Getting to Know Your AWS Account

This guide will walk you through the basics of accessing and familiarizing yourself with your University of Oregon-provided AWS account. Since your account has already been created by the UO Cloud Team, you won’t need to set up any billing or sign-up details. Instead, you’ll focus on logging in, reviewing your permissions, and getting comfortable with the AWS Console.

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Overview

• Goal: Learn to log in to your University-provided AWS account, understand your IAM user, and explore the AWS Console.
• Prerequisites:
  • Access to the UO-provided AWS credentials (single sign-on link).
  • A modern web browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari).

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Log In to the AWS Console

1. Navigate to the AWS Console:

   • You can log into the AWS Organization using your DuckID at the SSO link here: awslogin.uoregon.edu

2. **Select your account (if prompted):

   • You will be presented with a list of accounts you have access to.
   • Expand the account you want to log into, and click the link related to the level of access you want to have (typically AdministratorAccess).

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Get Acquainted with the AWS Console Layout

The AWS Console is organized by service. Some of the most commonly used services and features include:

1. Services Menu:

   • Located at the top left (labeled Recently Visited). This shows you the recently visited services, and has a button at the bottom to view all services.
   • Browse categories like Compute (EC2, Lambda), Storage (S3), and Databases (RDS, DynamoDB).

2. Search Bar:

   • At the top of the console, use the search bar to quickly find services (e.g., search for “EC2” to launch an instance).

3. Region Selector:

   • Top-right corner (next to your account name).
   • Choose the AWS Region closest to you. We recommend us-west-2 (Oregon).

4. Account Menu:

   • Top-right corner, click your username.
   • Access your AWS billing information and other account options.

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Explore Key Information in Your Account

1. Billing & Cost Management (Optional):

   • Go to Billing and Cost Management in the account menu.
   • This is where you can see how costs are tracked and where to view usage.

2. Service Limits/Quotas:

   • Each AWS service has default quotas (e.g., a limited number of EC2 instances).
   • You can view quotas in Service Quotas to understand the boundaries of your account.

3. Personalize Your Console:

   • Pin frequently used services to the top navigation bar for quick access.
   • Update your Console Home dashboard with shortcuts to commonly used services or recently visited resources.

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Next Steps

Now that you’ve explored your AWS account, you’re ready to dive deeper into specific services:

• Check out the Understanding Basic IAM Policies guide next to learn how to grant and manage permissions securely.
• Or jump directly to a hands-on task, such as Launching an EC2 Instance.

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Troubleshooting & Support

• If you can’t log in or are missing permissions, submit a Support Request at TODO(link) Cloud Services Support.