How to Download a File from an EC2 Instance to Your Local Computer
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Prerequisites
Before we dive in, make sure you have the following:
- An active AWS account
- An EC2 instance running
- SSH access to your EC2 instance
- The AWS CLI installed on your local machine
Step 1: Connect to Your EC2 Instance
First, you need to connect to your EC2 instance. Open your terminal and use the following command:
ssh -i /path/my-key-pair.pem my-instance-user-name@my-instance-public-dns-name
Replace /path/my-key-pair.pem
with the path to your private key file, my-instance-user-name
with your instance username, and my-instance-public-dns-name
with your instance’s public DNS.
Step 2: Locate the File
Once you’re connected, navigate to the directory containing the file you want to download. Use the ls
command to list the files in the current directory and the cd
command to change directories.
cd /path/to/directory
ls
Step 3: Exit the EC2 Instance
After locating the file, exit the EC2 instance by typing exit
in the terminal.
exit
Step 4: Download the File
Now, you’re ready to download the file. Use the scp
command to securely copy the file from your EC2 instance to your local machine.
scp -i /path/my-key-pair.pem my-instance-user-name@my-instance-public-dns-name:/path/to/file /local/path
Replace /path/my-key-pair.pem
with the path to your private key file, my-instance-user-name
with your instance username, my-instance-public-dns-name
with your instance’s public DNS, /path/to/file
with the path to the file on your EC2 instance, and /local/path
with the path on your local machine where you want to download the file.
Step 5: Verify the Download
Finally, verify that the file has been downloaded successfully. Navigate to the local directory where you downloaded the file and list the files in that directory.
cd /local/path
ls
You should see the file you downloaded from your EC2 instance.
Conclusion
Downloading a file from an EC2 instance to your local computer doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By following these steps, you can easily transfer files between your local machine and your EC2 instances, making your data science work more efficient and streamlined.
Remember, when working with AWS, always ensure your instances and files are secure. Only download files you trust and always use secure methods like scp
for file transfers.
If you found this guide helpful, share it with your fellow data scientists. And stay tuned for more practical guides on navigating the world of data science.
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