AWS – Create an Amazon Lightsail instance (with WordPress installed)

Amazon Lightsail is a Virtual Private Server that is fast and reliable. Amazon Web Services provides an easy to use User Interface to manage the Amazon Lightsail Servers. In this Article, I am going to explain creating an Amazon Lightsail instance.

Let’s create an Amazon Lightsail intsnace.

Step 1. Go to Amzaon Lightsail page in AWS and click on “Get started with Lightsail” button. AWS will open a web page to allow to Create an AWS account.

Either you can create a new AWS account or you can sign in to an existing AWS account from this page.

Step 2. From “Create an AWS account” page, provide the: Email address, Password, Confirm the password & provide the AWS account name (you can modify if you want; from the Settings after signup) details. All these details are mandatory.

Once done, select Continue button to start the AWS account creation process.

Step 3. AWS will open “Contact Information” page to get the contact details. All the fields are required.

Also you need to read and agree the terms (if you are OK with the terms) of the AWS Customer Agreement, before you proceed.

Once done, click on “Create Account and Continue” button to continue.

Step 4. AWS will display “Payment Information” web page to get the payment details. Provide the details and click on “Secure Submit” button to submit the payment details.

Step 5. If you want to buy the support plan, you can choose one of the Plan from the list. Once selected, it will proceed to sign in.

Step 6. Provide the mail address and select Next button to continue. Then provide the Password and click on “Sign in” button to continue.

Step 7. Select the language support and click on Save button.

Step 8. Now you will see Welcome to Lighsail page. Click on Let’s get started button.

Step 9. This is the important STEP where you need to select the most useful details to create an Amazon Lightsail instance.

From Instance location, select the location where you would like to create your Lightsail instance. Depending on your target region, you select the location.

Select which plat form you want to install on the Virtual Server. You can select, either Linux/Unix platform or Microsoft Windows platform from “Select a platform”.

Now select a blueprint; which allows you to prepare the instance image with pre-installed application. If your instance should be installed with the Application, you can select “Apps + OS” option; otherwise, select “OS Only” option.

Select the Application you want to install from the list of Applications.

I have selected “Apps + OS” option. And WordPress Application.

Step 10. From Choose your instance plan, select the plan which suits to your requirements. Automatically the name of your instance will be displayed under “Name your instance”. This should be unique name. You can change the name if you want or leave the auto generated name as it is.

Step 11. Once required options are selected, click on “Create instance” button to create the instance.

Step 12. You will see the instance we have created under the Instances tab. We can manage the instance from here or click on the instance to open the instance details.

Also you will see the IP Address of the instance.

Step 13. Copy the IP Address and paste it in the Browser window to verify whether the WordPress Blog is working. You will see the WordPress Blog home page.

We will discuss more on AWS as we go.

[..] David