Creating A Cloud Desktop Using Amazon Workspace And Connect With Computer And Smartphone📱

Introduction

Amazon Web services provides over 100 cloud services all over the world and is one of the top cloud computing companies in the world. AWS Cloud services are a better solution for all your business needs. Cloud services contains many service models, (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) and these service models are very familiar to many people. But Amazon web services gives Desktop as a Service, or DaaS, which is called Amazon Work Spaces.

In my previous article “Introduction to Amazon Workspaces”, I explained the Amazon Workspaces service in detail.

In this article, I give a hands on explanation about creating an Amazon Workspace Virtual Machine (VM) with step-by-step procedures and demonstrate how to connect with our computer & smartphones.

Prerequisites

Computer & Smartphone (Android or iOS)
Stable internet connection (>800Kbps)
Verified AWS Management Console

Procedure

Step 1

Step 2

Search “workspaces” name in console search bar. It is found on top of the page. It shows result at bottom of search bar, click the “Workspaces”.

Step 3

I have one workspace desktop, that is listed in the page. We are creating another new workspace desktop. Click the “Launch WorkSpaces” button at the top of the list view.

Step 4

In launch workspaces there is a five step process to create a workspace desktop. In the first step, choose a Directory.

AWS has created a default directory. I selected Amazon workspaces default directory and clicked “Next Step” Button.

Step 5

In the second step Identify Users. In this step give desktop username, first name, last name and user/employees email to access this Desktop VM.

Fill all the fields and click the “Create Users” button on the right side.

Step 6

After clicking the “Create users” button, Scroll down the page. Our created user details are shown at the selected users section. Click the “Next Step” button.

(Remember, 20 users can be allowed at a time).

Step 7

In the third step, select a bundle for Desktop VM. The select bundle section contains many types of Amazon Linux, Windows images.

(If you are new to AWS Workspaces, select free tier images)

This time I am choosing windows free tier image [Standard with Windows 10] PCoIP protocol.

Step 8

After selecting an image, scroll down to Assign Workspace Bundles. In this section you can customize the Root & user storage volume.

If you want more storage in both volumes, change them for your requirement. Otherwise Click the “Next Step” button.

Step 9

The fourth step is workspace configuration. This step Enables the “Auto Stop” feature for stopping VM when your VM is no longer used.

It's a very cool feature for saving our billing cost.

Step 10

After choosing power mode selection, scroll down that page, If you need encryption for root & user storage volume check the encryption box. Otherwise leave that section.

In the next section manage tags, in this section give meta data for VM. These tags are very useful in AWS Cost explorer to track our VM running costs.

Get a tag key & value in the field and click the “Next Step” button.

Step 11

In the fifth step review the VM creation. Click the dropdown icon to view our VM details and finally click the “Launch Workspaces” button.

Step 12

Our new workspace is launched successfully and status should be “PENDING”. Just wait for 30 minutes, our VM login password setting link sent to your given Email id.

Finally, I received an email from AWS workspace for setting password for created Desktop VM.

Click the given link to set a password.

Step 13

VM username & details are automatically populated. Just enter password and re-enter password then click “Update user” button.

After updating the password, you automatically go to AWS Workspaces client’s page. In this page you can download AWS workspace client’s app for all platforms and devices.

(If you are facing problem in auto redirection, click this link to access aws workspaces clients page)

We are trying our created VM in Windows and Android smartphone.

Step 14

Just download & install AWS Workspace clients in both Windows & smartphone. You can download that app from that page.

Installation in windows,

Installation in Android smartphone

Step 15

First, we try to access our created desktop VM through windows client.

Open our installed “Amazon Workspaces” software in Windows.

After launching AWS workspace client software, it asks for registration code. We can get Registration code from AWS Workspaces console.

Go back to our AWS Workspace console, select our created VM name drop down icon. Get the registration code.

Copy and paste the registration code and then click the “Register” button.

Next, enter your VM username and password and click the “Sign in” Button.

(AWS workspaces windows clients need more bandwidth to connect with Amazon workspace network)

If you are facing network issue, let's try with web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)

Both Windows client and web client function the same. Web browser is an easy way to connect.

Click this link to access by web browser.

In the Web browser Enter your Registration code and then click the “Register” button.

Next, enter username and password and then click the “Sign in” button.

We successfully connected our Workspaces VM through a web browser.

Step 16

Now we try to login using our android smartphone, Open the installed app “Amazon Workspaces” in your mobile

Enter the Registration Code

Enter VM Username & password and then click the “Sign In” button.

We successfully connected our Amazon workspace VM with our Android Smart Phone.

Conclusion

I hope this article is very interesting and useful to update your knowledge about Amazon Web Services.