Fortunately, you don't have to repeat all the previous steps to complete the Launch Instance wizard every time you want to use Amazon EC2. Once you have an instance created, it's fairly easy to log in, start, and stop it. Before we talk about logging in, let's cover the basics of how to stop and start the instance. You'll need to begin using these techniques immediately, every time you use your instance, in order to keep costs down.
When people begin using Amazon EC2, they often ask about the difference between logging out, stopping, or terminating an instance.
If you fail to stop your instances after you have finished working, you will quickly use up the Amazon Free-Tier credits and start seeing charges to your credit card.
Below are some reference instructions that you can use to stop and start your instance (Do not stop your instance for at least 10 minutes after you first launch it. It needs time to configure Windows for the first time.)
You can return to this page throughout the course if you need help remembering how to stop and start your instance.
Use the instructions below to stop a Windows instance like the one you created in Lesson 1. Do not use these instructions for ArcGIS Server instances.
This stops the clock on the charges for running your instance. When an instance is stopped, no one can use your server and you cannot log in.
Use the instructions below to start a Windows instance like the one you created in Lesson 1. When you start your instance, it takes a few minutes to boot up, but you shouldn't have to wait the full 10 minutes that you waited when you first launched the instance. Always follow the instructions below when you start your instance:
After a few minutes your instance will be ready to use with its Elastic IP. After enough times of repeating this action you should have these instructions memorized.
To view your accrued charges at any time, go to the AWS Management Console Billing page [1]. You can see detailed reports of your usage of each part of the service by clicking the Bill Details button at the upper right of the main Billing page.
I recommend that you view your credits after every lesson so that you understand whether you are in danger of excessive charges. If you consistently stop your instances after you are finished working, your costs will remain small.