Creating a Complete Snapshot of EC2 Instance
When and how should you take a snapshot of an EC2 instance running a heavy compute process?
A. Take a snapshot of the instance from the AWS console.
B. Shut down the instance and take a snapshot of the instance.
C. Take a snapshot of the instance from the AWS CLI.
D. Detach the EBS volume attached to the instance and take a snapshot of both the EC2 and EBS instance.
Final answer:
Answer:
To create a complete snapshot of an EC2 instance, first flush the filesystem buffers to ensure all data in memory is written to disk. Then, take a snapshot from the AWS Console or CLI. Option (A) is correct.
In order to ensure the most complete snapshot of an EC2 instance that is constantly writing data to and from a cache on disk, it is crucial to follow a specific procedure. The first step is to flush the filesystem buffers to make sure that all data in memory is written to the disk. This process helps in capturing the most up-to-date information stored in memory.
After performing the filesystem flush, you can proceed to take a snapshot of the EC2 instance. This snapshot can be initiated either from the AWS Console or through the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI). By following this method, you can ensure that the snapshot captures the current state of the instance accurately.
If your EC2 instance can tolerate a brief downtime, you also have the option to stop the instance before taking the snapshot. This will further guarantee consistency as no new data will be written to the disk during the snapshot process.
It is important to avoid detaching the EBS volume attached to the instance when taking a snapshot. Detaching the EBS volume can lead to potential data loss or incomplete snapshots due to the disconnection between the EC2 instance and its associated EBS volume.
By following these steps and best practices, you can create a complete and reliable snapshot of your EC2 instance, ensuring that all necessary data is captured accurately for future use or backup purposes.