EC2 Image Builder integrates with ASG for faster builds
EC2 Image Builder now supports using existing Auto Scaling Group instances to speed up image creation by reducing launch and bootstrap times.
EC2 Image Builder can now leverage existing instances from an Auto Scaling Group (ASG) to accelerate the image creation process. This update allows developers to reduce build times by eliminating the need to launch and bootstrap new EC2 instances for every pipeline run.
What's new
- Users can now specify an ASG within their Image Builder infrastructure configuration.
- Instead of launching a new instance at build time, Image Builder selects an already running instance from the designated ASG.
- The ASG automatically replenishes the instance pool as instances are used, ensuring they are available for subsequent pipeline runs.
- The feature is fully opt-in; pipelines without an ASG configured will continue to use the default launch path with no change in behavior.
Why it matters
For developers and DevOps engineers, this integration speeds up machine image pipelines by reusing "warm" instances. By bypassing the time-consuming steps of provisioning new EC2 instances and running initial software bootstrapping, teams can achieve faster and more efficient CI/CD workflows.
Deeper dive
The integration works by allowing builders to include an ASG in the infrastructure configuration of their Image Builder pipelines. When a build is triggered, the service selects an existing, running instance from the ASG pool. The service then applies the specified build components to that instance and creates the final image.
To maintain availability, the ASG manages the lifecycle of the pool, automatically replacing instances as they are utilized for builds. This ensures a steady supply of instances is ready for future automated runs.
Availability
This feature is available in all AWS Regions at no additional cost.
Source: aws.amazon.com