--- layout: "docs" page_title: "Amazon AMI Builder (EBS backed)" --- # AMI Builder (EBS backed) Type: `amazon-ebs` The `amazon-ebs` builder is able to create Amazon AMIs backed by EBS volumes for use in [EC2](http://aws.amazon.com/ec2/). For more information on the difference betwen EBS-backed instances and instance-store backed instances, see the ["storage for the root device" section in the EC2 documentation](http://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. ## Configuration Reference There are many configuration options available for the builder. They are segmented below into two categories: required and optional parameters. Within each category, the available configuration keys are alphabetized. Required: * `access_key` (string) - The access key used to communicate with AWS. If not specified, Packer will attempt to read this from environmental variables `AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID` or `AWS_ACCESS_KEY` (in that order). * `ami_name` (string) - The name of the resulting AMI that will appear when managing AMIs in the AWS console or via APIs. This must be unique. To help make this unique, use a function like `timestamp` (see [configuration templates](/docs/templates/configuration-templates.html) for more info) * `instance_type` (string) - The EC2 instance type to use while building the AMI, such as "m1.small". * `region` (string) - The name of the region, such as "us-east-1", in which to launch the EC2 instance to create the AMI. * `secret_key` (string) - The secret key used to communicate with AWS. If not specified, Packer will attempt to read this from environmental variables `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY` or `AWS_SECRET_KEY` (in that order). * `source_ami` (string) - The initial AMI used as a base for the newly created machine. * `ssh_username` (string) - The username to use in order to communicate over SSH to the running machine. Optional: * `ami_block_device_mappings` (array of block device mappings) - Add the block device mappings to the AMI. The block device mappings allow for keys: "device\_name" (string), "virtual\_name" (string), "snapshot\_id" (string), "volume\_type" (string), "volume\_size" (int), "delete\_on\_termination" (bool), "no\_device" (bool), and "iops" (int). * `ami_description` (string) - The description to set for the resulting AMI(s). By default this description is empty. * `ami_groups` (array of string) - A list of groups that have access to launch the resulting AMI(s). By default no groups have permission to launch the AMI. `all` will make the AMI publicly accessible. * `ami_product_codes` (array of string) - A list of product codes to associate with the AMI. By default no product codes are associated with the AMI. * `ami_regions` (array of string) - A list of regions to copy the AMI to. Tags and attributes are copied along with the AMI. AMI copying takes time depending on the size of the AMI, but will generally take many minutes. * `ami_users` (array of string) - A list of account IDs that have access to launch the resulting AMI(s). By default no additional users other than the user creating the AMI has permissions to launch it. * `iam_instance_profile` (string) - The name of an [IAM instance profile](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/instance-profiles.html) to launch the EC2 instance with. * `launch_block_device_mappings` (array of block device mappings) - Add the block device mappings to the launch instance. The block device mappings are the same as `ami_block_device_mappings` above. * `run_tags` (object of key/value strings) - Tags to apply to the instance that is _launched_ to create the AMI. These tags are _not_ applied to the resulting AMI unless they're duplicated in `tags`. * `security_group_id` (string) - The ID (_not_ the name) of the security group to assign to the instance. By default this is not set and Packer will automatically create a new temporary security group to allow SSH access. Note that if this is specified, you must be sure the security group allows access to the `ssh_port` given below. * `security_group_ids` (array of string) - A list of security groups as described above. Note that if this is specified, you must omit the security_group_id. * `ssh_port` (int) - The port that SSH will be available on. This defaults to port 22. * `ssh_timeout` (string) - The time to wait for SSH to become available before timing out. The format of this value is a duration such as "5s" or "5m". The default SSH timeout is "1m", or one minute. * `subnet_id` (string) - If using VPC, the ID of the subnet, such as "subnet-12345def", where Packer will launch the EC2 instance. * `associate_public_ip_address` (bool) - If using a non-default VPC, public IP addresses are not provided by default. If this is toggled, your new instance will get a Public IP. * `tags` (object of key/value strings) - Tags applied to the AMI. * `user_data` (string) - User data to apply when launching the instance. Note that you need to be careful about escaping characters due to the templates being JSON. It is often more convenient to use `user_data_file`, instead. * `user_data_file` (string) - Path to a file that will be used for the user data when launching the instance. * `vpc_id` (string) - If launching into a VPC subnet, Packer needs the VPC ID in order to create a temporary security group within the VPC. * `availability_zone` (string) - Destination availability zone to launch instance in. Leave this empty to allow Amazon to auto-assign. ## Basic Example Here is a basic example. It is completely valid except for the access keys: 
{
  "type": "amazon-ebs",
  "access_key": "YOUR KEY HERE",
  "secret_key": "YOUR SECRET KEY HERE",
  "region": "us-east-1",
  "source_ami": "ami-de0d9eb7",
  "instance_type": "t1.micro",
  "ssh_username": "ubuntu",
  "ami_name": "packer-quick-start {{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.
## 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. This will add the /dev/sdb and /dev/sdc block device mappings to the finished AMI. 
{
  "type": "amazon-ebs",
  "access_key": "YOUR KEY HERE",
  "secret_key": "YOUR SECRET KEY HERE",
  "region": "us-east-1",
  "source_ami": "ami-de0d9eb7",
  "instance_type": "t1.micro",
  "ssh_username": "ubuntu",
  "ami_name": "packer-quick-start {{timestamp}}",
  "ami_block_device_mappings": [
      {
          "device_name": "/dev/sdb",
          "virtual_name": "ephemeral0"
      },
      {
          "device_name": "/dev/sdc",
          "virtual_name": "ephemeral1"
      }
  ]
}
## Tag Example Here is an example using the optional AMI tags. This will add the tags "OS_Version" and "Release" to the finished AMI. 
{
  "type": "amazon-ebs",
  "access_key": "YOUR KEY HERE",
  "secret_key": "YOUR SECRET KEY HERE",
  "region": "us-east-1",
  "source_ami": "ami-de0d9eb7",
  "instance_type": "t1.micro",
  "ssh_username": "ubuntu",
  "ami_name": "packer-quick-start {{timestamp}}",
  "tags": {
    "OS_Version": "Ubuntu",
    "Release": "Latest"
  }
}