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Logeswaran GV
Logeswaran GV

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AWS Learning Series #2- AWS Accounts

First step in your AWS hands on should start from here. I assume you already created a personal account using your email address.
Account created using email address is called as root user, by default this user has full access to all AWS resources (No restrictions)

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Important considerations for AWS account:

  •  An AWS account is a container for identities(users) and resources
  •  Using an email address, you can sign up for AWS account
  •  Personal use of creating AWS account by default it created as free-tier account and some of the services free for 12 months. Check this link for complete details (https://aws.amazon.com/free/?all-free-tier.sort-by=item.additionalFields.SortRank&all-free-tier.sort-order=asc&awsf.Free%20Tier%20Types=tier%2312monthsfree&awsf.Free%20Tier%20Categories=*all)
  •  Create AWS account by simple registration process and anyone who is having valid credit card and check this link for more details (https://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/knowledge-center/accepted-payment-methods/)
  •  By linking your credit card AWS account is created and by default root user has full access for all AWS services
  •  Single credit card can be used for many AWS account creation process
  •  AWS account creation process can be the same for all environments (Development, testing, production & DR) using different email addresses
  •  It’s not recommended to use root user for day-to-day operations of using AWS services
  •  Using root account user create new Admin users (with proper roles/policy attached) with Full administrator access (and Billing module access)
  •  With root user login, “Enable IAM User & Role access to billing”
  •  If you didn’t assign any policy/roles to new user creation, by default user is no access to any of the AWS resources
  •  After Admin user is created, then we can create multiple users based on the role/policy (Developers, testers, DBA’s etc.,,)
  •  Best security policy is to enable MFA (Multi Factor Authentication) for all the users including root user
  •  Recommended best practice is create groups and attach policies/roles to it and users should be mapped to groups (this process makes easier on managing roles/policies for all users)
  •  Pay-as-you-go model is whatever the services you are using it will be charged per min/requests and charges is deducted from your payment method (Credit card)
  •  If the user doesn’t belongs to any group/role/policy by default no access to any of AWS resources
  •  As a best security practice, set password rotation policy for the users
  •  AWS Account IAM user can be assigned always with only one username & one password
  •  An IAM user can have TWO access keys (Active) o Access Key ID: SYAWLASKCORSWAACCESS o Secret Access Key: SYAWLASKCORaws/5SE5CR5ET5ACC3ESS5kEY

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