How to SSH into a Windows EC2 Instance - AWS

Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides a robust platform for hosting and managing such servers through its Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) service. This blog post will guide you through the process of SSHing into a Windows EC2 instance.

How to SSH into a Windows EC2 Instance - AWS

In the world of data science and cloud Computing, the ability to access and manage remote servers is crucial. Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides a robust platform for hosting and managing such servers through its Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) service. This blog post will guide you through the process of SSHing into a Windows EC2 instance.

What is SSH?

Secure Shell (SSH) is a cryptographic network protocol that allows secure remote login from one computer to another. It provides a secure channel over an unsecured network, ensuring your data is protected during transmission.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the steps, ensure you have the following:

• An AWS account
• A running Windows EC2 instance
• PuTTY installed on your local machine

Step 1: Download the Key Pair

When you create an EC2 instance, AWS provides a key pair for that instance. This key pair consists of a public key that AWS stores, and a private key file that you store (.pem file).

If you already have the .pem file, proceed to the next step. If not, follow these steps to create a new key pair and download the .pem file:

Open the Amazon EC2 console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2/.

• In the navigation pane, under NETWORK & SECURITY, choose Key Pairs.
• Choose Create key pair.
• For Name, type a descriptive name for the key pair.
• For File format, choose pem.
• Choose Create key pair.
• The private key file will automatically download.
• Step 2: Convert the .pem File to .ppk Format

PuTTY does not natively support the .pem format that AWS uses for key pairs. Therefore, you need to convert your .pem file to the .ppk format. Here’s how:

• Open PuTTYgen (part of the PuTTY download).
• Choose Load.
• Change the file type to All Files (.).
• Select your .pem file and choose Open.
• Choose OK to dismiss the alert dialog box.
• Choose Save private key.
• Choose Yes to dismiss the alert dialog box.
• Specify the same name for the key as the .pem file, but with the .ppk extension, and then choose Save.
• Step 3: Connect to Your Windows EC2 Instance

Now that you have your .ppk file, you can connect to your Windows EC2 instance. Here’s how:

• Open the Amazon EC2 console.
• In the navigation pane, choose Instances.
• Select your instance and choose Connect.
• In the Connect To Your Instance dialog box, choose A standalone SSH client.
• Note the public DNS (IPv4) of your instance, you will need it for the next step.
• Step 4: SSH into Your Windows EC2 Instance

Finally, you can SSH into your Windows EC2 instance. Here’s how:

• Open PuTTY.
• In the Category pane, choose Session and complete the following fields:
• In the Host Name box, enter the public DNS (IPv4) of your instance.
• In the Port box, type 22.
• In the Category pane, expand SSH, and then choose Auth.
• Choose to Browse, and then select your .ppk file.
• Choose Open, and then choose Yes to dismiss the alert dialog box.
• In the PuTTY console, log in as the appropriate user.
• Congratulations! You have successfully SSHed into your Windows EC2 instance.

Conclusion

SSHing into a Windows EC2 instance might seem daunting at first, but with the right steps, it becomes a straightforward process. This guide has shown you how to download and convert your key pair, and then use it to SSH into your Windows EC2 instance.

Remember, AWS provides a secure and scalable environment for your  requirements. Mastering these steps will help you manage your remote servers effectively.