Step 2: Create a key pair - AWS Service Catalog

Step 2: Create a key pair

To enable your end users to launch the product that is based on the sample template for this tutorial, you must create an Amazon EC2 key pair. A key pair is a combination of a public key that is used to encrypt data and a private key that is used to decrypt data. For more information about key pairs, ensure you are signed into the AWS console and then review Amazon EC2 Key Pairs in the Amazon EC2 User Guide.

The AWS CloudFormation template for this tutorial, development-environment.template, includes the KeyName parameter:

. . .
  "Parameters" : {
    "KeyName": {
      "Description" : "Name of an existing EC2 key pair for SSH access to the EC2 instance.",
      "Type": "AWS::EC2::KeyPair::KeyName"
    },
. . .

End users must specify the name of a key pair when they use AWS Service Catalog to launch the product that is based on the template.

If you already have a key pair in your account that you would prefer to use, you can skip ahead to Step 3: Create a portfolio. Otherwise, complete the following steps.

To create a key pair

  1. Open the Amazon EC2 console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2/.

  2. In the navigation pane, under Network & Security, choose Key Pairs.

  3. On the Key Pairs page, choose Create Key Pair.

  4. For Key pair name, type a name that is easy for you to remember, and then choose Create.

  5. When the console prompts you to save the private key file, save it in a safe place.

    Important

    This is the only chance for you to save the private key file.