ICT171 Cloud Server Project

Student ID: 35285678

Project Overview

This project was developed for ICT171 and demonstrates the deployment of a cloud-hosted website using Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) on Amazon EC2.

The project involved creating and configuring a virtual server using Ubuntu Linux, connecting a public domain name using DNS records, and hosting a live website accessible through the internet.

The aim of this project was to gain practical experience in cloud computing, Linux server management, DNS configuration, web hosting technologies, and HTTPS security implementation.

Server Information

Public IP Address: 15.135.223.100
Domain Name: https://istiakict171.site
Cloud Provider: Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Instance Type: t3.micro
Operating System: Ubuntu Linux

Technologies Used

AWS EC2
Ubuntu Linux
Apache2
HTML
DNS
Namecheap
GitHub
Let's Encrypt SSL
Certbot

Project Implementation

1. AWS EC2 Server Deployment

Created an EC2 instance using Ubuntu Linux
Configured security group settings
Allowed HTTP, HTTPS, and SSH traffic
Launched the cloud server successfully

2. Web Server Configuration

Installed Apache2 web server
Configured the server environment
Uploaded the HTML project webpage
Verified public accessibility using the EC2 public IP

3. Domain and DNS Configuration

Purchased the domain: istiakict171.site
Configured DNS records using Namecheap
Connected the domain to the EC2 public IP address
Verified successful domain propagation

4. HTTPS and SSL Security

Installed SSL certificates using Let's Encrypt and Certbot
Enabled HTTPS encryption for the website
Removed browser "Not Secure" warning
Improved website security and professionalism

5. GitHub Documentation

Created a GitHub repository for project documentation
Maintained README.md with project details and rebuild instructions
Stored implementation information and screenshots

Challenges Faced

Some challenges experienced during the project included DNS propagation delay, understanding domain configuration, HTTPS SSL setup, and managing cloud infrastructure settings.

These challenges were resolved through troubleshooting, server configuration adjustments, and practical experimentation.

Future Improvements

Deploying WordPress
Adding database integration
Improving website design
Implementing advanced security configurations
Adding automated backup solutions

Conclusion

This project successfully demonstrated the deployment and management of a cloud-hosted web server using AWS EC2, DNS configuration, domain integration, and HTTPS SSL security implementation.

The project provided practical experience in cloud computing, Linux administration, server management, and real-world website hosting concepts.

Student ID: 35285678

Content licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)