Scribbles for my memory

AWS console offers three ways to duplicate an EC2 instance, differing in whether disk data is carried over.

Create AMI (recommended, full clone) — preserves the system disk, installed software, and all configuration.

In the EC2 console, select the target instance → Actions → Image and templates → Create image. Wait for the AMI status to become available (a few minutes to tens of minutes), then go to AMIs → select it → Launch instance from AMI. Adjust instance type, subnet, Security Group as needed.

Launch More Like This (fastest, no data) — copies only instance configuration (type, SG, subnet, tags). The system disk is brand new.

Actions → Image and templates → Launch more like this. The Launch page opens with config pre-filled; confirm and launch. Good for stateless instances, e.g. web servers initialized via userdata.

Launch Template — if the original instance had a Launch Template saved, launch directly from it. EC2 → Launch Templates → select template → Actions → Launch instance from template.

Use AMI for most cases. Use Launch More Like This when you only need the same specs with a clean disk.

AWS 控制台里有三种复制 EC2 的方式，区别在于是否携带磁盘数据。

创建 AMI（推荐，完整克隆） — 保留系统盘数据、已安装软件和所有配置。

EC2 控制台选中目标实例 → Actions → Image and templates → Create image。等 AMI 状态变为 available（几分钟到几十分钟），再到 AMIs 页面选中它 → Launch instance from AMI，按需调整 instance type、subnet、Security Group 即可。

Launch More Like This（最快，但不含数据） — 只复制实例规格配置（type、SG、subnet、tags），系统盘是全新的。

Actions → Image and templates → Launch more like this，进入 Launch 页面时配置已预填好，确认启动就行。适合无状态实例，比如用 userdata 初始化的 web server。

Launch Template — 如果原实例之前保存过 Launch Template，可以直接从模板启动。EC2 → Launch Templates → 选模板 → Actions → Launch instance from template。

大多数场景用 AMI，只需要同规格全新系统时用 Launch More Like This。