Introduction
As part of the DevOps task to ascend from Level 0 to Level 1 in the HNG Internship for DevOps (because apparently, this internship is structured like a video game), I had to tackle my first boss fight: setting up and configuring an NGINX web server on a fresh Ubuntu instance.
The goal? To prove that I could configure a basic web server and make it publicly accessible—because if a server runs in the cloud and no one can access it, does it even exist? 🤔
Challenge accepted! Now, let’s see if my server stands tall or crashes harder than my hopes after a failed deployment. 😆
Steps to Take
Log into AWS Management Console
Open your browser and head to the AWS Management Console.
Log in with your credentials (don’t worry, no one’s watching… probably).
Launch an EC2 Instance in the Default VPC
Navigate to the EC2 Dashboard:
In the AWS Console, click on Services and find EC2 under Compute. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack, but with a search bar!
Click on “Launch Instance”:
This is where the magic begins. It’s like ordering a pizza, but instead of toppings, you’re choosing servers.
Choose an Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
Pick an AMI (Amazon Machine Image). Think of it as choosing the operating system for your virtual pizza—uh, server.
For example, you can go with Ubuntu Server 24.04 (HVM), SSD Volume Type. It’s like choosing a fancy, pre-baked crust.
Click Select and pat yourself on the back for making a decision.
Choose an Instance Type
Now, pick an instance type. For beginners, the t2.micro is your best friend—it’s free (well, mostly) and perfect for testing.
Click Next: Configure Instance Details and pretend you’re a cloud architect for a moment.
Configure Security Group
Create a New Security Group
Give it a fancy name like Example MyHNGSecurityGroup. (Feel free to get creative—maybe FortKnoxButForCloud or NoHackersAllowed?)
Set the Rules (Because Rules Are Cool)
Type:
For Linux, choose SSH. It’s like giving your server a secret handshake.
For Windows, choose RDP. It’s like handing over the keys to your virtual castle.
Source:
If you’re feeling adventurous, set it to Anywhere (0.0.0.0/0). This is the cloud equivalent of shouting, “Come one, come all!”
If you’re paranoid (or just smart), restrict it to specific IPs. Think of it as a VIP list for your server party.
Open the Right Ports
For Linux, open Port 22 for SSH. It’s like leaving the backdoor open for your tech-savvy friends.
For Windows, open Port 3389 for RDP. It’s like rolling out the red carpet for your remote desktop.
Click Review then,
Click Launch
This is the moment of truth. Click that button like you’re launching a spaceship. (Okay, it’s just a server, but let’s pretend it’s epic.)
Choose or Create a Key Pair
Option 1: Create a New Key Pair
Name it something cool, like SecretKey.pem.
Download the .pem file and guard it like it’s the One Ring. Lose it, and you’ll be locked out of your own server. (Dramatic, but true.)
Option 2: Use an Existing Key Pair
Select your trusty old key pair and check the box like, “Yeah, I know what I’m doing.”
Click Launch Instances
And just like that, your instance is off to the races. Sit back, relax, and maybe grab a snack while AWS works its magic.
Access Your EC2 Instance
Wait for the Instance to Launch
It’ll take a few minutes. Use this time to practice your victory dance or stare at the screen impatiently.
View Your Instance
Once it’s up and running, it’s showtime!
Open Git Bash on your local PC (or your terminal of choice) and follow AWS’s instructions to SSH into your instance.
Setting Up NGINX
Once my EC2 instance was running, I followed these steps to install and configure Setting Up NGINX
1. Update and install NGINX
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install nginx -y
2. Verify NGINX is Running
sudo systemctl status nginx
if it is not active type
sudo systemctl start nginx
3. Create a html folder
sudo nano /var/www/html/index.html
4. Then, I added the following content:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>DevOps Stage 0</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to DevOps Stage 0 - [Your Name]/[SlackName]</h1>
</body>
</html>
save and exit using ctrl + X
click y - yes
then click enter to exit
5. Restart NGINX to Apply Changes
sudo systemctl restart NGINX
*6. Test the Setup I accessed my public IP address
*
http://<your-ec2-public-ip>/
Challenges Faced:
The Case of the Missing Index.html
My server was playing hide-and-seek with my index.html file. I could see the file, but the server acted like it didn’t exist.
it displayed some weird content (see the diagram below)
I Interrogated the Server with
I typed curl http://localhost to see what the server was serving. Spoiler: It wasn’t my index.html.
I Investigated the Configuration File
I opened the Nginx config file with sudo nano /etc/nginx/nginx.conf and went full Sherlock Holmes.
I found the root path and realized it was pointing to the wrong neighborhood. So, I redirected it to /var/www/html—the right address for my index.html.
I Saved and Exited Like a Pro
After making the changes, I saved the file and exited Nano like a boss. (Nano tip: Ctrl + X, then Y, then Enter. You’re welcome.)
I Tested the Configuration
I ran sudo nginx -t to test the configuration. It finally displayed the correct path: /var/www/html. Victory was within reach!
I Checked File Permissions
I used ls -l /var/www/html/index.html to check the file permissions. Turns out, the file was owned by someone else. Rude.
I fixed it with sudo chown nginx /var/www/html/index.html. Now, NGINX had the keys to the kingdom.
I Restarted NGINX
I restarted Nginx with sudo systemctl restart nginx. It’s like rebooting your computer, but fancier.
I Refreshed the Browser
I refreshed my browser, and voilà! My index.html file was finally served. Cue the confetti and celebratory dance.
Key Takeaways
This task taught me several important lessons:
✅ How to launch an EC2 instance and configure it for web hosting.
✅ Setting up a basic web server using NGINX.
✅ Managing AWS security settings to allow public access.
✅ Troubleshooting connectivity issues related to NGINX configurations
Deploying NGINX on AWS EC2 was a valuable hands-on experience it helped me in troubleshoot issues I had with my server displaying my web content as this will be a common issues I will experience in becoming a DevOps Engineer
References
Devops Engineers
Cloud Engineers
Site Reliability Engineers
Platform Engineers
Infrastructure Engineers
Kubernetes Specialists
AWS Solutions Architects
Azure DevOps Engineers
Google Cloud Engineers
CI/CD Pipeline Engineers
Monitoring/Observability Engineers
Automation Engineers
Docker Specialists
Linux Developers
PostgreSQL Developers
Top comments (1)
Hahaa. So hilarious and fun to read. Weldon.