QuickGuide: Amazon CloudWatch Setup

Step 1 – Create Ubuntu EC2 instance and prep for CloudWatch Agent installation

sudo apt update
sudo apt install collectd -y
sudo apt install awscli -y
aws configure {configure region}

Step 2 – Attach IAM role to Ubuntu instance

IAM>Role>Choose EC2>Choose policiy CloudWatchFullAccess

Instances>Select instance>Actions>Security>Modify IAM role

Step 3 – Install CloudWatch Agent

sudo chown ubuntu:ubuntu -R /opt
cd /opt
mkdir software
cd software
wget https://s3.amazonaws.com/amazoncloudwatch-agent/ubuntu/amd64/latest/amazon-cloudwatch-agent.deb
sudo dpkg -i -E ./amazon-cloudwatch-agent.deb

Step 4 – Configure CloudWatch Agent

sudo /opt/aws/amazon-cloudwatch-agent/bin/amazon-cloudwatch-agent-config-wizard

• Use default options 
• Select Advanced for metrics config
• Collect logs from /var/log/syslog, additional files no, SSM store no

Step 5 – Start the CloudWatch Agent for the first time

sudo /opt/aws/amazon-cloudwatch-agent/bin/amazon-cloudwatch-agent-ctl -a fetch-config -m ec2 -c file:/opt/aws/amazon-cloudwatch-agent/bin/config.json -s

Other agent commands:

To stop: sudo service amazon-cloudwatch-agent stop
To check status: sudo service amazon-cloudwatch-agent status
To start: sudo service amazon-cloudwatch-agent start

Agent logs:

cd /opt/aws/amazon-cloudwatch-agent/logs/
ls -al

Step 6 – Verify CloudWatch Setup

• Navigate to CloudWatch on the AWS console
• Click on Log groups under Logs
• You should see “syslog” under Log group