AWS Certified SysOps Administrator Official Study Guide. Cole Stephen

as well: The AWS IoT Device SDK and the AWS Mobile SDK. Like the general-usage SDKs that we covered previously, these purpose-specific SDKs also provide developers with the ability to use prebuilt libraries that make it easier for them to focus on innovation in their code, not in how they connect to the infrastructure that runs it.

      The IoT and Mobile SDKs are different because they are purpose-built to streamline connecting physical devices, like phones and tablets or sensors and hubs, to the cloud. The SDKs are provided for a variety of languages commonly used on their respective platforms. At the time this book was written, these SDKs were available for the following languages/platforms:

      AWS Mobile SDK

      ■ Android

      ■ iOS

      ■ Unity

      ■ .NET

      ■ Xamarin

      ■ React Native

      AWS IoT Device SDK

      ■ Embedded C

      ■ JavaScript

      ■ Arduino Yún

      ■ Java

      ■ Python

      ■ iOS

      ■ Android

      ■ C++

      Like the SDKs previously discussed, many of these SDKs provide their source code in GitHub. Each contains extensive documentation and helpful sample code to allow developers to get up and running quickly.

      Summary

      As a highly-qualified AWS systems operator, you should have a strong understanding of the use of the AWS CLI. It makes your job easier and helps you automate much of the undifferentiated heavy lifting that performing cloud tasks manually would entail. Knowing how to use these AWS tools makes gaining experience to become a qualified candidate for the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate exam that much easier.

      Additionally, you should have enough of an understanding of the AWS SDKs that you can help your development colleagues understand their business value and use your knowledge to help them troubleshoot as connectivity or infrastructure issues arise.

      Exam Essentials

      Know the basic ways to interact with AWS. AWS Management Console, AWS Software Development Kits, and the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI). On the exam, you will not be asked any code, or commands. However, you must understand there is more than one way to administer your AWS resources.

      Understand Access Keys. As the Systems Operator, understand that access keys are not generated when you create an IAM account. For more information on access keys, refer to Chapter 3, “Security and AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM).”

      Resources to Review

      For assistance in completing the exercises that follow, we recommend these resources:

      The AWS CLI User Guide at:http://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide

      AWS Command Line Interface on Microsoft Windows:http://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/awscli-install-windows.html

      AWS Tools for PowerShell:https://aws.amazon.com/powershell/

      JMESPath query language:http://jmespath.org/tutorial.html

      BOTO General Feature Guides:https://boto3.readthedocs.io/en/latest/guide/index.html#general-feature-guides

      Exercises

      Throughout this book, you will be using the AWS CLI. These exercises serve as the instructions to install the CLI on Linux, Mac, and Windows.

      By now you have set up an account in AWS. If you haven’t already, now would be the time to do so. It is important to note that these exercises are in your AWS account and thus are not free.

      Use the Free Tier when launching resources. The AWS Free Tier applies to participating services across the following AWS regions: US East (Northern Virginia), US West (Oregon), US West (Northern California), Canada (Central), EU (London), EU (Ireland), EU (Frankfurt), Asia Pacific (Singapore), Asia Pacific (Tokyo), Asia Pacific (Sydney), and South America (Sao Paulo). For more information, see https://aws.amazon.com/s/dm/optimization/server-side-test/free-tier/free_np/.

      EXERCISE 2.1

      Install and Configure AWS CLI on Linux or Mac

      In this exercise, you install the AWS CLI and configure it for use with your account.

      1. Begin by logging in to the AWS Management Console with your user name, password, and MFA device (if applicable).

      2. Navigate to the IAM service.

      3. Select Security, and then click on your user name.

      4. Under Security Credentials, click Create Access Key.

      5. Before closing the dialog box that appears, save your access key and secret key in a safe place.

      6. If Python isn’t installed on your system, install it using the directions at http://www.python.org/.

      7. If pip isn’t installed on your system, install it using the directions at https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/installing/.

      8. Install the AWS CLI using the command pip install awscli – upgrade – user.

      9. Configure the AWS CLI by running the command aws configure and filling in the access key and secret key that you obtained in Step 5. Optionally (but highly recommended), specify a default region, such as us-east-2. Also optionally, specify a default format type.

      10. Test that you have set up the AWS CLI correctly and can connect to the AWS API endpoints by running the command aws ec2 describe-availability-zones. The AWS CLI should return a list of the available Availability Zones in your default region.

      EXERCISE 2.2

      Install and Configure AWS CLI on Windows with MSI

      1. Begin by logging in to the AWS Management Console with your user name, password, and MFA device (if applicable).

      2. Navigate to the IAM service.

      3. Select Security, and then click on your user name.

      4. Under Security Credentials, click Create Access Key.

      5. Before closing the dialog box that appears, save your access key and secret key in a safe place.

      6. Download the MSI Installer (https://s3.amazonaws.com/aws-cli/AWSCLI64.msi).

      7. Run the downloaded MSI installer.

      8. Follow the instructions that appear.

      9. Open a command prompt.

      10. Type aws –version.

      11. Configure the AWS CLI by running the command aws configure and filling in the access key and secret key that you obtained in Step 5. Optionally (but highly recommended), specify a default region, such as us-east-2. Also optionally, specify a default format type.

      12. Test that you have set up the AWS CLI correctly and can connect to the AWS API endpoints by running the command aws ec2 describe-availability-zones.