> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://cloud-architect.ipoint-labs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Challenge Lab: Launch and Configure EC2 with Apache via CloudShell

> Hands-on lab · 45m

Launch this lab in the IP Lab Portal, then follow the steps below in the AWS console.

<a className="ip-lab-portal-btn" href="https://labs.intellectualpoint.com/labs/challenge-lab-launch-and-configure-ec2-with-apache-via-cloudshell" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">
  Open IP Lab Portal
</a>

## Overview

### Prerequisites

1. Basic Linux Command Knowledge

   * **Understanding of AWS CLI**
2. Laptop/Desktop
3. Internet Browser
4. Internet connection

### Challenge Instructions

1. **AWS Region:** Make sure to use **us-east-1 region** to create all the resources.
2. You will be provided with the requirements of the challenge. If you are new to AWS Cloud, we recommend you go through our hands-on Labs before taking this challenge.
3. Challenge Duration: **60 minutes**.

### How to submit the challenge

1. After building the infrastructure, click on the **Check my work** button, to validate if you have built the required infrastructure and completed the challenge successfully.
2. **Validation status:**

   * **Success** - You have completed the challenge successfully.
   * **Failed** - You have failed to complete the challenge.
3. Once you have successfully validated the challenge, click on **End lab** button to end the challenge.

### Launching Challenge Environment

1. To launch the challenge environment, click on the **Launch lab** button.
2. Please wait until the cloud environment is provisioned. It will take less than a minute to provision.
3. Once the Challenge is started, you will be provided with **IAM username, Password, Access Key,** and **Secret Access Key**.

<Note>
  You can only start one challenge at any given time.
</Note>

## Lab guide

### Sign in to AWS Management Console

1. Click on the **Open console** button, and you will get redirected to AWS Console in a new browser tab.
2. On the AWS sign-in page,

   * Leave the **Account ID** as default. Never edit/remove the 12-digit Account ID present in the AWS Console. Otherwise, you cannot proceed with the lab.
   * Now copy your **Username** and **Password** in the Lab Console to the **IAM Username and Password** in AWS Console and click on the **Sign in** button.
3. Once Signed in to the AWS Management Console, Make the default AWS Region as **US East (N. Virginia) us-east-1**.

### Architecture diagram

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/ip-cloud-architect-pathway/2u36x6URmH9hJ3QL/images/labs/challenge-lab-launch-and-configure-ec2-with-apache-via-cloudshell/001.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=2u36x6URmH9hJ3QL&q=85&s=8a92b5cd3af214bd42ccc5fecdcd7941" alt="" width="1049" height="574" data-path="images/labs/challenge-lab-launch-and-configure-ec2-with-apache-via-cloudshell/001.png" />

### Cloud Challenge Details

* In this challenge lab, you will use **AWS CloudShell** and the **AWS CLI** to launch a secure EC2 instance in the **us-east-1** region. The instance must allow **SSH** and HTTP access and serve a basic web page using the **Apache Web Server**.
* You have recently joined as a Cloud Administrator at a startup company that hosts lightweight static web pages for internal tools. Your manager has asked you to spin up a secure EC2 instance in the **US East (N. Virginia)** region using **AWS CloudShell** and the **AWS CLI**. The instance should be accessible via SSH and HTTP and serve a custom web page using **Apache Web Server**.
* To simulate real-world expectations, all tasks must be done via **command-line** in AWS CloudShell, and you must follow naming conventions strictly.

1. Configure AWS CLI

   * Configure the AWS CLI in CloudShell using the provided credentials.
   * **Hint:** Use the  aws configure command.
2. Create a Key Pair

   * Create an EC2 key pair using CLI and store the PEM file securely.
   * **Hint:** Use aws ec2 create-key-pair.
3. Create and Configure a Security Group

   * Create a security group using CLI.
   * Allow **SSH (port 22)** and **HTTP (port 80)** access from anywhere.
   * **Hint:** Use aws ec2 create-security-group and aws ec2 authorize-security-group-ingress.
4. Launch an EC2 Instance

   * Launch an EC2 instance in the specified region using CLI with:
   * Instance Type: t2.micro
   * AMI: Amazon Linux 2
   * Key: (use the previously created key)
   * Security Group: (use the created security group)
5. Connect and Configure Apache

   * SSH into the EC2 instance using the key pair.
   * Install and start the Apache HTTP server.
   * Host a basic HTML page displaying a custom welcome message.
6. Verify the Web Page

   * Open the EC2 Public IP in a browser and verify that the hosted page displays correctly.

### End lab

1. Sign out of the AWS Account
2. You have successfully completed the challenge.
3. Click on **End lab** button in the IP Lab Portal and wait till the process gets completed.

## What gets checked

When you press **Check my work**, the platform verifies each of these:

* **Launch an EC2 Instance** — Check whether an EC2 Instance is launched or not.
* **Launch EC2 AMI type Amazon Linux** — Check whether the EC2 instance is launched using an Amazon AMI.

## Related help

* [FAQs and Troubleshooting](/aws-cp/support/faqs-and-troubleshooting)
* [SSH into EC2 Instance](/aws-cp/support/ssh-into-ec2-instance)