Day 5 of 100 Days Challenge – Connect to an EC2 Instance Using MobaXterm
Effortlessly connecting to an AWS EC2 instance from a Windows laptop can sometimes feel daunting, especially for beginners. On Day 5 of my 100 Days of DevOps Challenge, I explored the use of MobaXterm—a user-friendly SSH client for Windows—to securely access EC2 instances.
Why Use MobaXterm?
While tools like PuTTY are commonly used, MobaXterm provides an intuitive interface and robust features, making it an ideal choice for seamless EC2 instance management.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Launch an EC2 Instance
Use the AWS Management Console to launch an instance.
During setup, create a key pair and download the .pem file.
Ensure SSH access is allowed in the Security Group.
2. Install MobaXterm
Download MobaXterm Home Edition from its official website.
Extract and install the tool on your Windows laptop.
3. Connect to the Instance
Open MobaXterm and create a new SSH session.
Enter the EC2 instance’s public IP address.
Use the username provided by the AWS AMI (e.g., ubuntu).
Upload the .pem file under Advanced SSH Settings.
4. Verify Your Connection
- Run a basic command (sudo apt update) to confirm successful access.
Conclusion
With MobaXterm, connecting to an EC2 instance is straightforward and efficient. Its user-friendly interface and features make it an excellent alternative to PuTTY, especially for beginners in DevOps. By mastering this process, you can confidently manage your cloud infrastructure from any Windows machine.