create_keypair.md

Create a keypair

Step 1: go to appropriate directory in termainal

• In your Terminal, go to .ssh folder under your home directory
  (Note: Windows users should have Ubuntu installed.)

my example /Users/reshamashaikh/.ssh

Note: If you do not have the .ssh directory, you can create it (make sure you are in your home directory):
mkdir .ssh

Step 2: create id_rsa files if needed

Note: these id_rsa files contain a special password for your computer to be able to log onto AWS.

If you do not have these two files (id_rsa and id_rsa.pub), create them by typing:

• ssh-keygen
• Hit <enter> 3 times

my example

% pwd 
/Users/reshamashaikh/.ssh
% ls
% ssh-keygen
Generating public/private rsa key pair.
Enter file in which to save the key (/Users/reshamashaikh/.ssh/id_rsa): 
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): 
Enter same passphrase again: 
Your identification has been saved in /Users/reshamashaikh/.ssh/id_rsa.
Your public key has been saved in /Users/reshamashaikh/.ssh/id_rsa.pub.
The key fingerprint is:
SHA256:jmDJes1qOzDi8KynXLGQ098JMSRnbIyt0w7vSgEsr2E reshamashaikh@RESHAMAs-MacBook-Pro.local
The key's randomart image is:
+---[RSA 2048]----+
|   .=+           |
|.  .==           |
|.o  +o           |
|..+= oo          |
|.E.+X.  S        |
|+o=o=*oo.        |
|++.*o.+o.        |
|..*.oo           |
|o= o+o           |
+----[SHA256]-----+
% ls
total 16
-rw-------  1   1675 Dec 17 12:20 id_rsa
-rw-r--r--  1    422 Dec 17 12:20 id_rsa.pub
% 

Step 3: import key files to AWS

(Note: Extra step for Windows users: you will need to copy these files to your hardrive from Ubuntu.)
In AWS, go to Key Pairs in left menu and import id_rsa.pub. This step connects your local computer to AWS.
Note for Mac Users: can also cat id_rsa.pub in terminal, copy and paste it into AWS for "key contents".