Snapshot and AMI in AWS
By Pooja | 3rd July 2025
Introduction to Snapshot and AMI in AWS
In AWS, managing backups and creating reusable server templates is a crucial part of system administration and disaster recovery. Two important components that facilitate this are Amazon Machine Image (AMI) and Amazon EBS Snapshot.
- A Snapshot is a backup of an Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) volume at a specific point in time. It can be used to restore volumes or create new ones.
- An Amazon Machine Image (AMI) is a pre-configured template used to launch EC2 instances. It includes the operating system, application server, applications, and all required configurations.
Together, Snapshots and AMIs help create scalable, resilient, and easy-to-manage infrastructure in the AWS Cloud.
🔹 Amazon EBS Snapshot
An EBS Snapshot is a point-in-time backup of an EBS volume, stored in Amazon S3. Snapshots are incremental, meaning only the blocks that have changed since the last snapshot are saved, making them storage-efficient and cost-effective.
Key Points:
- Snapshots can be used to create new EBS volumes in any availability zone.
- They support cross-region copying, which enhances disaster recovery strategies.
- You can automate snapshot creation using Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM).
- Snapshots can also be shared with other AWS accounts for collaboration.
Use Case Example:
Before performing a system update, an administrator can create a snapshot of the EBS volume. If the update causes issues, the volume can be restored from the snapshot.
🔹 Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
An Amazon Machine Image (AMI) is a template that contains the information required to launch an EC2 instance. This includes:
- A base operating system (Linux, Windows, etc.)
- Any installed applications or software packages
- Predefined security settings and configurations
Key Points:
- You can create a custom AMI from an existing EC2 instance.
- AMIs enable you to replicate servers quickly across regions or environments.
- AMIs are crucial for auto-scaling and launch configuration in Elastic Load Balancing (ELB).
- You can store AMIs in private or public repositories and share them with AWS accounts.
Use Case Example:
A company sets up one EC2 instance with all necessary tools for web development. Then, they create a custom AMI of that instance and use it to launch 10 identical EC2 servers during high traffic.
🔹 Relationship Between Snapshot and AMI
When you create an AMI from an EC2 instance backed by EBS, AWS automatically creates snapshots of all attached EBS volumes. These snapshots form the backup foundation of the AMI. When the AMI is used to launch a new instance, EBS volumes are created from the associated snapshots.
You may also be interested in our blog on How to Create EC2 Instance?
Types of Snapshots in AWS
- Manual Snapshots Created manually by users or administrators via the AWS Console, CLI, or SDK. Used for ad-hoc backups before updates or deployments.
- Automated Snapshots Created using AWS Data Lifecycle Manager (DLM) or other automation tools. Ideal for scheduled backups (e.g., daily, weekly) of production volumes. Automates retention, deletion, and tagging policies.
- Shared Snapshots Snapshots can be shared across AWS accounts or made public. Enables collaboration or reusable base images for multiple teams.
- Encrypted Snapshots Protect data using AWS Key Management Service (KMS). All volumes created from an encrypted snapshot are also encrypted.
🔹 Types of AMIs in AWS
- AWS-Provided AMIs Official AMIs provided by AWS, such as Amazon Linux, Ubuntu, or Windows. Fully maintained and updated regularly.
- Marketplace AMIs Available on AWS Marketplace, often come preloaded with software like WordPress, Jenkins, or SAP.
- Custom AMIs Created by users from existing EC2 instances. Used to maintain consistency across dev/staging/prod environments.
- Community AMIs Created and shared by AWS users publicly. Often free but should be used cautiously and verified for security
Conclusion
In cloud-native infrastructure, ensuring reliability, speed, and repeatability is essential. AWS Snapshots and AMIs play a critical role in achieving these goals. Snapshots allow users to back up and restore data effortlessly, while AMIs offer reusable templates to launch consistent EC2 instances. Together, they streamline backup strategies, automation pipelines, and environment replication, empowering businesses to operate efficiently at scale. Proper use of these tools helps ensure business continuity, cost savings, and a smooth DevOps workflow in the AWS ecosystem.