In this course, it means opening and using the command-line shell of an Amazon EC2 instance directly from the AWS management console. The focus is on learning that browser-based connection workflow so you can start working inside a Linux virtual machine after it is launched.

You would use it when you need to log into a running EC2 instance to configure the machine, install software, or make changes on the server. In this course, it is the practical step that lets you move from having an instance running to actually working inside it.

It comes after you set up access controls and launch the instance, and before you begin server configuration or deployment work. In a broader cloud workflow, this is the step that turns a provisioned virtual machine into something you can actively manage from the shell.