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Introduction to AWS - Understand AWS basics in 5 hours!
Role Play
Rating: 4.6 out of 5(20,918 ratings)
82,351 students

Introduction to AWS - Understand AWS basics in 5 hours!

Updated 2026 - A quick, fun, and easy to follow introduction to AWS. Learn Hands-on Skills. Ideal pre-certification prep
Created byRick Crisci
Last updated 6/2026
English

What you'll learn

  • Learn basic concepts of key AWS services quickly
  • Use the AWS console to create EC2 instances, S3 buckets, and more!
  • Use downloadable PDF study quides to reinforce what you learn
  • Learn how you can become AWS Certified
  • Follow the demos or use written PDF lab guides to try these tasks in your AWS account
  • Complete quizzes at the end of each key lesson to test your knowledge

Course content

2 sections53 lectures5h 48m total length
  • Introduction1:47
  • Connect with Me!0:39
  • Introduction to AWS10:12

    In this informative lesson, you'll gain a fundamental understanding of what AWS is and the significant benefits it offers. The lesson explains how AWS enables organizations to leverage cloud services without the need to build and maintain physical data centers, emphasizing cost-effectiveness, scalability, and elasticity, as well as the shift from infrastructure management to focusing on core business goals and rapid application development.

  • Quiz: Introduction to AWS
  • How to use the Hands-On Labs0:59
  • Downloadable Study Guides, Slides, and Labs1:40
  • Demo: Sign Up for an AWS Account and Use the AWS Free Tier6:01

    This practical lesson demonstrates the process of signing up for an AWS account, with a clear explanation of what the AWS free tier entails. The instructor walks you through the registration steps, including providing personal information and payment details, and emphasizes the importance of monitoring free tier usage to avoid unexpected charges when exceeding the allocated limits.

  • Quiz: How to Sign Up for an Account and Use the AWS Free Tier
  • Hands-On: Learn to Navigate the AWS Console7:14

    This tutorial offers a practical demonstration of the AWS console and its functionality, including insights into the importance of multifactor authentication for securing your AWS account. The instructor provides an overview of how to navigate the console, select different regions, access various AWS services, and highlights the dynamic nature of the AWS console's user interface.

  • Quiz: AWS Console
  • Introduction to S3 - Unlimited Object Storage in AWS4:47

    In this lesson, we'll introduce fundamental concepts related to Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service). The primary focus is on understanding the distinction between object storage, exemplified by S3 and likened to services like Dropbox, where files and objects are stored but not used for running applications or storing an operating system, and block storage, which encompasses functionalities like booting a computer and installing applications. The lesson highlights S3's attributes as a hosted object storage solution in AWS, emphasizing its durability with an 11 nines reliability, making it an ideal choice for various use cases such as storing backups, videos, images, and website content. It also outlines a practical use case of creating a static website using S3, showcasing its unique DNS naming and internet accessibility features. In essence, S3 is presented as an unlimited storage capacity solution for files, comparable to the functionality of Dropbox within the AWS ecosystem.

  • Hands-On: Create an S3 Bucket16:21

    In this demo, you'll learn how to create an Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) bucket. It demonstrates the process in the AWS console and explains the concept of S3, showing how to create a bucket, manage its properties, and upload objects, including making them publicly accessible, highlighting the flexibility and versatility of S3 for various storage and hosting needs.

  • Hands-On: Create an Archive using Glacier3:59

    Store objects long-term at a low cost using S3 Glacier. Configure Lifecycle rules to automatically move old objects to Glacier.

  • Role Play: AWS Job Interview S3 Questions
  • Quiz: Create an S3 Bucket
  • Quiz: Cloud Provider Comparison
  • Understand AWS Regions and Availability Zones3:22

    This lesson provides a fundamental understanding of AWS regions and availability zones, essential components of the AWS infrastructure. It explains how regions are geographically distributed data center clusters, and how within each region, multiple availability zones are provided to ensure redundancy and high availability for applications and services hosted on AWS.

  • Explain Regions and AZs
  • Quiz: Regions and Availability Zones
  • Understand AWS Managed vs. Unmanaged Services3:40

    This lesson introduces the fundamental concept of managed and unmanaged services, drawing an analogy between preparing a meal (an unmanaged service) and dining in a restaurant (a managed service). It lays the foundation for understanding the key difference between these service types, setting the stage for the exploration of EC2 as a classic example of an unmanaged service in AWS.

  • Quiz: Managed Services
  • Introduction to EC2 - Run Virtual Servers in AWS3:51

    In this lesson, you'll get an introduction to Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), a foundational AWS service that allows you to create and manage virtual servers in the AWS cloud. You'll learn the basics of EC2, including how to choose Amazon Machine Images (AMIs), instance types, and availability zones, along with an overview of Elastic Block Store (EBS) for storage. The lesson also emphasizes that EC2 is an unmanaged service, meaning AWS provides the infrastructure, and you are responsible for managing the operating system and other configurations on your virtual machines.

  • Quiz: Intro to EC2
  • Hands-On: Create Your First EC2 Instance12:21

    In this demo, you'll get a step-by-step demonstration of how to create an Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instance within your AWS account. The tutorial covers various aspects of the EC2 instance creation process, including selecting an Amazon Machine Image (AMI), choosing an instance type, setting up key pairs, configuring network settings, and creating a security group. You'll also explore the concept of termination protection and monitoring the status of your EC2 instance.

  • Quiz: Create Your First EC2 Instance
  • Hands-On: Back up an EC2 Instance using Snapshots5:59

    In this demo, we'll see how to back up an EC2 instance by creating a snapshot of its EBS volume, which serves as the virtual disk for operating systems and data storage. The demonstration also explores how to use snapshots to create new volumes or AMIs, enabling the restoration of instances or launching new ones based on the original configuration.

  • Explain EC2 Concepts, Configuration, and Backups
  • Block Storage (EBS and Instance Store)9:13

    In this lesson, we cover the fundamentals of EBS volumes, focusing on their role as block storage for EC2 instances and exploring configuration options such as size, type, and performance. Key storage types like General Purpose SSD (gp3 and gp2), Provisioned IOPS, and HDD are discussed, with insights into use cases, costs, and best practices for selecting the appropriate storage type for different workloads.

  • Quiz: Block Storage (EBS and Instance Store)
  • Explain EBS
  • Elastic File System (EFS)2:04

    Learn how to use Amazon EFS (Elastic File System) to create a scalable shared file system in AWS that can be accessed by multiple workloads at the same time. In this lesson, we explore how EFS works with EC2 instances, containers, Lambda functions, and even on-premises virtual machines using NFS version 4. You’ll also learn key AWS storage concepts including shared storage, high durability, unlimited scalability, and how EFS compares to traditional NFS file servers in on-premises environments.

  • Hands-On: Elastic File System (EFS)10:48

    In this hands-on AWS EFS demo, you’ll learn how to create and configure an Amazon Elastic File System (EFS) file share and mount it to an EC2 instance for shared storage access. We’ll explore important AWS storage concepts including EFS Regional vs One Zone storage classes, lifecycle management, infrequent access and archive tiers, bursting throughput, mount points, and NFS-based shared file systems. By the end of the lesson, you’ll understand how to deploy scalable shared storage in AWS and validate connectivity between Amazon EFS and EC2 instances in a real-world lab environment.

  • Introduction to AWS VPCs - Networking in the Cloud6:42

    This lesson covers the fundamentals of AWS Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), detailing how it enables the creation of isolated networks within the AWS cloud for secure and scalable cloud computing. It emphasizes the VPC's components like subnets, internet gateways, VPNs, Direct Connect, Network ACLs, and Security Groups, explaining their roles in customizing network architecture for various applications and security needs.

  • Quiz: AWS VPCs
  • Hands-On: Create a VPC8:13

    This demo covers the basics of creating a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) in AWS using the AWS Management Console, highlighting the importance of setting up secure, isolated networks and configuring subnets, NAT gateways, and VPC endpoints. The simplified VPC creation method is explained, including key concepts like CIDR ranges, public and private subnets, and the best practices for creating a functional and secure VPC environment.

  • Hands-On: Security Groups and NACLs8:22
  • Explain AWS Networking with VPCs
  • Create Highly Available Applications with Load Balancers5:51

    This lesson introduces the Elastic Load Balancer (ELB), focusing on the Network Load Balancer (NLB), which distributes traffic across multiple EC2 instances to enable horizontal scaling and improve application availability. Key concepts include traffic distribution across availability zones, periodic health checks to ensure traffic is routed only to healthy instances, and the use of auto scaling to maintain performance during failures or increased demand.

  • Demo: Create a Load Balancer10:07

    In this demo, you will learn how to set up a network load balancer in the AWS console. It covers the process of launching EC2 instances, creating a target group, and associating it with the load balancer, demonstrating the distribution of incoming traffic across multiple availability zones for enhanced availability and scalability.

  • Explain AWS Load Balancers
  • Quiz: Load Balancers
  • Introduction to Serverless Using Lambda - Eliminate Virtual Servers!7:00

    In this lesson, you will begin to grasp the fundamental concepts of creating serverless applications. The focus here is on Lambda, a compute service in AWS that allows you to run code without the need to provision or manage servers, contrasting it with traditional services like EC2, and highlighting the key advantages of serverless computing in terms of cost, scalability, and ease of management.

  • Demo: Lambda in the AWS Console4:25

    In this demo, you'll learn how to create a basic AWS Lambda function from scratch, understand the different options for authoring a Lambda function, and see how to test and configure the function using the AWS Management Console. It also covers important considerations such as the impact of memory allocation on function performance and cost, providing practical tips for optimizing Lambda functions.

  • Follow-along Lab: Lambda Basics12:25

    In this hands-on AWS Lambda tutorial, you’ll learn how to create, deploy, and test a serverless Lambda function directly from the AWS Console using Python. We’ll explore key AWS serverless computing concepts including Lambda invocations, test events, CloudWatch triggers, memory allocation, billed duration, and how AWS Lambda pricing is affected by execution time and resource usage. By the end of this lesson, you’ll understand how AWS Lambda functions work behind the scenes and how to build and optimize basic serverless applications in AWS.

  • Explain AWS Serverless with Lambda
  • Quiz: Serverless and Lambda
  • Elasticity - Scaling Your Architecture to Meet Demand and Reduce Costs3:45

    In this lesson, we explore the fundamental concept of elasticity in cloud computing, a core principle that extends to various AWS services. Elasticity is akin to a rubber band, capable of expanding and contracting as needed, mirroring resource scalability based on fluctuating demand levels. Whether scaling out by adding resources to meet increased demand or scaling in to optimize costs when demand recedes, understanding elasticity is crucial for effective resource management in the cloud.

  • Quiz: Elasticity
  • Elasticity with EC2 Auto Scaling Groups4:56

    In this lesson, we'll delve into the fundamental concept of auto scaling, which enables the automatic launch or termination of EC2 instances based on fluctuating demand. We'll explore the key components of auto scaling, such as launch templates and configurations, and how they serve as blueprints for creating EC2 instances with specific characteristics. Additionally, we'll discover how auto scaling groups help maintain the right number of instances, how to set conditions for automatic instance management, and how to associate auto scaling groups with elastic load balancers to efficiently distribute traffic.

  • Hands-On: Auto Scaling6:46

    In this lesson, you will learn how to set up an Auto Scaling group for EC2 instances in AWS to automatically manage the scaling of your resources based on demand. It covers creating a launch template as a blueprint for the instances, setting scaling policies such as target tracking to maintain optimal performance and cost efficiency, and demonstrating how the Auto Scaling group adjusts the number of instances based on CPU utilization.

  • Explain Auto Scaling
  • Quiz: Auto Scaling
  • Hands-On: CloudWatch - Create Alarms and Notifications5:49

    This lesson introduces AWS CloudWatch, the comprehensive monitoring service within AWS that enables you to track metrics, monitor log files, set alarms, and automate responses for AWS services. It highlights CloudWatch's ability to facilitate resource optimization, operational health maintenance, and integration with other AWS services for automated alerting and scaling.

  • Introduction to CloudTrail - Review and Audit Configuration Changes4:44

    In this lesson, you’ll learn how AWS CloudTrail provides auditing and monitoring capabilities by tracking API activity across your AWS environment. We’ll explore key cloud security and management concepts including APIs, AWS Management Console actions, AWS CLI commands, SDK interactions, and how CloudTrail records these activities as audit logs stored in Amazon S3. By the end of the lesson, you’ll understand how CloudTrail helps organizations improve security, troubleshoot issues, and determine who performed specific actions within an AWS account.

  • Hands-On: CloudTrail6:53

    In this hands-on AWS CloudTrail demo, you’ll learn how to use CloudTrail to monitor and analyze management activity within the AWS Management Console. We’ll explore how CloudTrail captures AWS API calls, tracks IAM user actions, records source IP addresses, and provides detailed audit logs for services like Amazon S3. You’ll also learn about CloudTrail event history retention, integrating CloudTrail with Amazon S3 for long-term log storage, and how CloudTrail supports AWS security, compliance, and troubleshooting workflows.

  • Explain and Differentiate CloudWatch and CloudTrail
  • Quiz: CloudWatch
  • Introduction to RDS - Create Managed Databases (SQL, Oracle, and more)5:53

    In this lesson, we cover the basics of AWS Relational Database Service (RDS) and how it differs from EC2. RDS is a managed relational database service that automates many administrative tasks like backups, software patching, and failure detection, allowing users to choose from various database engines while AWS handles the underlying management, security, and maintenance.

  • Hands On: Create an RDS Instance9:04

    In this demo, we'll see the basics of creating an RDS instance in the AWS console using the Easy Create option, which simplifies the process by handling many of the configuration details for you. We choose a database engine, such as MySQL, and set up basic parameters like the instance name, master username, and connectivity options, while AWS manages the underlying maintenance, backups, and upgrades automatically.

  • Explain AWS Relational Database Service (RDS)
  • Introduction to DynamoDB - A Managed NoSQL Database8:25

    In this lesson, you’ll learn the core concepts of Amazon DynamoDB, AWS’s fully managed serverless NoSQL database service. We’ll explore important DynamoDB topics including tables, items, attributes, partition keys, composite primary keys, sort keys, scalability, high availability, auto scaling, and how DynamoDB distributes data across partitions for performance optimization. You’ll also learn how proper partition key design impacts DynamoDB performance and scalability, making this lesson especially valuable for AWS Certified Solutions Architect and AWS Developer certification preparation.

  • Hands-On: Create a DynamoDB Table15:40
  • Hands On: Using Bedrock for Generative AI5:46
  • The Shared Responsibility Model - What are My Responsibilities?3:26

    This lesson delves into the AWS shared responsibility model, shedding light on the clear division of security responsibilities between Amazon Web Services (AWS) and AWS customers. AWS, as the provider, supplies security OF the cloud, encompassing physical data center security, hardware retirement, and various network concerns. In contrast, AWS customers have the crucial role of ensuring security IN the cloud, which includes tasks like maintaining up-to-date and secure guest operating systems, configuring security groups, managing identity and access management (IAM) credentials, and strongly recommending the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA).

  • Quiz: Shared Responsibility
  • Demo: Navigating the IAM Dashboard4:17

    In this demo, we'll explore the AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) dashboard, focusing on essential IAM elements and the root account user. They clarify that IAM configurations are global and not region-specific, demonstrating steps to secure the root account by enabling multifactor authentication and disabling access keys. The demonstration also illustrates how to create a unique sign-in URL for IAM users within an AWS account, allowing for tailored sign-in pages and customized account aliases, enhancing the overall AWS security and management experience.

  • Demo: Assign IAM Permissions with Groups and Users5:16

    In this demo, we delve into key AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) concepts, with a focus on IAM users, groups, and policies. We'll demonstrate how to create IAM users and explain that IAM users are associated with real-life users, providing examples of setting usernames and passwords while highlighting the importance of generating access keys only when required for API, CLI, or SDK usage. It also covers attaching policies, which represent permissions, to users, and introduces the concept of IAM groups, illustrating their significance in efficiently managing permissions for specific teams or roles within an organization.

  • Explain AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)
  • MultiFactor Authentication - An Essential Security Tool in AWS!5:33

    In this lesson, you’ll learn how to improve AWS account security using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and IAM best practices. We’ll explore how AWS MFA works with IAM users, authenticator apps like Google Authenticator, QR code registration, and hardware MFA devices to provide stronger authentication security beyond just usernames and passwords. You’ll also see a hands-on demonstration of configuring MFA in the AWS Management Console to help protect your AWS account, EC2 resources, Lambda functions, and cloud infrastructure from unauthorized access.

  • Demo: Configure MultiFactor Authentication on the Root Account5:15

    In this lesson, you’ll learn the basics of AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) and how to properly secure your AWS account using IAM best practices. We’ll explore important AWS security concepts including the root account, IAM users, MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication), access keys, account aliases, and AWS regions. You’ll also see how to configure and secure the AWS root user, understand why IAM users should be used instead of the root account for daily administration, and prepare your AWS environment for secure cloud operations.

  • Quiz: IAM
  • Introduction to ECS - Run Containers in the AWS Cloud11:22

    This lesson introduces running Docker containers in AWS, focusing on container orchestration with Amazon ECS (Elastic Container Service) and its integration with other AWS services like ECR (Elastic Container Registry). It explains how ECS manages container deployment, scaling, and failover across EC2 instances or serverless with AWS Fargate, offering an efficient way to handle containerized applications in the cloud.

  • Demo: Using ECS to Run Docker Containers in AWS16:30

    In this hands-on Amazon ECS tutorial, you’ll learn how to create an ECS cluster and deploy containerized applications using Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) on EC2 instances. We’ll explore important container and AWS concepts including ECS clusters, task definitions, ECS tasks, Docker containers, capacity providers, Auto Scaling groups, VPC networking, private subnets, security groups, static port mapping, and NGINX web server containers. By the end of the lesson, you’ll understand the fundamentals of running and testing containers in AWS ECS, how ECS orchestrates container workloads, and how ECS integrates with EC2, networking, and load balancing services in AWS.

  • Explain ECS
  • Quiz: ECS
  • Demo: Budgets and Billing Alerts2:17

    In this lesson, you’ll learn how to create AWS Budgets and configure billing alerts inside the AWS Management Console to help monitor and control cloud spending. We’ll explore important AWS cost management concepts including monthly budgets, forecasted spending alerts, actual cost thresholds, email notifications, and AWS Billing and Cost Management tools. By the end of the lesson, you’ll understand how to proactively track AWS costs, avoid unexpected charges, and implement basic cloud financial management best practices within your AWS account.

  • Basics of the the AWS CLI5:48

    In this hands-on AWS CLI tutorial, you’ll learn how to create AWS access keys for an IAM user and configure the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI) to securely manage AWS resources from the command line. We’ll explore important AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) concepts including access keys, secret access keys, IAM permissions, security credentials, administrator access, and default AWS regions. By the end of the lesson, you’ll understand how to authenticate the AWS CLI, run AWS CLI commands for services like Amazon S3 and IAM, and use the AWS CLI to automate repetitive cloud administration tasks more efficiently.

  • AWS Learning Path and Certifications5:33

    This video explores career opportunities available after completing an AWS course, with a focus on the AWS Architect Associate role. It highlights certification options from the AWS website and shares current salary insights from ZipRecruiter to showcase the potential benefits of these positions.

  • Getting Started with AWS Certifications5:45

    This lesson emphasizes the importance of AWS certifications in validating and enhancing your knowledge and skills. It specifically highlights the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate certification, a highly popular and challenging credential that can significantly boost your career prospects. The lesson provides an overview of the certification, including its format, cost, and resources for exam preparation, making it an essential starting point for those considering an AWS certification.

  • AWS vs. other Cloud Providers (Google and Azure)6:47

    In this lesson, you'll gain insights into the three major cloud service providers: AWS (Amazon Web Services), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. An overview of their strengths and competitive advantages is provided and discussing factors like market share, maturity, and pricing models, will help you make an informed decision when choosing a cloud provider for your specific needs.

  • AWS Support Plans - Paid vs. Free4:28

    This lesson provides a comprehensive comparison of the various AWS support plans, offering insights into the features and pricing of each tier. It highlights the different levels of support, from the developer support plan to the enterprise support plan, helping individuals understand their options and choose the most suitable support plan based on their needs and budget.

  • Bonus Video3:28

Requirements

  • No AWS experience needed!
  • Any computer works — Windows, macOS or Linux

Description

"Great introduction to AWS. I wanted a quick course to understand the basics, and this course delivered." - Susan

"The explanation was really good and could be easily understood by beginners." - Chopra


Are you brand new to AWS?

If you need a clear, beginner-friendly AWS basics course that explains core cloud concepts in plain language, this AWS for beginners training is for you.

Why should I choose this course?

Most lessons are just 5–10 minutes long, so you can quickly build a solid understanding of how AWS works and which services matter most for beginners. You’ll learn how to use the AWS Free Tier, explore the AWS Management Console, and see how AWS compares to other major cloud providers in simple, real-world terms.

In about 4 short hours, you’ll have a practical introduction to AWS. You’ll recognize common AWS services, navigate the AWS Console confidently, and understand how AWS fits into real-world cloud use cases

Will I actually learn how to use AWS in the real world?

Yes! You will learn how to sign up and how to take advantage of the free tier. You'll also learn some basic skills in the AWS Console, including creating S3 Buckets and EC2 Instances.

In this AWS for beginners course, you’ll learn how to sign up for an AWS account, safely use the AWS Free Tier, and navigate the AWS Management Console step by step. Through short video lessons, hands-on labs, quizzes, and role-play scenarios, you’ll build practical skills with core AWS services and real-world cloud concepts.

You will:

  • Get an introduction to AWS, common use cases, and the AWS learning path and certifications

  • Learn the basics of AWS AI solutions like Bedrock

  • Learn how to sign up for an AWS account, use the AWS Free Tier, and navigate the AWS Console

  • Explore how AWS compares to other cloud providers like Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure

  • Understand AWS Regions and Availability Zones and how they impact your architecture

  • Work with storage and compute services, including Amazon S3, Amazon EC2, EBS, and EFS

  • Learn the basics of AWS networking with VPCs, load balancers, and highly available architectures

  • Get introduced to serverless computing with AWS Lambda and practice with hands-on labs

  • Understand key cloud concepts such as elasticity, auto scaling, and the shared responsibility model

  • Practice essential security skills with IAM, multifactor authentication (MFA), and billing alerts

  • Monitor and audit your environment using CloudWatch and CloudTrail

  • Work with managed databases like Amazon RDS and DynamoDB

  • Run containers in the cloud using Amazon ECS and the AWS CLI for command-line management

Who this course is for:

  • Anyone who needs to get started with the basic concepts of AWS
  • Anyone that plans to work on achieving AWS certifications, but doesn't know where to start