Creating an AWS AMI from an EC2 Instance with an Attached EBS Volume and Nginx Installation
Introduction
Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) are one of the most powerful features in AWS. They allow you to create reusable templates of EC2 instances, including the operating system, installed software, configurations, and attached EBS volumes.
In this hands-on guide, we'll:
Launch an EC2 Instance
Create and Attach an EBS Volume
Format and Mount the Volume
Install and Configure Nginx
Create an AMI
Launch a New EC2 Instance from the AMI
Verify that Nginx is running on the new instance
By the end of this tutorial, you'll understand how AMIs simplify server deployment and scaling in AWS.
Architecture
Launch EC2 Instance
↓
Create EBS Volume
↓
Attach Volume to EC2
↓
Format and Mount Volume
↓
Install Nginx
↓
Create AMI
↓
Launch New Instance from AMI
↓
Verify Nginx Service
Prerequisites
Before starting, ensure you have:
AWS Account
Basic knowledge of EC2
Permission to create EC2 instances, EBS volumes, and AMIs
Step 1: Launch an EC2 Instance
Navigate to:
AWS Console → EC2 → Launch Instance
Configuration
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | AMI-Demo |
| AMI | Ubuntu Server |
| Instance Type | t3.micro |
| Key Pair | Create or Select Existing |
| Security Group | Allow SSH (22) |
Click Launch Instance.
Wait until the instance state becomes:
Running
Step 2: Connect to the Instance
Connect using EC2 Instance Connect or SSH.
Example:
ssh -i key.pem ubuntu@<public-ip>
Verify:
hostname
Step 3: Create an EBS Volume
Navigate to:
EC2 → Volumes → Create Volume
Configuration
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Size | 4 GB |
| Type | gp3 |
| Availability Zone | Same as EC2 Instance |
Click Create Volume.
Step 4: Attach Volume to EC2
Select the Volume.
Choose:
Actions → Attach Volume
Select your instance.
Device Name:
/dev/sdf
Click Attach Volume.
Step 5: Verify Attached Volume
Connect to the instance and run:
lsblk
Example Output:
nvme0n1 8G
nvme1n1 4G
Where:
nvme0n1 = Root Volume
nvme1n1 = Newly Attached EBS Volume
Step 6: Create Mount Directory
sudo mkdir /mnt/disk-mount
Verify:
ls /mnt
Step 7: Format the Volume
Create an EXT4 filesystem:
sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/nvme1n1
Output:
Creating filesystem...
Filesystem UUID...
Why do we format?
A newly attached EBS volume is raw storage. Formatting creates a filesystem so Linux can store files and directories.
Step 8: Mount the Volume
Mount the volume:
sudo mount /dev/nvme1n1 /mnt/disk-mount
Verify:
df -h
or
lsblk
Expected Output:
nvme1n1 4G /mnt/disk-mount
Step 9: Install Nginx
Update package repository:
sudo apt update
Install Nginx:
sudo apt install nginx -y
Verify installation:
sudo systemctl status nginx
Expected Output:
Active: active (running)
Enable Nginx at boot:
sudo systemctl enable nginx
Step 10: Configure Security Group
Navigate to:
EC2 → Security Groups
Add an Inbound Rule:
| Type | Port | Source |
|---|---|---|
| HTTP | 80 | 0.0.0.0/0 |
Save the rule.
Step 11: Verify Nginx
Open:
http://<public-ip>
You should see:
Welcome to nginx!
Step 12: Create an AMI
Navigate to:
EC2 → Instances
Select your instance.
Choose:
Actions
↓
Image and Templates
↓
Create Image
Configuration
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Image Name | nginx-ami |
| Description | Ubuntu with Nginx and EBS Volume |
Click:
Create Image
AWS will create snapshots and generate an AMI.
Step 13: Wait for AMI Availability
Navigate to:
EC2 → AMIs
Initially:
Pending
Wait until:
Available
Step 14: Launch a New Instance from the AMI
Select the AMI.
Click:
Launch Instance from AMI
Configuration:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | nginx-server-clone |
| Instance Type | t3.micro |
| Key Pair | Existing Key |
| Security Group | SSH + HTTP |
Launch the instance.
Step 15: Verify the New Instance
Connect to the new instance.
Check Nginx:
sudo systemctl status nginx
Expected Output:
Active: active (running)
This confirms that the AMI successfully captured the installed software.
Step 16: Access Nginx on the New Instance
Open:
http://<new-public-ip>
You should see:
Welcome to nginx!
or your custom web page.
How AMI Works Internally
When you create an AMI:
AWS takes snapshots of attached EBS volumes.
Stores instance configuration.
Creates a reusable machine image.
When launching a new instance:
AWS creates new EBS volumes from snapshots.
Attaches them to the new instance.
Boots the operating system.
Preserves installed software and configurations.
Benefits of AMI
Rapid server deployment
Consistent environments
Easy backup and recovery
Faster scaling
Simplified DevOps workflows
Interview Questions
What is an AMI?
An Amazon Machine Image (AMI) is a template that contains an operating system, application software, configurations, and snapshots used to launch EC2 instances.
Does an AMI include EBS volumes?
Yes. AMIs contain snapshots of attached EBS volumes.
What is the difference between Snapshot and AMI?
| Snapshot | AMI |
|---|---|
| Backup of a volume | Template for EC2 |
| Contains one volume | Can contain multiple snapshots |
| Used for recovery | Used for deployment |
Why do we use mkfs.ext4?
To create a filesystem on a newly attached volume so Linux can store files and directories.
Conclusion
In this tutorial, we successfully launched an EC2 instance, attached and mounted an EBS volume, installed Nginx, created an AMI, and launched a new EC2 instance from that AMI. This workflow demonstrates a common real-world AWS administration task and highlights the power of AMIs in creating reusable and scalable server templates.
