I'm currently using Packer to create AMI images, but the process takes around 20-25 minutes, and I'm looking for faster alternatives. I have the following configuration set: ssh_interface = "session_manager". Could this be impacting the speed? Thanks for any suggestions!
6 Answers
It really depends on what’s causing the slowness in your process. Have you checked out EC2 Image Builder? It could be a good fit for your needs if you don’t require multi-cloud capabilities.
I haven't used EC2 Image Builder yet, but I’ll look into it! Not sure about the slowness either; it's my first time with this.
Are you using EBS or chroot? That could make a difference in the process speed.
I'm using EBS. Does that affect performance?
Maybe take a step back and see if you really need Packer for AMI creation. That’s what I did and it helped a lot. But this all really depends on your specific situation, so it’s tough to give a one-size-fits-all answer.
I wasn't aware of other options until recently. I just learned about EC2 Image Builder and I'm curious how I'd integrate it with our CI/CD pipeline. Also, I added ssh_interface = "session_manager" in my setup; I'm speculating whether this could slow things down, so I might switch to a direct connection.
Great question! You did a fantastic job detailing your current setup and the speed concerns. This sounds like a topic where you'll get a lot of helpful tips from the community.
You could try scripting it with user data for an EC2 instance. It might not be faster than Packer, but it can give you a different approach. Personally, I think Packer is pretty efficient as it is.
Yeah, I prefer using a simple user data script in my Terraform playbook that lets me run an Ansible playbook right after the instance is up.
AWS Image Builder is another alternative, and while it’s working fine for me, it has a limit on how many recipes you can configure. Just a heads up though, it isn’t super fast. But it’s all about how you manage your build; I usually schedule my tasks based on AWS releasing new base images, so I’m not too concerned if it takes some time.
I switched from Packer to EC2 Image Builder and found it worked well for me. Just an option to consider since it simplifies things.