Redhat 8 installation on aws

Get RHEL 8 Running on AWS EC2: A Step-by-Step Free Tier Guide

Hello, tech enthusiasts, and welcome back to Darren’s Tech Tutorials!

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is one of the most powerful and stable operating systems available for enterprise environments. If you’re studying for certifications, testing out new development stacks, or just curious about RHEL 8, the best way to get hands-on experience is by launching an instance on Amazon Web Services (AWS).

The great news? You can get a fully functional RHEL 8 server up and running on AWS EC2 without spending a dime, thanks to the AWS Free Tier.

In this comprehensive guide, we’re taking the core steps from the latest video tutorial and laying them out clearly. We’ll walk you through selecting the correct image, ensuring you stay in the free tier, and securely accessing your new server via SSH. Let’s dive in!

Why Run RHEL 8 on AWS?

Using AWS EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) offers unparalleled flexibility and speed. Instead of managing complex virtual machine installations locally, you can spin up a powerful RHEL server in minutes. For beginners, this setup is perfect for learning command-line skills, practicing system administration, or running development containers in a real-world enterprise environment.

Our primary focus today is making sure you choose the correct configuration to leverage the AWS Free Tier, keeping your learning experience affordable.

Step 1: Selecting the Red Hat EC2 Instance

The first step in our deployment journey is selecting the base operating system image, known as an Amazon Machine Image (AMI).

1. Access the AWS Management Console: Log in to your AWS account and navigate to the EC2 Dashboard.
2. Launch Instance: Click the “Launch instances” button.
3. Search for the AMI: In the search bar, look specifically for “Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.” AWS maintains official AMIs for the operating system, ensuring stability and licensing compliance.
4. Verification: Make sure the selected AMI is clearly marked as “Free tier eligible.” This confirmation is crucial to avoid unexpected costs.

Darren’s Tip: When selecting, you will often find various versions (RHEL 8.4, 8.6, etc.). Unless you have a specific requirement, the latest RHEL 8 release offered under the Free Tier is usually the best choice.

Step 2: Configuring the Free Tier Parameters

Once you select your AMI, AWS will prompt you to choose the instance type. This is where you lock in your Free Tier eligibility.

Instance Type Selection

1. Choose t2.micro: This is the standard instance type included in the AWS Free Tier, offering 1 vCPU and 1 GiB of memory—more than enough power for basic administration, testing, and tutorial following. Do not select larger instance types (like t2.medium or larger) unless you are intentionally moving beyond the Free Tier.
2. Review Configuration Details: You can generally leave the default settings for the network, subnet, and IAM role for this basic setup.

Storage and Security Group Setup

After configuring the basic machine specifications, we must define the storage and, most importantly, the security rules.

1. Storage: The default storage allocation (usually around 8GB) is typically sufficient and stays within the Free Tier limits. If you need more storage, you can increase it, but be mindful of the Free Tier maximum limits (usually 30 GB of EBS General Purpose SSD).
2. Configure Security Group (Crucial for Access): The security group acts as a virtual firewall for your instance. To connect, you must allow SSH traffic.
   • Rule Type: Select SSH (Port 22).
   • Source: For maximum security, instead of selecting “Anywhere” (0.0.0.0/0), choose “My IP.” This automatically detects your current public IP address and restricts access only to your machine, fulfilling the requirement of accessing the server “over ssh from your IP.”

Step 3: Generating and Downloading the SSH Key Pair

Before launching, you must generate a key pair. This public/private key combination is your digital key to the server. You cannot log in without it.

1. Create a New Key Pair: When prompted, select the option to “Create a new key pair.”
2. Name and Download: Give the key pair a memorable name (e.g., darren-rhel-key) and click the download button. Your browser will download a .pem file.
3. Secure the Key: Store this file securely and ensure you set the correct permissions (often chmod 400 yourkey.pem on Linux/macOS) before use.

Step 4: Connecting to Your RHEL 8 Server via SSH

With your instance launched and your key pair downloaded, you are ready to connect!

1. Find the Public IP/DNS: Return to the EC2 Dashboard, select your newly launched RHEL 8 instance, and note its Public IPv4 address or Public DNS entry.
2. Open Your Terminal/SSH Client:
   • For Linux/macOS users, use your default Terminal.
   • For Windows users, use PuTTY, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), or the built-in PowerShell SSH client.
3. Establish the Connection: The default user for a RHEL AMI is typically ec2-user. Execute the following command, replacing the placeholders with your file path and instance IP:

ssh -i /path/to/your/keyfile.pem ec2-user@YOUR_INSTANCE_IP

If your security group and key permissions are set correctly, you will be successfully connected! Congratulations—you are now operating a powerful, enterprise-grade RHEL 8 server, running completely free on AWS!

Ready to Start Your RHEL Journey?

That’s how easy it is to set up a robust RHEL 8 environment using the AWS Free Tier. You’ve installed the instance, locked down security, and established a secure SSH connection, giving you the perfect sandbox for learning and development.

Did this tutorial help you get your server running? We love hearing about your success stories! Drop a comment below, and don’t forget to like this post and subscribe to Darren’s Tech Tutorials for more practical, accessible guides just like this one.

Happy scripting!