🖼️ What is Amazon AMI?
🖼️ What is Amazon AMI?
An Amazon Machine Image (AMI) is a preconfigured template used to launch EC2 instances in AWS.
✅ Think of it as a blueprint that includes the OS, software, configuration, and permissions needed to start a server.
📦 What's Included in an AMI?
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| ✅ Operating System | Linux, Windows, etc. |
| ✅ Application server | Apache, NGINX, Tomcat, etc. |
| ✅ Installed software | Databases, utilities, language runtimes |
| ✅ Custom configuration | Scripts, environment variables, startup configs |
| ✅ EBS snapshot(s) | For the root and additional volumes |
| ✅ Launch permissions | Public, private, or shared access |
🔄 How AMIs Are Used
- Choose or create an AMI
- Launch EC2 instance using that AMI
- AWS provisions your instance with exact specs from the image
🧪 Creating Your Own AMI
From an existing EC2 instance:
You can also create AMIs from snapshots or via the AWS Console.
🧰 Types of AMIs
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| AWS-provided | Official OS images (Amazon Linux, Ubuntu, Windows, etc.) |
| Marketplace AMIs | Pre-built solutions from third-party vendors (e.g., WordPress, SAP) |
| Custom AMIs | Your own images with your environment, software, and configs |
🔐 AMI Permissions
| Scope | Who Can Launch It? |
|---|---|
| Private | Only your AWS account |
| Shared | Specific AWS accounts |
| Public | Anyone on AWS |
📊 AMI vs EBS Snapshot
| Feature | AMI | EBS Snapshot |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Full EC2 image template | Backup of a single EBS volume |
| Contains OS? | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Launch EC2? | ✅ Directly usable for EC2 | ❌ Not directly, needs AMI creation |
| Format | Bundle of config + snapshots | Volume data only |
✅ Summary
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Full template? | ✅ Yes |
| Launch EC2? | ✅ Yes |
| Customizable? | ✅ Fully (via EC2 customization) |
| Billing | No cost for AMI itself, but EC2 + storage costs apply |
| Security | IAM + sharing settings |