In the previous recipe, we saw how to start a standalone database in the cloud using the MongoDB AMI; this is perhaps the simplest way to start the server on the EC2 instance. However, when using an AMI, you are tied to the configurations the AMI supports. For instance, for a noncrucial instance, you might not want a large instance or an EBS volume with guaranteed IOPS. You might even be OK with the same EBS volume for data, journal, and logs to cut on the costs, as the instance you are setting up is a development or test instance. Also, the operating system for the AMIs is Amazon Linux; if you wish to use a different OS and install MongoDB on it, AMI isn't of any help. In all such scenarios, setting up the instance manually is the only option left. This isn't a simple job, and a careful setup of various factors, including the standard operating system parameters, is needed. In this recipe, we will not get into these complicated...