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For a first deployment, launch a Wowza Streaming Engine (WSE) Linux Amazon Machine Image (AMI) from AWS Marketplace, choose the licensing option and CPU architecture that fit your account, configure network access and any launch-time settings, then validate the server through its version endpoint and Wowza Streaming Engine Manager. The steps below follow Wowza’s Linux EC2 route; instance sizing depends on your workload, and the documented setup does not establish one universally suitable instance type.
Choose an AMI, license, and instance before launching
Wowza’s Linux EC2 guide, updated July 22, 2026, describes Marketplace AMIs for x86 and ARM64, each with a bring-your-own-license (BYOL) or paid option. Check the current Marketplace listing in your AWS account before you begin: subscription names and availability can change, and older subscriptions may remain active until canceled in the AWS account. The paid Linux AMI has its license embedded and cannot be changed; Wowza says paid AMIs use the default startup package. See Wowza’s Linux EC2 deployment guide for the current route and image details.
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| Choice | What it means | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| BYOL AMI | Use a valid Wowza license for the deployment. The license key can be supplied in EC2 user data or activated after launch through the appropriate flow. | Choose this when you have a license to apply. A missing or invalid key can leave the server on a temporary license that must be replaced. |
| Paid AMI | The license is embedded in the image. | The embedded license cannot be changed, and the image uses the default startup package. |
| x86 or ARM64 | Marketplace image options are available for both processor architectures, subject to current regional listing availability. | Choose an architecture compatible with your application and dependencies; confirm image and instance compatibility in AWS. |
Select an AWS Region based on where the stream source, viewers, or other services are located when latency matters. Wowza notes that instances in multiple regions can provide redundancy, but that adds deployment and operating complexity. Select an EC2 instance type based on expected ingest format, transcoding work, concurrent streams, audience, and egress. Wowza does not provide a universal size benchmark in the reviewed installation guidance, so estimate and validate for your own load, and check current AWS usage pricing. Wowza specifically cautions against CPU-credit instance types (its example is a Tx instance) because WSE could stop if credits run out.
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Launch the Linux EC2 instance
- Open the Wowza Linux AMI listing in AWS Marketplace. Select the current image, licensing model, and processor architecture for your deployment, then proceed through the AWS subscription and launch flow. Confirm the selected region and instance compatibility before starting the instance.
- Choose or create a security group. Allow only the protocols you need. Wowza’s example openings include TCP 1935 for RTMP and TCP 8086–8088 for Wowza Streaming Engine Manager. These are examples, not a complete rule set for every protocol or deployment; consult the protocol-specific requirements in the EC2 guide. Restrict Manager access to trusted administrator IP addresses where possible, and avoid exposing unused media or management ports.
- Select an EC2 key pair. Wowza identifies the key pair as the means to connect to the instance by SSH. Keep the private key secure and available to the administrator who will manage the server.
- Set launch-time user data if needed. For BYOL, the documented key is
WZA_wowzaServerLicenseKey=[license-key]. Additional feature keys may be pipe-separated. If you are using a custom startup package, supply its settings here as well; details follow below. Do not put a license key in a public script or share it in an unsecured location. - Launch and record the instance details. Save the instance identifier and its public DNS name or hostname for remote access. If you need a stable public address that can be reassigned, Wowza notes that an Elastic IP is an option.
For BYOL, verify that the intended valid key was provided or complete activation after launch. If the key was omitted or the server reports a temporary license, replace it with the valid license using the applicable Wowza activation flow before relying on the instance.
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Decide whether to use the default or a custom startup package
A startup package is an optional compressed bundle of startup.xml, configuration files, and scripts supplied through user data. Without a custom package, the default package configures the live, vod, and vods3 applications. A custom package replaces the default rather than adding to it, so include every application configuration you need.
- Use the default package for a straightforward first launch if its applications meet your needs.
- Use a custom package when you need a defined startup configuration or scripts. Wowza documents an “As file” upload route limited to 16 KB. The “As text” route can refer to a full package hosted at a URL through
WZA_startupPackageURL. - Treat S3 as optional. The default
vods3application does not mean an S3 integration is required to install WSE. For that separate integration, see Wowza’s S3 authorization guide for EC2 instances.
For launch-package errors, inspect /usr/local/WowzaStreamingEngine/logs/wowzastreamingengine_startup.log. Wowza’s startup package instructions describe the package behavior and input options.
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Connect to the instance and verify WSE
- Confirm network reachability. Use the instance’s public DNS name or hostname, and make sure its security group and any other network controls allow the intended connection. Use the selected EC2 key pair for SSH access.
- Check the server version endpoint. In a browser or HTTP client, request
http://[wowza-ip-address]:1935/ServerVersion, replacing the bracketed value with the instance address. A successful response displays the WSE version. This plain HTTP URL is Wowza’s documented initial example, not a recommendation to expose management or production traffic without appropriate protection. - Open Wowza Streaming Engine Manager. Visit
http://[wowza-ip-address]:8088/enginemanagerand sign in with the case-sensitive credentials configured for the Manager admin. Keep Manager behind a suitable network boundary; use HTTPS where your deployment requires it. - Run a basic VOD playback test. In Manager, create a VOD application and play the installed
sample.mp4. Successful playback shows that the basic server can serve content.
Wowza’s general installation and configuration walkthrough, updated July 24, 2026, also describes validation using Manager and the sample VOD file. Windows deployments are outside this Linux procedure; use Wowza’s corresponding Windows AMI guidance and verify its current Marketplace availability.
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Troubleshoot the first deployment
| Symptom | Likely cause to check | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Manager or the version endpoint does not respond | Security-group rules, network reachability, or an incorrect public address. | Confirm the instance is running, use its current public DNS name or IP, and allow the required TCP port from the intended source. Do not open management access broadly as a shortcut. |
| SSH connection fails | Wrong key pair, inaccessible private key, or SSH not allowed from the administrator’s address. | Check the key pair selected at launch and the security-group rule for SSH from your trusted address. |
| License is temporary or activation fails | BYOL key missing, invalid, or not applied through the expected path. | Verify the key and activation flow; replace the temporary license with a valid key. The paid AMI uses its embedded license and it cannot be changed. |
| Expected applications are missing after launch | A custom startup package replaced the default package without including all needed application configurations. | Review the package contents and startup log, then include the complete configurations required by the deployment. |
| Startup package does not load | Incorrect user-data settings, incomplete package, or use of the file-upload route for a package larger than its documented limit. | Review /usr/local/WowzaStreamingEngine/logs/wowzastreamingengine_startup.log; for a larger package, use the text route with WZA_startupPackageURL. |
| WSE stops under sustained work | Instance capacity may be insufficient, or a CPU-credit instance may have exhausted credits. | Review workload and instance behavior, then choose and validate a suitable non-credit-constrained configuration for the expected use. No single instance size is established as best for every workload. |
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