Amazon EC2 Compute Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


In this article:

Learn how to log into Amazon Web Services Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) or Windows system and adjust the server settings.

What is a hostname?

For Windows the hostname is used in Active Directory and will display on the shell prompt when you log into to your VM. It allows immediate access to the server while the vanity URL is provisioning.

If you need to edit or update your Vanity URL visit the EC2 server details in the hosting portal and press the Get Support link. This will open a ticket to the NOC for the DNS modifications required.

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How do I log into a RHEL system?

  1. Open an SSH client

  2. Type: ssh {hostname} OR ssh {vanity url}

  3. Login using your Directory credentials.

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How do I log into a Windows system?

  1. Open your Remote Desktop client

  2. Type {hostname}  OR {vanity url}

  3. Leave domain blank

  4. Login with your LDAP user name and password.

    Do not enter AD or umd.edu or anything else before your user name!

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How do I turn the server on or off?

Use the hosting dashboard to perform administrative tasks.

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How do I adjust the server settings?

Use the hosting dashboard to perform administrative tasks.

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What is an Owner?

Primary owners will be the primary point-of-contact for this requested service item. They will be able to view and manage the items through the dashboard. Additional owners allow you to enter multiple points-of-contact for each service item. Those individuals will have the same rights and responsibilities as the primary point-of-contact.

You may later on add people to the machine for login rights and/or add people with access to the hosting dashboard.

People who have access to the dashboard will have the ability to:

DIT will send you an email with instructions on how to access the machine and the administrative dashboard when the machine has been provisioned.

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Will this server be used to host a university website?

If you would like to use the server to host a website you have to select “Yes”. It will enable access to the server via ports 80 and 443. Additional approval from the Office of Communication will be requested if you choose to host a university website.

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How is the Price Calculated?

Machine costs are calculated based on the configuration selected and how many hours it runs during the billing cycle. The estimate on the form does NOT include the cost of data transfer, which like machine cost is variable. The fee is based on the amount of inbound and outbound traffic that occurs monthly. Machines that host heavily trafficked Websites can generate substantial monthly data transfer fees of $500.00 or more. Machines that host applications used by a small group of users will cost less. Because this fee can't be estimated with any amount of accuracy, it is not included in the one provided below.

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