The main differences between AMIs (Amazon Machine Images) and snapshots in the context of Amazon Web Services (AWS) are as follows:
- Association:
- Snapshots are associated with Elastic Block Store (EBS) volumes, which are used to store data.
- AMIs are associated with Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instances, which are virtual servers.
- Purpose:
- Snapshots are essentially backups of the data stored on EBS volumes. They capture the data at a specific point in time and can be used to create new volumes or restore data.
- AMIs, on the other hand, are bootable copies of entire EC2 instances. They include not only the data but also the operating system, configuration, and metadata required to launch an identical EC2 instance.
- Usage:
- Snapshots are primarily used for data backup, disaster recovery, and data migration.
- AMIs are used to store the entire configuration of an EC2 instance, making it easy to launch new instances with the same setup.
- Storage:
- Snapshots are used to store the data on EBS volumes.
- AMIs store the complete configuration and state of an EC2 instance, including the data.
- Compatibility:
- Snapshots can be taken of EBS-backed instances.
- AMIs can be created for both EBS-backed and non-EBS-backed instances.
Hello, I’m Hridhya Manoj. I’m passionate about technology and its ever-evolving landscape. With a deep love for writing and a curious mind, I enjoy translating complex concepts into understandable, engaging content. Let’s explore the world of tech together