My journey into data engineering has introduced me to a variety of platforms and tools, from SQL and Python to development in dbt and working with Snowflake. The next step is diving into the AWS universe. To make that learning process engaging and hands-on, AWS offers Cloud Quest, a 3D role-playing game that lets you solve real-world challenges using AWS tools. In this blog series, I’ll explore some of AWS’s most widely used services by walking through Cloud Quest challenges and breaking down how they work in practice.
In the Cloud Quest universe, your character explores a city built on an island. Each challenge combines a scenario, a step-by-step tutorial, and a lab exercise in the AWS console. As you progress, you gain practical knowledge about AWS tools while your character earns experience points. The island also has interactive elements - like animals and drones - that quiz you on the tools you’ve learned, making the journey both educational and engaging.
In the first Cloud Quest challenge, the city’s stabilisation system is failing because the hard disk in its physical server has broken down. While the city works on replacing the hardware, it’s clear that relying on a single physical server is risky and slow. This challenge highlights the limitations of traditional servers and introduces EC2 as a solution. But what is EC2?
Most of us are familiar with computers - whether it’s a MacBook, a custom-built gaming rig, an Xbox, or even a smartphone. At their core, all of these devices take input, process it using hardware and software, and deliver applications we rely on every day. But what if you could have that same computing power without owning the physical device? That’s where Amazon EC2 comes in.
With EC2, you can launch virtual servers - called instances - in the cloud that scale to fit your needs. Think of an instance as a computer you don’t have to buy or maintain. You choose how powerful it is - whether that means more processors, extra memory, or additional disk space - and even pick the operating system (Linux, Windows, and more). The best part? EC2 uses a pay-as-you-go model. You only pay for what you use, and you can shut an instance down when you don’t need it.
One reason EC2 is so popular is that it removes the headaches of physical hardware. Computers and servers are fragile - if a drink spills on your PC or a component fails, repairs are expensive and time-consuming. On top of that, maintaining and upgrading hardware adds ongoing costs. With EC2, you don’t worry about broken parts or outgrowing your machine. Your server lives in the cloud, so you can scale up or down instantly as your company’s needs change - all without the high price tag of new equipment.
Even better, you can run EC2 instances in multiple Availability Zones (separate AWS data centres in different locations). That way, if one instance fails, another takes over, reducing downtime and keeping your data safe.
In the challenge scenario, they also mention Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS). If EC2 is like a computer in the cloud, then EBS is its hard drive. It’s a high-performance block storage service that you attach to an EC2 instance so it has space to store your operating system, applications, and data. The key benefit is that EBS volumes are persistent: even if you stop or restart your instance, your data is still there. You can also resize your storage or move it between instances without replacing hardware.
For example, imagine you’re running a database on EC2. The compute power comes from the instance, while the database files themselves live on EBS. If your instance fails or you need to upgrade it, you can detach the EBS volume and reattach it to a new instance - your data stays safe and available.
With all of that in mind, some other common use cases for EC2 instances include: Hosting a website or web application – EC2 provides the compute power to serve your pages and handle user traffic. Running databases – EC2 combined with EBS can store and process large amounts of data. Data processing and analytics – scale up instances to crunch big datasets or run batch jobs. Application development and testing – spin up servers on demand to build, test, and deploy code. Machine learning and AI – use specialised EC2 instance types with GPUs for training models.Gaming servers – host multiplayer games that require reliable computing and networking.
Amazon EC2 shows just how powerful cloud computing can be. Instead of dealing with fragile hardware and costly upgrades, you can launch flexible, reliable instances that scale with your needs. Cloud Quest’s first challenge highlights this perfectly, making it clear why EC2 is one of AWS’s most popular services. In the next blog, we’ll continue the journey through Cloud Quest and take a closer look at Computing Solutions, exploring how AWS helps bring different services together to power real-world applications.