Use t3.micro instances (free tier eligible). Delete resources immediately after practice. Use AWS CloudShell (free) instead of installing CLI locally.
In Part 2, we create an AWS account, launch your first EC2 instance, and configure it securely from scratch.
Key takeaways
- AWS without Linux skill is just clicking buttons in a web console. The combination is what unlocks real infrastructure work.
- EC2 instances are Linux machines. Everything you learned in the Linux series (this track or the DevOps track) applies directly.
- Don't skip IAM. Mis-configured IAM is the #1 source of cloud security incidents — it's the lock on every door in your AWS account.
- Start with one region. Multi-region is a complexity tax most teams pay too early. Get one region right first.
AWS Free Tier Strategy for Learners
# 12-month free tier services (most useful for learning)
EC2: 750 hours/month t2.micro OR t3.micro
= 1 instance running 24/7 OR 3 instances for 8 hours/day
RDS: 750 hours/month db.t2.micro
= 1 database running 24/7
S3: 5 GB storage, 20,000 GET, 2,000 PUT requests/month
# Always-free services (permanent)
Lambda: 1 million requests + 400,000 GB-seconds compute/month
DynamoDB: 25 GB storage + 25 read + 25 write capacity units
CloudWatch: Basic metrics + 10 custom metrics + 1 million API requests
# Study-mode practices to stay free:
# 1. Stop EC2 instances when not studying (you pay per hour running)
# 2. Terminate RDS instances after practice (EBS storage still charges)
# 3. Enable billing alerts FIRST: Billing > Budgets > $5 monthly alert
# 4. Check Free Tier usage: Billing > Free Tier > Current usageAWS Global Infrastructure Choices
# For Indian users/projects:
ap-south-1 (Mumbai) -- Closest, lowest latency for India users
ap-south-2 (Hyderabad) -- Newer, growing service availability
# For global projects or following tutorials:
us-east-1 (N. Virginia) -- Most services, most tutorials reference this
us-west-2 (Oregon) -- Second most popular in US
# Price varies by region:
# ap-south-1 is typically 10-20% cheaper than us-east-1 for compute
# Check: https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/pricing/on-demand/
# Availability Zones (AZs) within a region:
aws ec2 describe-availability-zones --region ap-south-1 --query "AvailabilityZones[*].ZoneName" --output text
# ap-south-1a, ap-south-1b, ap-south-1c
# Always deploy critical resources across 2+ AZs for high availability