Data Wrangling with Python

Appendix G. Using Amazon Web Services

If you want to get set up to use Amazon and the Amazon cloud services for your data wrangling needs, you’ll first need to get a server set up for your use. We’ll review how to get your first server up and running here.

We covered some alternatives to AWS in Chapter 10, including DigitalOcean, Heroku, GitHub Pages, and using a hosting provider. Depending on your level of interest in different deployment and server environments, we encourage you to use several and see what works best for you.

AWS is popular as a first cloud platform, but it can also be quite confusing. We wanted to include a walkthrough to help you navigate the process. We can also highly recommend using DigitalOcean as a start into the cloud; their tutorials and walkthroughs are quite helpful.

Spinning Up an AWS Server

To spin up (or “launch”) a server, from the AWS console, select “EC2” under “Compute” (you’ll need to sign in or create an account to access the console). This will take to you the EC2 landing page. There, click the “Launch Instance” button.

At this point, you’ll be taken to a walkthrough to set up your instance. Whatever you select here can be edited, so don’t worry if you don’t know what to choose. This book provides suggestions to get a server up and running cheaply and quickly, but this doesn’t mean it will be the solution you need. If you run into an issue such as space, you may need a larger, and therefore more expensive, ...