Swift Server Guide - AWS New User Creation

Outline 6. AWS New User Creation

AWS New User Creation

This guide details the process of creating a new AWS user with the necessary permissions and access keys to interact with AWS services via the CLI.

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Table of Contents

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Overview

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create an AWS user, assign essential policies, and generate access keys for CLI-based operations. This setup is fundamental for managing AWS services like Amazon ECS, Amazon ECR, and CloudWatch Logs.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open AWS IAM Console

• Navigate to AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM).
• In the IAM dashboard, select Users.
• Click on the Create user button.

2. User Details

• User Name: Enter your desired user name.
• Access Type: Do not enable AWS Management Console access; this user will be used for CLI interactions only.

3. Attach Policies

• Click Next to proceed to permissions.
• Select Attach policies directly. This is the simplest way to grant the necessary permissions.
• Search and attach the following policies:
  • AmazonECS_FullAccess: Grants full access to Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS), including clusters, tasks, and CloudWatch logs.
  • AmazonEC2ContainerRegistryFullAccess: Provides permissions for managing Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR), such as pushing/pulling images and creating repositories.
  • CloudWatchLogsReadOnlyAccess: Allows read-only access to CloudWatch Logs.

4. Review and Create User

• Click Next to review your configuration.
• Verify that all selections are correct.
• Click Create user to finalize the user creation.

5. Create Access Key for CLI Access

• From the user list, select the newly created user.
• Click on Create access key.
• Choose the Command Line Interface (CLI) option to enable CLI access.
• Confirm by checking the box: "I understand the above recommendation and want to proceed to create an access key."
• Click Next to proceed.

6. (Optional) Tag the Access Key

• On the subsequent page, you have the option to add a tag to the access key for organizational purposes.
• Complete this step if desired, then proceed.

7. Save Your Credentials

• You will be presented with an Access key and a Secret access key.
• Important: Save the Secret access key in a secure location. Note: If you lose or forget your Secret access key, you cannot retrieve it. Instead, you will need to create a new access key and deactivate the old one.

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Security Considerations

• Keep Credentials Secure: Ensure that your access key and secret access key are stored securely and never shared publicly.
• Version Control: Avoid committing these keys into version control systems (e.g., GitHub) to prevent unauthorized access.
• Regular Audits: Periodically review your IAM users and access keys to maintain security best practices.

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Next Steps in the Series

Now that you've created a new AWS user for CLI access, the next chapter will guide you through configuring the AWS CLI on your local machine. This includes installing the CLI tool, setting up your credentials, and verifying access to AWS services from the command line.

Start by locating the Swift Server documentation series and the chapter corresponding to “AWS New User Creation.” Review the proposed IAM, policy, access-key, and security sections, then verify that the completed guide connects to the next AWS CLI chapter and accurately covers the listed steps.