KodeKloud Notes

Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) are the foundation for launching virtual servers in AWS. An AMI is a pre-configured template that packages an operating system, application server, software, and even data—enabling you to replicate environments in seconds.

The image is a diagram illustrating Amazon Machine Images (AMIs), showing interconnected components labeled as operating system, software, and personal settings. It includes icons representing computers and a home symbol.

How AMIs Work

When you create or select an AMI, you’re capturing:

Operating System (e.g., Amazon Linux, Ubuntu, Windows Server)
Installed Software and custom application packages
Application Server Configurations (such as Nginx or Tomcat)
Block Device Mappings, defining which volumes attach on launch
Data, Configuration Files, and underlying EBS snapshots

Use your AMI to launch new Amazon EC2 instances with the exact same setup—no manual install steps required. AMIs come in two flavors:

Official AMIs maintained by AWS (no additional cost)
Marketplace AMIs provided by third parties (may incur charges)

Note

Before sharing or publishing an AMI, remove any sensitive credentials or proprietary code. Any data included in the AMI becomes accessible to users you share it with.

The image is a diagram explaining the components of Amazon Machine Images (AMIs), including application, application server, block device mapping, Amazon EBS snapshots, operating system, and content of AMI.

Key AMI Components

Component	Description
Operating System	Base OS image (Linux, Windows, etc.)
Application Server	Pre-configured servers (e.g., Nginx, Apache, Tomcat)
Block Device Mappings	Volume attachments (EBS, instance store)
EBS Snapshots	Persistent storage snapshots for data durability
Custom Software & Data	Any installed applications, scripts, or configuration files

Advantages of AMIs

Leveraging AMIs streamlines your AWS deployments and ensures consistency across environments:

Easy Replication
Launch identical EC2 instances without repeating setup steps.
Faster Deployment
Instantly spin up servers with pre-installed OS and applications.
Configuration Consistency
Reduce configuration drift by standardizing on the same AMI.
Scalability
Auto-scale groups can use your custom AMI to meet traffic demands.
Versioning & Rollback
Maintain multiple AMI versions and revert to a previous state if needed.

Warning

Publishing an AMI publicly can expose internal configurations and data. Always review IAM permissions and share AMIs judiciously.

The image lists the advantages of Amazon Machine Images (AMIs), including easy replication, faster deployment, consistency and standardization, scalability, and versioning and rollback.

Best Practices

Regularly update your AMIs with security patches.
Automate AMI creation using AWS CLI or Amazon EC2 Image Builder.
Tag AMIs with version, date, and purpose for easy tracking.

Links and References

Resource	Use Case	Example CLI Command
Create AMI	Capture a running instance as an AMI	`aws ec2 create-image --instance-id i-1234567890abcdef0 --name "MyCustomAMI"`
List AMIs	View your AMIs	`aws ec2 describe-images --owners self`
Deregister AMI	Remove an outdated AMI	`aws ec2 deregister-image --image-id ami-0abcdef1234567890`

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