AWS Amazon Machine Images Detailed Explanation

1. A template for the root volume for instance (for example, the operating system, the application server, and applications).

2. Launch permissions that controls which AWS accounts can use an AMI to launch the instances.

3. The block device mapping that specifies the volumes to attach to the instance when it is launched.

Amazon Machine Image Components

AMI contains the template for the root volume for the instance. For example, an operating system, application server, and other required libraries.

It also contains with launch permissions and block device mappings. We can launch as many instances as possible. Amazon EC2 provides an AWS management console. AWS Management console looks like the following image.

Now, go to the EC2 by typing in a search area, or you can find when you scroll down.

You will find EC2 page something like this image. Here on the left handle side menus under the images tab, you can discover the AMIs menu item.

Click on the AMIs menu item, and it will redirect to the following page. If you have created the new AWS account, then you might be see something like the following.

If you have created any AMIs previously, then you can find the list here.

Here, you can see the public and private images.

Launch AWS EC2 Instance

Now, go to the instances menu item under the instances tab on the left-hand side corner and click on the instances button and you will see the following page.

If you have not created any instance yet, then you can see something like the following image.

Now, if you click on Launch Instance button, then you will redirect to the following page.

From here, you can choose the OS and its services depending on your requirement.

Here also, AWS Marketplace is available. It contains the catalog of curated sections of open source and commercial software from well-known vendors like Microsoft, Red Hat, and IBM.

There are also community AMIs that are contributed by developers around the world.

So, the following image will be to demonstrate everything regarding creating an image.

Creating Your Own AMI

You can launch an instance from the existing AMI, customize an instance, and then save this updated configuration as the custom AMI. Instances launched from this new custom AMI include the customizations that you made when you created an AMI.

The root storage device of an instance determines the process you follow to create the AMI. The root volume of the instance is either an Amazon EBS volume or the instance store volume. For information, see Amazon EC2 Root Device Volume.

Buying, Sharing, and Selling AMIs

After you create the AMI, you can keep it private so that only you can use it, or you can share it with the specified list of AWS accounts.

You can make your custom AMI public so that the community of developers can use it.

Building secure, safe, and usable AMI for public consumption is a fairly straightforward process if you follow the few simple guidelines. For info about how to create and use the shared AMIs, see Shared AMIs.

You can purchase AMIs from the third party, including AMIs that come with the service contracts from organizations such as Red Hat.

You can also create an AMI and sell it to another Amazon EC2 users. For more info about buying or selling AMIs you can see the Paid AMIs.

Conclusively, AWS Amazon Machine Images Detailed Explanation article is over.