Few days back, I wrote a rather detailed article help you choose a cheap CDN service providers and in conclusion, I choose MaxCDN. For that, I am intending to purchase 1TB bandwidth content deliver network from MaxCDN, costing $39 for the first year.
I also revealed that I have been using Amazon S3 (standing for Simple Storage Solution) to store my backup blog files, database and configure this service as a content delivery network to speed my blog up. Here in this article, you can also find the way to get one year Amazon S3 freely and how to turn it into an economical backup solution on the cloud and using it as a efficient CDN service.
I was quite surprised when my friend said Amazon had offered free one year its popular storage service Amazon S3. I have ever heard about a similar campaign from Amazon in which the giant Internet service provider are running with S2. Honestly, I have known Amazon is allowing users to register free one year the limited S2 service package but not tried with it so far. However, in the case of Amazon S3, I can not deny this nice offer and quickly grabbed one now.
Register Free One Year Amazon S3
I am quite happy with what Amazon S3 is bringing to and I think you will soon be one. Firstly, you should grab this offer as soon as possible. No one knows when it expires, perhaps in the coming day. Visit this registration page here.
You need to be an Amazon user before registering Amazon S3. All of the beginning process is quite simple but there is one difficulty in comparison other free offers that is Amazon requires you fill the registration form up with your own credit/debit card information. Currently, as usual, Amazon does not allow users to use PayPal to pay their services. However, you have not to worry about your wallet. Amazon need your financial information for … further usage, meaning you will be charged if you use resource more than what Free package allows. Here is Amazon S3 Free package features:
- 5 GB Amazon S3 storage
- 20,000 Get Requests
- 20,000 Put Requests
- 15 GB data transfer in, 15 GB data transfer out per month.
Now, to register an Amazon S3 Free account, you just visit http://aws.amazon.com/s3/ and click on Sign up for Amazon S3 Free button. If you already have an account here, then log in Amazon Dashboard with your own information.
If not, fill the email field with your address, choose I am a new user option to sign up a new one. The next step is very simple. You just need to choose a strong password, fill the form up with your name. However, as I mentioned above, there is a small hassle problem. You need you use your credit/debit card to finish the “order”. Of course Amazon will not charge your bank account if you do not reach its S3 Free package limit. Then activate your account by click in the link sent by Amazon.
Login here to access your account and start configuring S3. Things you need to do now is choose Amazon S3, create a Bucket as the image below.
I choose Singapore in Region field due to my hosting server located in US. So Singapore server will bring more benefits than other Region since a larger number of visitors coming from Asia.
Using Amazon S3 as a backup solution for your WordPress blog
It is very easy to turn Amazon S3 into a backup solution. As a WordPress user, I have found a range of plugins that configure and work nearly automatically. Currently, I am using Wptimemachine. To be honest, this plugin is very easy to use. You just need to download the plugin, upload to your server via FTP, then activate it. Your Dashboard will have another option in the Setting tab. Here is the screen host:
To get your S3 Key and S3 Secret, you have to visit your account, access Security Credentials.
Here is your S3 Key and S3 Secret:
Wptimemachine works very well. Not only it backs up your database but also save your important data such as Upload folder, theme, your customization and so on. The back up files will be saved manually in the S3 Amazon. So, you not need to worry about the extra cost you have to pay. I think, 15 GB out and 15 GB in is quite enough for an average blogs.
There is another plugin named Automatic WordPress Backup that help you back up automatically but there are 2 “inconvenient” things: They run automatically (meaning need more data transfer) and it will automatically insert a back link to your blog.
Another choice is Amazon S3 plugin, but the author does not update it recently. You can do a try here.
PS: In the second part, I will introduce a simple way how to turn Amazon S3 into a cheap CDN solution. Stay turned friend!
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I just register one. Let’s automatic backup progress.
this is a good news.. even i never heard that AWS is free for one year.. Thanks a lot Vuong for sharing this..
I would be waiting for the 2nd Part article to use it as a CDN..
Although the S3 Free package is limited but I am verry happy with.
@Voung
I just signed for a Free account when i went to the AWS S3 panel.. it asked me to Sign Up for S3 but i think it requires a Credit Card..??..
It appears that you have not read my article carefully! Of course, Amazon requires credit card to “purchase” this free package mate
. I have no problem with it and if you have one, you will be one too.
you have also mentioned Debit card can we verify with a Visa Debit Card..??
No problem mate. Amazon need an active card, no matter what debit or credit is. However, the verification time is quite long. I had to wait more than few hours to receive my account informaition. So, be patient and at last, I am sure the reliable service will be yours soon.
Debit card gives error.. so only Credit Card is needed..
I have no problem with my debit card Batra. However, I think it will be better if we can use Paypal instead of CC!
Wow Vuong, One year free sounds very awesome. I will certainly try it out. Waiting for you next article on making using of it as a CDN
This month, Amazon S3 costs me… $0.04. Very, very satisfied with it. This article is quite long so I decided to seperate into 2 parts. I will update the last in the coming days.
For testing Shiva LOL.
http://starblogger.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/themes/thesis_18b/lib/images/icon-rss.gif
I always enjoy learning what other people think about Amazon Web Services and how they use them. Check out my very own tool CloudBerry Explorer that helps manage S3 on Windows . It is freeware. cloudberrylab(com)
Thanks for your dopping by. I have heard your service for awhile and I am intending to review it in the coming article too.
I just registered,thanks for sharing Vuong.
You are welcome Ankit. I do not know why your comment has been arranged in spam section
. In the coming post, I will introduce you how to use it and turn S3 into an cheap even free CDN service in order to increase blog speed.
Nice Article…
Amazon S3 is nice service provider and it is the most attracting service for people those interested in Cloud and Storage services.
My very own tool Bucket Explorer will help you managing the service at S3 ,Cloud Front and many more…
Thanks for dropping by buddy!
Thanks for putting together this valuable guide. Much appreciated.
By the way, I am using S3 as automatic backup for my wordpress blog using “Automatic Backup” plugin. I have uploaded all images on S3, and so my image URL looks like –
http://bucketname.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Picture.png
How would i go about changing the URL of the image OR swapping the image if I have to? What changes do i make to 1) change the image and 2) change the URL of the image back to http://www.domain.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Picture.png?
Thanks in advance.