12. Lab: Setup free-tier account

# Setup AWS Free-Tier Account

In this hands-on exercise, you will sign-up for an AWS free-tier account so that you can gain access to the AWS platform, products, and services. The free-tier account has three levels of service: 12-month free, always free, and free trial.

Prerequisites:

• Credit card
• Valid email address
• Phone number (used during sign up for validation)
• Virtual Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) application, such as, Google Authenticator, Authy 2-Factor Authentication, or Authenticator installed on your mobile phone

Topics Covered:

By the end of this lab, you will be able to:

• Sign into your AWS account in a secure fashion using MFA.

Steps:

1. Sign up

• Navigate to https://aws.amazon.com/free/
• Click on the “Create a Free Account” button
• Enter your email address, password, and a name for your account.
  Important: Be sure to enter your email address correctly or you will not have access to your account.
• Create a “Personal” account and fill out the contact information.
• Enter your payment information.
  Important: You will not be charged unless your usage exceeds the free-tier limits.
• Verify your account by phone.
• Select your support plan.
  Important: Select the “Free” plan.
• Finish the account setup.

1. Setup Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
   
   MFA adds an extra-layer of security on your account, which requires a username, password, and a security key retrieved from the MFA application on your mobile phone to login.

• Sign in to your account using the credentials (e.g. username and password) that you created in Step 1.
• In the “AWS Services” text box, type “IAM”.
• Select “IAM”.
• On the dashboard, select “Activate MFA on your root account”
• Click on “Manage MFA”
• Follow the steps to setup “a Virtual MFA device”