A bash script that will set up a new EC2 instance and ssh into it.

ec2_instance_create_and_setup.sh

#!/bin/bash

# Authorize TCP, SSH & ICMP for default Security Group
#ec2-authorize default -P icmp -t -1:-1 -s 0.0.0.0/0
#ec2-authorize default -P tcp -p 22 -s 0.0.0.0/0

# The Static IP Address for this instance:
IP_ADDRESS=$(cat ~/.ec2/ip_address)

# Create new t1.micro instance using ami-cef405a7 (64 bit Ubuntu Server 10.10 Maverick Meerkat)
# using the default security group and a 16GB EBS datastore as /dev/sda1.
# EC2_INSTANCE_KEY is an environment variable containing the name of the instance key.
# --block-device-mapping ...:false to leave the disk image around after terminating instance
EC2_RUN_RESULT=$(ec2-run-instances --instance-type t1.micro --group default --region us-east-1 --key $EC2_INSTANCE_KEY --block-device-mapping "/dev/sda1=:16:true" --instance-initiated-shutdown-behavior stop --user-data-file instance_installs.sh ami-cef405a7)

INSTANCE_NAME=$(echo ${EC2_RUN_RESULT} | sed 's/RESERVATION.*INSTANCE //' | sed 's/ .*//')

times=0
echo
while [ 5 -gt $times ] && ! ec2-describe-instances $INSTANCE_NAME | grep -q "running"
do
  times=$(( $times + 1 ))
  echo Attempt $times at verifying $INSTANCE_NAME is running...
done

echo

if [ 5 -eq $times ]; then
  echo Instance $INSTANCE_NAME is not running. Exiting...
  exit
fi

ec2-associate-address $IP_ADDRESS -i $INSTANCE_NAME

echo
echo Instance $INSTANCE_NAME has been created and assigned static IP Address $IP_ADDRESS
echo

# Since the server signature changes each time, remove the server's entry from ~/.ssh/known_hosts
# Maybe you don't need to do this if you're using a Reserved Instance?
ssh-keygen -R $IP_ADDRESS

# SSH into my BRAND NEW EC2 INSTANCE! WooHoo!!!
ssh -i $EC2_HOME/$EC2_INSTANCE_KEY.pem ubuntu@$IP_ADDRESS

This script is the result of my desire to be able to create a brand new EC2 instance, perform a bunch of installations and setup, and SSH into the instance: all by typing a single command at a command prompt. This approach provides a couple advantages over creating an Instance Snapshot on AWS:

• I don't have to remember all the nit-picky details of getting a new instance up and configured
• Every minute detail will happen the same way every time
• The script serves as a reminder of every step taken to start and configure the instance
• You don't have to pay the AWS charges for Snapshot storage!

You will need to create an accompanying script – instance_installs.sh – that contains all of the directory creation, yum installs, configuration, etc.

Version 2!
• Now uses the official 64 bit Ubuntu Server 10.10 (Maverick Meerkat) AMI (in us-east-1)
• The default AWS Linux AMI didn't seem to support the --user-data-file option
• Now checks to make sure instance is running before trying to assign it a static IP address
• Changed all `'s (tick) usage to the preferred $() usage
• If the check for running status fails five times, the script exits early with a friendly message

Nice, I am just working on setup scripts for my server and appreciate your work!

This is excellent! Just what I was looking for!

Latest aws cli the commands are slightly different. Instead of:
ec2-describe-instances

You would have:
aws ec2 describe-instances

Also instead of ~/.ec2 you have ~/.aws.

Also the security is somewhat different. You need to go into IAM, add a user, give it permissions like AdministratorAccess and then generate an Access Key (and secret), and then install these keys on your client via 'aws configure'

i am unable to create a new instance with this script and please help me

Email:harish.bandari143@gmail.com

Thanks and regards
Harish

May not be valid now, I haven't tested it but looks like updated a decade ago.