EC2 Image Builder now integrates with SSM Parameter Store

EC2 Image Builder now integrates with Systems Manager Parameter Store, offering customers a streamlined approach for referencing SSM parameters in their image recipes, components, and distribution configurations. This capability allows customers to dynamically select base images within their image recipes, easily use configuration data and sensitive information for components, and update their SSM parameters with output latest images.

Prior to today, customers had to specify AMI IDs in their image recipes to use custom base images, leading to a constant maintenance cycle when these base images had to be updated. Furthermore, customers were required to create custom scripts to update SSM parameters with output images and to utilize SSM parameter values in components, resulting in substantial operational overhead. Now, customers can leverage SSM Parameters as inputs for their image recipes, enabling them to dynamically retrieve the latest base image. This integration extends to components, where SSM Parameters can be easily referenced to save, retrieve and use sensitive information in components, and to the distribution process, where SSM parameters can be updated with latest output images. These enhancements streamline the image building workflow, reduce manual intervention and improve overall efficiency.

This capability is available to all customers at no additional costs, and is enabled in all AWS commercial regions including AWS GovCloud (US), AWS China (Beijing) Region, operated by Sinnet, and in the AWS China (Ningxia) Region, operated by NWCD.

Customers can get started from the EC2 Image Builder Console, CLI, API, CloudFormation, or CDK, and learn more in the EC2 Image Builder documentation.