EC2 Notes

AMIs

Amazon Machine Images.

AWS Provides 3 AWS-based images:

  • AMI, AMI2, AMI2023 The current one is AMI 2023, which comes with better security (python3 upgraded, selinux, openssl3, imdsv2). XFS file system for root / and gp3 volume by default. Read More
    • IMDSV2 provides an enforced authentication to the Instance AWS Metadata Info

AWS AMI are images from where you can lunch EC2 Instances.

  • You can create your own AMIs from running instances with your own pre-configured and installed software
  • You can use existing AMI from AWS Marketplace or you can buy an AMI

Keep in mind we can create AMIs that are EBS-backed or InstanceStore-backed.

Pricing

If the AMI is InstanceStore-backed, you are charged for the S3 Usage.

EBS-backed AMI, you are charged when:

  • Instance Usage
  • AMI stored as EBS Snapshot

Important to keep in mind that if an EBS that is root of an Instance is stopped then you are not charged, but you are charged on the volume used storage.

Virtualization

AMIs have two types:

  • HVM: Hardware virtual machine
    • 💻 This one has better hardware performance and access to hardware extensions like network, cpu, gpu.
  • PV: Paravirtual
    • This is the regular one for most common scenarios