Setup process overview

We'll detail a very boring step-by-step complete setup process in the following sections, and add some more technical blocks of info here and there, that non tech-savvy readers can safely ignore 😝 :

Tech Blurb

nerd blah blah

Blocs of "code", like the 2 sample tabs below, can be copy/pasted with the small button at the top-right corner.⚠️ Use a proper text editor to paste, not Windows Notepad if you want to avoid pain ! ⚠️

Plain text sample.txt

This is a 
sample block of plain text "code"

Linux shell script sample.sh

#!/bin/bash
/usr/local/my-awesome-script.sh

(local) steps are things done entirely in your own local machine. We'll begin playing with AWS at Step 4.

Note : All our screenshots of Windows Explorer have been done with visible file extensions, and we also use some command prompt windows, so :

Refer to the "Check that you know/learn" helper links if needed...

One-time setup process

Local setup (GM machine)

Step 0 : Preparation : Have an account available on AWS, prepare a "safe" place on your own machine, check you have a proper text editor and know/learn some basics about Windows and its Explorer

Step 1 : (local) Download and install OpenVPN (+ Easy-RSA) on your Windows machine (+optional Tools if you want)

Step 2 : (local) Create a Pubic Key Infrastructure with its Certificate Authority and the public certificates + private keys for the OpenVPN server and at least one VPN client (= the GM)

Step 3 : (local) Setup your GM OpenVPN client with the required parameters, certificates and keys

AWS setup

Step 4 : (AWS) Configure your AWS environment : VPC (Virtual Private Cloud), networks, security settings, create an S3 bucket and an IAM user and IAM role (IAM=Identity and Access Management), prepare parameters and scripts

Transfer & First Test

Step 5 : (local+AWS) Transfer files to AWS S3 for server auto-configuration at launch time

Step 6 : (AWS) Launch your FG-OpenVPN Linux server in your AWS Virtual Private Cloud

Step 7 : Connect your VPN and test...

Step 8 : (AWS) Destroy (="Terminate") your server