The document provides a comprehensive guide on deploying WordPress applications using AWS, specifically focusing on Amazon Lightsail and Linux servers. It covers cloud computing fundamentals, the advantages and disadvantages of different deployment methods, and highlights important architectural considerations including security, availability, scalability, and visibility. The text also includes technical configurations for setting up WordPress on both platforms, along with cost implications.

1. Wordpress Deployment on
AWS
Nicolas El Khoury
nicolas.kh4@gmail.com
+961 70 146 509

2. Background Information
● BE Computer Engineering - Lebanese American University
● Masc Information Systems Security - Concordia University
○ Publications in the areas of cloud computing, NFV, SDN.
● Lead DevOps Engineer - Designer-24
● Community Lead - Amazon Web Services Beirut User Group
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3. Outline
● Introduction to Cloud Computing.
● Deploying Wordpress on Amazon LightSail.
● Deploying Wordpress on a Linux Server.
● Designing a Secure, Robust, and Scalable architecture for WordPress
applications on AWS. 3

4. Introduction to Cloud Computing.
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5. 5

6. Types of Cloud Computing Services
● Infrastructure as a Service: Storage Space, Virtual Machines, Bandwidth.
● Platform as a Service: Operating Systems, Programming Languages, etc.
● Software as a Services: Any Software you access online (iTunes, Google
Sheets, booking.com, uber, Designer-24, cheapoair).
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7. Advantages of Cloud Computing
● Less Cost: The services are free from capital expenditure.
● 24 X 7 Availability: Servers are always running.
● Automated Updates on Software
● Flexibility in Capacity (Scalability)
● Pay for what you use only
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8. Deploying Wordpress on Amazon
Lightsail
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9. AWS Lightsail
● AWS Service offering a ready-made environment for multiple applications
(Wordpress, Joomla, Magento, etc).
● Targets users with no knowledge in system administration or people who don’t
want to worry about servers.
● Configures all the environment automatically.
● Inexpensive!
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10. Lightsail in the Background
● Launch a Virtual Machine.
● Attach a Disk.
● Manage Permissions (IAM).
● Create a Security Group.
● Setup DNS.
● Create Static IP.
● Install all the components for wordpress (Web server, Database, PHP,
Wordpress app).
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11. Lightsail Pricing
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12. Setup Wordpress on Lightsail Demo
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13. Advantages of Lightsail
● Simplified UI: runs through preinstalled software with the server.
● Speed: Ability to spin up a server in minutes.
● Affordability: Ability to run a server for $3.5/month.
● Reliability: Deployed on a leading cloud platform. Chances of downtime are
very small.
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14. Disadvantages of Lightsail
● Predefined Configuration: Inability to choose different components
(webserver, database, etc).
● SPOF: Single point of failure.
● One application per server.
● Not suitable for enterprise grade applications.
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15. Deploying Wordpress on a Linux Server
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16. Wordpress Environment
● Database: Store collection of information.
● Wordpress Framework.
● PHP Framework: Serve PHP code.
● Web Server: serve the files that form Web pages to users.
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17. Install a Wordpress Environment on Wordpress
● Install a Database Management System.
○ Create a Database, and a username and password.
● Install PHP.
● Install Nginx (Web Server).
● Configure Nginx.
● Configure wp-config.php
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18. Wp-config.php configuration
define( 'DB_NAME', 'wordpress' ); //name of the database
define( 'DB_USER', 'wordpressuser' ); //username
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'test' ); //password
define( 'DB_HOST', 'localhost' ); //mysql hostname
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19. Nginx Configuration
server {
listen 80; //listen on port 80
root /var/www/html/wordpress; //the root directory for the wordpress app
index index.php; //the index file (main entry point)
server_name www.mylocalwp.com mylocalwp.com; //the domain name
location / { //defines how requests are processed for different URIs and resources
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args;
}
location ~ .php$ { //serve the php request
include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php7.1-fpm.sock;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
}
}
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20. Demo
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21. Custom Deployment Advantages
● Custom components.
● Better Design flexibility.
● Multiple applications on one server.
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22. Custom Deployment Disadvantages
● Not suitable for production.
● Unscalable.
● Single point of failure.
● Improper environment isolation.
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23. Building the Infrastructure on AWS
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24. Architecture Considerations
● Security.
● Availability (fault Tolerance).
● Scalability.
● Visibility: Logging, monitoring, tracing.
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25. Virtual Private Cluster
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26. Launch the Instances
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27. Load Balancing
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28. Architecture Considerations
● Security.
● Availability (fault Tolerance).
● Scalability.
● Visibility: Logging, monitoring, tracing.
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29. Security
● VPC Level:
○ Ingress Traffic Control: Network traffic originating from outside of the VPC
○ Egress Traffic Control: Network traffic leaving a VPC
● Load Balancer Level:
○ Security Groups: A security group acts as a virtual stateful firewall that controls the
traffic
○ Host/Path/Port based Routing
● Instances Level:
○ Security Groups
○ Deployed in private subnets
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30. AWS ALB Routing Policies
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Example of AWS ALB Routing Policies, AWS Documentation

31. Availability
● Instance Level: Launching replicas
● Load Balancer Level: managed by AWS
● Availability Zone: Spreading instances across multiple availability zones
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32. Scalability
● Ability to scale instances on demand, automatically, with a few clicks of
a button.
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33. Visibility
● Logging: AWSLogs driver
● Monitoring:
○ Instances: CPU Utilization, Network in, Network Out, etc.
○ Load Balancer: Target Response Time, 4XX Count, 5XX Count, etc.
● Tracing:
○ The load balancer saves important information of each request.
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34. Cost Estimation
AWS Cost Calculator
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35. Published Articles
● Proposed Infrastructure Setup on AWS for a Microservices
Architecture.
○ Chapter 1: Introduction and Design Considerations
○ Chapter 2: Overview of the Infrastructure and Components
○ Chapter 3: Deployment Strategy for Microservices
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