To launch an instance

1. If you are using SOAP, construct the following request:

   <RunInstances xmlns="http://ec2.amazonaws.com/doc/2009-10-31/">
      <imageId>ami-235fba4a</imageId>
      <minCount>1</minCount>
      <maxCount>1</maxCount>
      <keyName>gsg-keypair</keyName>
        <groupSet/>
      <placement>
        <availabilityZone>us-east-1a</availabilityZone>
      </placement>
   </RunInstances>
   

2. If you are using Query, construct the following request:

   
   https://ec2.amazonaws.com/
   ?Action=RunInstances
   &ImageId=ami-235fba4a
   &MaxCount=1
   &MinCount=1
   &KeyName=gsg-keypair
   &Placement.AvailabilityZone=us-east-1a
   &...auth parameters...
   

3. View output similar to the following:

   
   <RunInstancesResponse xmlns="http://ec2.amazonaws.com/doc/2009-10-31/">
     <reservationId>r-47a5402e</reservationId>
     <ownerId>AIDADH4IGTRXXKCD</ownerId>
     <groupSet>
       <item>
         <groupId>default</groupId>
       </item>
     </groupSet>
     <instancesSet>
       <item>
         <instanceId>i-2ba64342</instanceId>
         <imageId>ami-235fba4a</imageId>
         <instanceState>
           <code>0</code>
           <name>pending</name>
         </instanceState>
         <privateDnsName></privateDnsName>
         <dnsName></dnsName>
         <keyName>gsg-keypair</keyName>
         <amiLaunchIndex>0</amiLaunchIndex>
         <instanceType>m1.small</instanceType>
         <launchTime>2007-08-07T11:51:50.000Z</launchTime>
         <placement>
           <availabilityZone>us-east-1a</availabilityZone>
         </placement>
         <monitoring>
           <enabled>false</enabled>
         </monitoring>
       </item>
     </instancesSet>
   </RunInstancesResponse>

To view the status of a launched instance

1. If you are using SOAP, construct the following request:

   <DescribeInstances xmlns="http://ec2.amazonaws.com/doc/2009-10-31/">
     <instancesSet>
       <item>
         <instanceId>i-2ba64342</instanceId>
       </item>
     </instancesSet>
   </DescribeInstances>
   

2. If you are using Query, construct the following request:

   https://ec2.amazonaws.com/
   ?Action=DescribeInstances
   &InstanceId=i-2ba64342
   &...auth parameters...
   

3. View output similar to the following:

   <DescribeInstancesResponse xmlns="http://ec2.amazonaws.com/doc/2009-10-31/">
     <reservationId>r-47a5402e</reservationId>
     <ownerId>AIDADH4IGTRXXKCD</ownerId>
     <groupSet>
       <item>
         <groupId>default</groupId>
       </item>
     </groupSet>
     <instancesSet>
       <item>
         <instanceId>i-2ba64342</instanceId>
         <imageId>ami-235fba4a</imageId>
         <instanceState>
           <code>0</code>
           <name>running</name>
         </instanceState>
         <privateDnsName></privateDnsName>
         <dnsName></dnsName>
         <keyName>gsg-keypair</keyName>
         <amiLaunchIndex>0</amiLaunchIndex>
         <instanceType>m1.small</instanceType>
         <launchTime>2007-08-07T11:51:50.000Z</launchTime>
         <placement>
           <availabilityZone>us-east-1a</availabilityZone>
         </placement>
         <monitoring>
           <enabled>false</enabled>
         </monitoring>
       </item>
     </instancesSet>
   </DescribeInstancesResponse>