How can I copy files to my server instances?

Background Information

What is the best way to copy some files to your server instances?

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Answer

There are three general methods:

1. Use any SFTP or SCP client, e.g. on Microsoft Windows, WinSCP has many more advanced features but does require a setup using Puttygen to create a .ppk (private key file). You can also use scp on the command line client on any computer that has it (e.g. Linux/Unix/Mac)

2. Attach your files to a boot or operational script, which loads the files to S3.  They can be installed very easily with a simple script such as:

   #!/bin/sh -e
   cp "$RS_ATTACH_DIR/filename" /path/where/you/want/filename
   

3. Upload the files to S3 into a bucket and then you can download them using s3cmd, wget, or the RightAWS RubyGem.

Also See

How to Transfer Files from EC2 to Desktop Using WinSCP