This is a script to simplify EC2 instance interactions, but an example will probably explain my goal better: ./ec2-helper --instance-add ami-ea1e60b8 --instance-wait --instance-knowself --instance-upload --source ~/websitefiles.zip --instance-upload --source ~/virtual.conf --instance-upload --source ~/backup.sql --instance-ssh --sudo --run ~/setup.sh This command does the following things, in order:

• starts an instance of the ami-eq1e60b8 image
• wait for the instance to finish initialising
• record some basic information about the instance on the instance fs
• upload a zip of website files
• upload a apache virtual config
• upload a mysql backup
• run a setup script on the instance as root (apt-get various packages, downloads various django plugins from their git/svn repos, unzips the website, adds instance info to virtual, restores db) When the script is finished (10-15 minutes) the website is running

==========HELP COMMANDS ========== General help Usage: ./ec2-helper --help

==========KEYPAIR COMMANDS ========== Create a keypair Usage: ./ec2-helper --keypair-add

Output the fingerprint of a keypair Usage: ./ec2-helper --keypair-fingerprint

Output the filepath to the keypair key Usage: ./ec2-helper --keypair-file

Delete a keypair Usage: ./ec2-helper --keypair-delete

Output the keypair key Usage: ./ec2-helper --keypair-show

Output the keypair information provided by the EC2 API Usage: ./ec2-helper --keypair-list

==========GROUP COMMANDS ========== Create a group Usage: ./ec2-helper --group-add [--description ] --description Notes about the group

Usage: ./ec2-helper --group-authorize --options --options String containing parameters as required by ec2-authorize OR The name of a variable defined in ec2-helper-config containing those parameters

Deny a group access authorization Usage: ./ec2-helper --group-revoke --options --options String containing parameters as required by ec2-revoke OR The name of a variable defined in ec2-helper-config containing those parameters

Delete a group Usage: ./ec2-helper --group-delete

Output the group information provided by the EC2 API Usage: ./ec2-helper --group-list

==========INSTANCE COMMANDS ========== Create an instance Usage: ./ec2-helper --instance-add [--keypair ] [--type ] [--group ] --keypair SSH key (DEFAULT: General) --type Instance type (DEFAULT: m1.small) --group Group to assign to the instance (DEFAULT: default)

Wait until the specified instance has transitioned to a stable status (running or terminated) Usage: ./ec2-helper --instance-wait [--tryno ] [--trywait ] --tryno Number of checks before giving up (DEFAULT: 10) --trywait Wait between tries, in seconds (DEFAULT: 10)

Open an SSH connection to the specified instance Usage: ./ec2-helper --instance-ssh [--keypair ] [--user ] [--run [--sudo]] [--tryno ] [--trywait ] --keypair Defaults to the key the instance was initialised with --user DEFAULT: ubuntu --run A file to upload and execute OR A shell command to execute --sudo Execute --run script as SU --tryno Number of tries before giving up (DEFAULT: 10) --trywait Wait between tries, in seconds (DEFAULT: 10)

Upload files to the specified instance using SCP Usage: ./ec2-helper --instance-upload --source --destination [--keypair ] [--user ] --source Local source path, as defined by SCP --destination Instance destination path, as defined by SCP --keypair Defaults to the key the instance was initialised with --user DEFAULT: ubuntu

Update an instances self-knowledge information (/opt/publicdns) Usage: ./ec2-helper --instance-knowself

Delete the specified instance Usage: ./ec2-helper --instance-delete

Output the instance information provided by the EC2 API Usage: ./ec2-helper --instance-list

Update instance status using the EC2 API, outputs retrieved statuses NOTE: known instances that are not listed by the API are updated to 'terminated' Usage: ./ec2-helper --instance-update [ | - ] DEFAULT Update status of all non-terminated instances