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Create EBS Snapshots Actions
Create EBS Snapshots Actions
Matt Houser avatar
Written by Matt Houser
Updated over a week ago

Description

The Create Multiple EBS Snapshots action will create a snapshot for each of many EBS volumes.

For example, a snapshot can be created every day at 1am for all volumes with EC2 tag "Backup" with value "Yes".

Settings

Please see Common Action Settings for a description of settings common to all action types.

Volume Identification Method

Indicates the selection method of the EBS volumes to have snapshots created.

  • By Volume ID - Creates snapshots for the specified volume IDs

  • By EC2 Tag - Creates snapshots for volumes that match an EC2 tag value

  • All - Creates snapshots for all volumes

Volume IDs

Required when Volume Identification Method is set to "By Volume ID". Indicates the list of volume IDs which will have snapshots created.

EC2 Tag Name

Required if Volume Identification Method is "By EC2 Tag". Indicates the name of the EC2 tag used to compare.

EC2 Tag Value

Required if Volume Identification Method is "By EC2 Tag". Indicates the value of the EC2 tag used to compare.

Snapshot Name

Optional. After the snapshots are created, this value is placed in the "Name" tag for the newly created snapshots. Macros can be used to include run-time data. See below.

Description

Optional. The snapshots can have a description saved with them. Macros can be used to include run-time data. See below.

Stop Instance for Snapshot

By default, the snapshots will be created without stopping and restarting the instances. Enable this option to stop the instances before starting the snapshots, and restart the instance after the snapshots have started.

Deregister from Load Balancers

If the instance will be stopped, indicate whether the instance should also be deregistered from any load balancers. The instance will automatically be re-registered with the load balancers.

EC2 Tags

Optional. EC2 tags can be set once the snapshots are complete. Click "Add Tag" to add a tag and fill the tag data. Any number of tags can be set, although Amazon EC2 has a limit of 10 (including the Name tag). Macros can be used in the tag values to include run-time data. See below.

Copy to Region

Optional. Once the snapshot is complete, it can be copied to a different region. If the snapshot should be copied, select the target region.

Macros

The following macros can be used to include some run-time information.

$(DATE)

Date of snapshot in year-month-day format

$(TIME)

Time of snapshot in 24-hour format

$(DOW)

Day of the week, as a short name.

  • Sun

  • Mon

  • Tue

  • Wed

  • Thu

  • Fri

  • Sat

$(DAYOFWEEK)

Day of the week, as a long name.

  • Sunday

  • Monday

  • Tuesday

  • Wednesday

  • Thursday

  • Friday

  • Saturday

$(DAYOFMONTH)

Day of the month.

$(WEEKOFMONTH)

Week of the month, starting at day 1 of the month.

  • Day 1 - 7 is week 1

  • Day 8 - 14 is week 2

  • Day 15 - 21 is week 3

  • Day 22 - 28 is week 4

  • Day 29 - 31 is week 5

$(INVWEEKOFMONTH)

Week to the end of the month, ending at the last day of the month. For example, for a 31-day month:

  • Day 25 - 31 is week 1

  • Day 18 - 24 is week 2

  • Day 11 - 17 is week 3

  • Day 4 - 10 is week 4

  • Day 1 - 3 is week 5

$(MOY)

Month of the year, as a short name.

  • Jan

  • Feb

  • Mar

  • Apr

  • May

  • Jun

  • Jul

  • Aug

  • Sep

  • Oct

  • Nov

  • Dec

$(MONTHOFYEAR)

Month of the year, as a long name.

  • January

  • February

  • March

  • April

  • May

  • June

  • July

  • August

  • September

  • October

  • November

  • December

$(IMAGEID)

ID of the AMI image used to create the instance

$(INSTANCEID)

ID of the attached instance

$(INSTANCENAME)

Name of the attached instance

$(VOLUMEID)

ID of the volume

$(VOLUMENAME)

Name of the volume

Macros are case-sensitive. For example, $(Time) is not valid. $(TIME) must be used.

Amazon Commands Used

The following Amazon AWS commands are used. The access key should have permission to execute all of them.

  • ec2:AssociateAddress

  • ec2:CreateSnapshot

  • ec2:CreateTags

  • ec2:DescribeAddresses

  • ec2:DescribeInstances

  • ec2:DescribeSnapshots

  • ec2:DescribeTags

  • ec2:DescribeVolumes

  • ec2:StartInstances

  • ec2:StopInstances

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