How to quickly and easily create staging/development sites - Self-manage

Hosting WordPress on Amazon Lightsail is a cost-effective way to adopt the cloud and benefit from the security and scale of AWS. By using Seahorse software users have the tools to utilize the flexibility that AWS cloud hosting provides. This tutorial will guide self-managed users through the process of creating a staging or development environment from your existing Seahorse integrated instance.

This gives users the ability to spin up direct replicas of production sites in minutes to deploy, test, and review before production deployment. This level of flexibility re-imagines the CI/CD process in Lightsail because staging/development sites can be shut-down immediately after use minimizing costs.

● Managing staging/development sites in AWS Lightsail

About this Tutorial
Time	10-15 minutes
Cost	Licenced Use
Use Case	Compute
Products	Amazon Lightsail
Level	100
Last Updated	December 7, 2021

Step 1: Overview

This guide assumes users are already using Seahorse software allowing for the options outlined below:

1. Overview
2. Configure your new Instance from Snapshot
3. Create static IP and assign it to your instance
4. Create CPU Utilization alarm
5. DNS update and install of SSL Certificate
6. Management Overview Console

* If you are creating an instance directly from a snapshot, go to Step 7

Brought to you by Seahorse — an AWS partner

Step 2: Configure your new Instance from Snapshot

In this step you will learn how to configure your new instance from a snapshot

2.1 Log into your AWS Lighsail Console, navigate to the instance created and click on the Snapshots Tab.

2.2 From here you can ‘+ Create Snapshot’ and ‘Create new Instance’ from the snapshot created

2.3 Select your SSH Key, Enable Auto Snapshots, instance type, and Name your new instance

Step 3: Create static IP and assign to your instance

In this step you will learn how to create a static IP & assign it to your instance.

3.1 In the Networking tab, click Create Static IP

3.2 Instances in your chosen region not currently assigned to a Static IP will be presented. Selected your instance.

3.3 Set a specific identifier name for your static IP

Step 4: Create CPU Utilization alarm

In this step we will create a CPU Utilization alarm to monitor your new instance

4.1 Select the metrics tab of your instance

4.2 Choose the CPU Utilization metric and Add Alarm.

*Our recommendation is greater than or equal to 60% for 2 times in the last 20 minutes. We also advise adding a notification method (email or SMS)

Step 5: DNS update and install of SSL Certificate

The final step is point your domain at the Static IP you created and to install and configure an SSL cert for your domain so the site can run over HTTPS.

5.1 Point your domain at your newly created Static IP

5.2 Once your DNS change has propagated run the following command via your chosen SSH client

sudo /opt/bitnami/bncert-tool

* The bncert tool is self explanatory and will configure a cron to auto renew your cert so the process only has to be run once

5.3 Than It will ask for the domain list you want to install SSL certificate and complete the process.

Step 6: Management Overview Console

Finally here is an overview of the Management Console that is available within your Staging WordPress website on AWS.

6.1 — Once your Staging Website has been launched on AWS Lightsail, a Management Console is available by clicking the WP Manage AWS tab on the Plugin Menu (on the cloned site)

From this Console, key information about your AWS server is available.
Actions can also be carried-out on your AWS Server from within the Management Console, such as:
● Reboot
● Change Tier
● Change Region
● Create Snapshot
● Boot from Snapshot
● Add Alarms

Congratulations

You have now created a direct replica of your your WordPress website running on Amazon Lightsail