Running OSv on EC2

EC2 modes of operation

Since it is based on Xen, EC2 has two modes of operation: Paravirtualization (PV), and Hardware assisted Virtualization (HVM). PV is a work in progress, and actually quite exciting to work with but it currently cannot boot. You are welcome to help by Forking us on github. Here, we will tell you how to run HVM images.

Preparation of HVM Images

However possible to run native Linux HVM images, it is a lot easier to adapt Microsoft Windows images, which is what we do. You can build your own custom OSv image and upload it into EC2, merely replacing the disk of a Windows VM with an OSv disk. Instructions on how to do this will be available soon.

OSv AMIs

We are providing two type of AMI:

• key-pair enable AMI
• keyless, password authenticated ssh sessions, with a pre-set password AMI

Our recommendation is using the first. Keyless AMI will be deprecated in future releases.

1. launch an AMI
2. Select t1.small or higher as the instance type (a t1.micro instance is not supported)
3. Proceed (Next) to set Configure Instance Details.
4. Proceed (Next) to set Add Storage.
5. Proceed (Next) to set Tag Instance.
6. Proceed (Next) to set Security Group. Make sure to enable SSH on port 22.
7. click Review and Launch.
8. click Launch.
9. select a key-pair option base on the AMI type you choose earlier:

• For key-pair AMI - create a new key-pair or use an existing one
• For keyless AMI - choose Proceed without a Key Pair.

And you are good to go!

• Launch your instance
• Click "Instances" to watch the new OSv instance status: Once it move to state "running" you can connect to it.
• Copy the public DNS name available on the instance dashboard.

Connect to a running instance

• For a key-pair AMI

ssh -i your-key-pair.pem your-public-dns.amazonaws.com

• for key-less AMI

ssh your-public-dns.amazonaws.com -l admin