Moving From Github-Pages to S3

Dec 3, 2014

I decided to move from free github-pages hosting to dirt cheap AWS S3 hosting. I also decided to move my DNS from namecheap to the free CloudFlare plan. Here’s the steps I took to transfer everything over.

Most of the steps were adapted from here http://blog.mindthecloud.com/2014/08/31/create-your-static-blog-from-scratch-in-1-hour.html

Prepare AWS

Login to AWS S3 and create a bucket called www.YOURSITE.com (This is important for CNAME/DNS record stuff)
- Make sure you select the US Standard region
Create a new policy for the bucket that gives everyone read-only access so they can view the site

{
	"Version": "2008-10-17",
	"Statement": [
		{
			"Sid": "AddPerm",
			"Effect": "Allow",
			"Principal": "*",
			"Action": "s3:GetObject",
			"Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::NAME-OF-BUCKET/*"
		}
	]
}

Select the bucket you created and choose options
Go to the Static Website Hosting tab and enable it.
Enter index.html for index document and 404.html for error document
Login to AWS IAM console
Create new user with full access to S3
- Create new user
- Choose attach user policy
- Choose custom policy and enter the following code:

{
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Action": [
        "s3:*"
      ],
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Resource": [
        "arn:aws:s3:::NAME-OF-BUCKET",
        "arn:aws:s3:::NAME-OF-BUCKET/*"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

The above policy gives the user you created full access to the bucket you created to host your site. This is the user that will be used to deploy your site.

setup octopress-deploy

run octopress deploy init s3 to create default deploy.yml file
Enter the user credentials in the deploy.yml file
Run octopress deploy

Check your work

Go to AWS / S3, open your bucket, and choose properties
There should be a link listed as Endpoint, go to that link and you should see your blog!

Edit namecheap cname record

All host records
- @ points to www.chrisanthropic.com and is a URL Redirect
- hostname www points to bucket Endpoint (rather than github.io) and is a CNAME (Alias)

Remove Github site

I deleted the github version so for now only the source lives there
* Delete master or gh-pages branch so that only the source remains

Use Cloudflare

Login to CloudFlare
add your domain
- Your CNAME and A records should be listed and ‘active’
Select the free plan, CDN only, and Medium security.

Update your DNS Records

Login to your DNS provider (I use Namecheap)
Remove all other DNS providers and add the two that CloudFlare told you to