---
description: |
  The amazon-ebs Packer builder is able to create Amazon AMIs backed by EBS
  volumes for use in EC2. For more information on the difference between
  EBS-backed instances and instance-store backed instances, see the storage for
  the root device section in the EC2 documentation.
layout: docs
page_title: Amazon EBS - Builders
sidebar_title: EBS
---

# AMI Builder (EBS backed)

Type: `amazon-ebs`

The `amazon-ebs` Packer builder is able to create Amazon AMIs backed by EBS
volumes for use in [EC2](https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/). For more information on
the difference between EBS-backed instances and instance-store backed
instances, see the ["storage for the root device" section in the EC2
documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/ComponentsAMIs.html#storage-for-the-root-device).

This builder builds an AMI by launching an EC2 instance from a source AMI,
provisioning that running machine, and then creating an AMI from that machine.
This is all done in your own AWS account. The builder will create temporary
keypairs, security group rules, etc. that provide it temporary access to the
instance while the image is being created. This simplifies configuration quite
a bit.

The builder does _not_ manage AMIs. Once it creates an AMI and stores it in
your account, it is up to you to use, delete, etc. the AMI.

-> **Note:** Temporary resources are, by default, all created with the
prefix `packer`. This can be useful if you want to restrict the security groups
and key pairs Packer is able to operate on.

## EBS Specific Configuration Reference

There are many configuration options available for the builder. In addition to
the items listed here, you will want to look at the general configuration
references for [AMI](#ami-configuration),
[BlockDevices](#block-devices-configuration),
[Access](#access-configuration),
[Run](#run-configuration) and
[Communicator](#communicator-configuration)
configuration references, which are
necessary for this build to succeed and can be found further down the page.

#### Optional:

@include 'builder/amazon/ebs/Config-not-required.mdx'

### AMI Configuration

#### Required:

@include 'builder/amazon/common/AMIConfig-required.mdx'

#### Optional:

@include 'builder/amazon/common/AMIConfig-not-required.mdx'

### Access Configuration

#### Required:

@include 'builder/amazon/common/AccessConfig-required.mdx'

#### Optional:

@include 'builder/amazon/common/AccessConfig-not-required.mdx'

### Run Configuration

#### Required:

@include 'builder/amazon/common/RunConfig-required.mdx'

#### Optional:

@include 'builder/amazon/common/RunConfig-not-required.mdx'

@include 'builders/aws-session-manager.mdx'

### Block Devices Configuration

Block devices can be nested in the
[ami_block_device_mappings](#ami_block_device_mappings) or the
[launch_block_device_mappings](#launch_block_device_mappings) array.

@include 'builder/amazon/common/BlockDevice.mdx'

#### Optional:

@include 'builder/amazon/common/BlockDevice-not-required.mdx'

### Communicator Configuration

#### Optional:

@include 'helper/communicator/Config-not-required.mdx'

@include 'helper/communicator/SSH-not-required.mdx'

## Basic Example

Here is a basic example. You will need to provide access keys, and may need to
change the AMI IDs according to what images exist at the time the template is
run:

```json
{
  "variables": {
    "aws_access_key": "{{env `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID`}}",
    "aws_secret_key": "{{env `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY`}}"
  },
  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "amazon-ebs",
      "access_key": "{{user `aws_access_key`}}",
      "secret_key": "{{user `aws_secret_key`}}",
      "region": "us-east-1",
      "source_ami": "ami-fce3c696",
      "instance_type": "t2.micro",
      "ssh_username": "ubuntu",
      "ami_name": "packer_AWS {{timestamp}}"
    }
  ]
}
```

-> **Note:** Packer can also read the access key and secret access key from
environmental variables. See the configuration reference in the section above
for more information on what environmental variables Packer will look for.

Further information on locating AMI IDs and their relationship to instance
types and regions can be found in the AWS EC2 Documentation [for
Linux](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/finding-an-ami.html)
or [for
Windows](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/WindowsGuide/finding-an-ami.html).

## Accessing the Instance to Debug

If you need to access the instance to debug for some reason, run the builder
with the `-debug` flag. In debug mode, the Amazon builder will save the private
key in the current directory and will output the DNS or IP information as well.
You can use this information to access the instance as it is running.

## AMI Block Device Mappings Example

Here is an example using the optional AMI block device mappings. Our
configuration of `launch_block_device_mappings` will expand the root volume
(`/dev/sda`) to 40gb during the build (up from the default of 8gb). With
`ami_block_device_mappings` AWS will attach additional volumes `/dev/sdb` and
`/dev/sdc` when we boot a new instance of our AMI.

```json
{
  "type": "amazon-ebs",
  "access_key": "YOUR KEY HERE",
  "secret_key": "YOUR SECRET KEY HERE",
  "region": "us-east-1",
  "source_ami": "ami-fce3c696",
  "instance_type": "t2.micro",
  "ssh_username": "ubuntu",
  "ami_name": "packer-quick-start {{timestamp}}",
  "launch_block_device_mappings": [
    {
      "device_name": "/dev/sda1",
      "volume_size": 40,
      "volume_type": "gp2",
      "delete_on_termination": true
    }
  ],
  "ami_block_device_mappings": [
    {
      "device_name": "/dev/sdb",
      "virtual_name": "ephemeral0"
    },
    {
      "device_name": "/dev/sdc",
      "virtual_name": "ephemeral1"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Build template data

In configuration directives marked as a template engine above, the following
variables are available:

- `BuildRegion` - The region (for example `eu-central-1`) where Packer is
  building the AMI.
- `SourceAMI` - The source AMI ID (for example `ami-a2412fcd`) used to build
  the AMI.
- `SourceAMICreationDate` - The source AMI creation date (for example `"2020-05-14T19:26:34.000Z"`).
- `SourceAMIName` - The source AMI Name (for example
  `ubuntu/images/ebs-ssd/ubuntu-xenial-16.04-amd64-server-20180306`) used to
  build the AMI.
- `SourceAMIOwner` - The source AMI owner ID.
- `SourceAMIOwnerName` - The source AMI owner alias/name (for example `amazon`).
- `SourceAMITags` - The source AMI Tags, as a `map[string]string` object.

## Build function template engine variables

For the build function of [template engine](/docs/templates/engine), the following
variables are available:

- `SourceAMIName` - The source AMI Name (for example
  `ubuntu/images/ebs-ssd/ubuntu-xenial-16.04-amd64-server-20180306`) used to
  build the AMI.

## Tag Example

Here is an example using the optional AMI tags. This will add the tags
`OS_Version` and `Release` to the finished AMI. As before, you will need to
provide your access keys, and may need to change the source AMI ID based on
what images exist when this template is run:

```json
{
  "type": "amazon-ebs",
  "access_key": "YOUR KEY HERE",
  "secret_key": "YOUR SECRET KEY HERE",
  "region": "us-east-1",
  "source_ami": "ami-fce3c696",
  "instance_type": "t2.micro",
  "ssh_username": "ubuntu",
  "ami_name": "packer-quick-start {{timestamp}}",
  "tags": {
    "OS_Version": "Ubuntu",
    "Release": "Latest",
    "Base_AMI_Name": "{{ .SourceAMIName }}",
    "Extra": "{{ .SourceAMITags.TagName }}"
  }
}
```

-> **Note:** Packer uses pre-built AMIs as the source for building images.
These source AMIs may include volumes that are not flagged to be destroyed on
termination of the instance building the new image. Packer will attempt to
clean up all residual volumes that are not designated by the user to remain
after termination. If you need to preserve those source volumes, you can
overwrite the termination setting by specifying `delete_on_termination=false`
in the `launch_block_device_mappings` block for the device.

## Connecting to Windows instances using WinRM

If you want to launch a Windows instance and connect using WinRM, you will need
to configure WinRM on that instance. The following is a basic powershell script
that can be supplied to AWS using the "user_data_file" option. It enables
WinRM via HTTPS on port 5986, and creates a self-signed certificate to use to
connect. If you are using a certificate from a CA, rather than creating a
self-signed certificate, you can omit the "winrm_insecure" option mentioned
below.

autogenerated_password_https_boostrap.txt

```powershell
<powershell>

# MAKE SURE IN YOUR PACKER CONFIG TO SET:
#
#
#    "winrm_username": "Administrator",
#    "winrm_insecure": true,
#    "winrm_use_ssl": true,
#
#


write-output "Running User Data Script"
write-host "(host) Running User Data Script"

Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope LocalMachine -Force -ErrorAction Ignore

# Don't set this before Set-ExecutionPolicy as it throws an error
$ErrorActionPreference = "stop"

# Remove HTTP listener
Remove-Item -Path WSMan:\Localhost\listener\listener* -Recurse

# Create a self-signed certificate to let ssl work
$Cert = New-SelfSignedCertificate -CertstoreLocation Cert:\LocalMachine\My -DnsName "packer"
New-Item -Path WSMan:\LocalHost\Listener -Transport HTTPS -Address * -CertificateThumbPrint $Cert.Thumbprint -Force

# WinRM
write-output "Setting up WinRM"
write-host "(host) setting up WinRM"

cmd.exe /c winrm quickconfig -q
cmd.exe /c winrm set "winrm/config" '@{MaxTimeoutms="1800000"}'
cmd.exe /c winrm set "winrm/config/winrs" '@{MaxMemoryPerShellMB="1024"}'
cmd.exe /c winrm set "winrm/config/service" '@{AllowUnencrypted="true"}'
cmd.exe /c winrm set "winrm/config/client" '@{AllowUnencrypted="true"}'
cmd.exe /c winrm set "winrm/config/service/auth" '@{Basic="true"}'
cmd.exe /c winrm set "winrm/config/client/auth" '@{Basic="true"}'
cmd.exe /c winrm set "winrm/config/service/auth" '@{CredSSP="true"}'
cmd.exe /c winrm set "winrm/config/listener?Address=*+Transport=HTTPS" "@{Port=`"5986`";Hostname=`"packer`";CertificateThumbprint=`"$($Cert.Thumbprint)`"}"
cmd.exe /c netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="remote administration" new enable=yes
cmd.exe /c netsh firewall add portopening TCP 5986 "Port 5986"
cmd.exe /c net stop winrm
cmd.exe /c sc config winrm start= auto
cmd.exe /c net start winrm

</powershell>
```

You'll notice that this config does not define a user or password; instead,
Packer will ask AWS to provide a random password that it generates
automatically. The following config will work with the above template:

```json
{
  "builders": [
    {
      "type": "amazon-ebs",
      "region": "us-east-1",
      "instance_type": "t2.micro",
      "source_ami_filter": {
        "filters": {
          "virtualization-type": "hvm",
          "name": "*Windows_Server-2012*English-64Bit-Base*",
          "root-device-type": "ebs"
        },
        "most_recent": true,
        "owners": "amazon"
      },
      "ami_name": "default-packer",
      "user_data_file": "winrm_bootstrap.txt",
      "communicator": "winrm",
      "force_deregister": true,
      "winrm_insecure": true,
      "winrm_username": "Administrator",
      "winrm_use_ssl": true
    }
  ]
}
```

## Windows 2016 Sysprep Commands - For Amazon Windows AMIs Only

For Amazon Windows 2016 AMIs it is necessary to run Sysprep commands which can
be easily added to the provisioner section.

```json
{
  "type": "powershell",
  "inline": [
    "C:/ProgramData/Amazon/EC2-Windows/Launch/Scripts/InitializeInstance.ps1 -Schedule",
    "C:/ProgramData/Amazon/EC2-Windows/Launch/Scripts/SysprepInstance.ps1 -NoShutdown"
  ]
}
```

@include 'builders/aws-ssh-differentiation-table.mdx'
