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[Beta] Creating Custom AMIs

Overview

A custom AMI (Amazon Machine Image) is a snapshot of an AWS virtual machine that you can save and reuse whenever you need it. Instead of setting up the same VM from scratch every time — installing software, configuring settings, applying updates — you build it once, save it as an AMI, and then spin up new environments from it in seconds.

With this feature, you can:

  • Create a custom AMI from any AWS External Cloud VM Template in your environment.
  • Reuse your custom AMIs to launch new VMs in future environments.
  • Mix and match custom AMIs with CloudShare's standard VM templates in the same environment.

This is especially useful for cloud-based training labs, proof-of-concept environments, or any setup you expect to repeat when using External Cloud VMs — save the "golden" version once, and reuse it going forward.

Note: This feature is available only for AWS-based VMs that were created from existing External Cloud VM Templates, not for AWS VM environments created using a Terraform script flow.

 

Before You Start: Connect an AWS Account

Every custom AMI you create needs to live somewhere — a dedicated AWS account used just for storing your AMIs. You have two options:

  • Use your own AWS account (BYOA – Bring Your Own Account). If you'd like your AMIs stored in an AWS account you already own and manage,
  • CloudShare managed. If you don't have an AWS account, CloudShare will set up and manage one on your behalf — no extra work needed on your end.

Reach out to your CloudShare account manager to get this set up.

Creating a Custom AWS AMI

You can turn any AWS VM created using External Cloud VM Templates into a reusable AMI in just a few steps.

To create a custom AMI:

  1. Build a new environment with any AWS External Cloud VM Template using the "Custom Environment" method in the environment creation wizard, or open an existing environment that already has some in it.
  2. In the VM List on the environment details page, locate the AWS VM you'd like to create the AMI from.
  3. Click “Create Image” to begin creating the AMI.
  4. In the dialog that appears, fill in:
    • “Name” (required) – give it a name you'll recognize later, like web-server-setup 
    • “Description” (optional) – a short note about what this AMI contains or is for.
  1. Submit by clicking “Create Image”. The AMI will start processing, and you'll see a loading indicator with a "Creating image..." status.
  2. Once it's done, you'll see a confirmation. The completed custom AMI is saved and becomes available to reuse when creating new environments — including as the starting point for creating another custom AMI, the same way you would with a public AMI.
Note: The VM will be suspended for up to 30 minutes while the image is being created. For Windows machines, the operating system will be reset as part of this process.
Note: AMI names must be unique within your account. If you plan to create multiple versions of the same AMI over time, it's a good idea to include a version marker in the name yourself, such as web-server-setup-v2.
Note: There's no hard limit to how many AMIs you can create. Keep in mind that AMI storage may be reflected in your subscription's cost reporting. Check your billing dashboard for details on storage usage, or contact your Account Manager for more details.

Tracking Progress

AMI creation happens in the background, so you're free to keep working while it completes.

  • You'll see a loading indicator and "Creating Image..." status while the process runs.
  • Each VM has its own independent status, so creating an AMI on one VM doesn't affect the others.
  • When it's done, you'll see a confirmation dialog and the status changes to "Image Created."
  • If something goes wrong, you'll see the "Image Creation Failed" status.
    Clicking it will allow you to view the error details, plus a Retry option.

You can safely navigate away and come back later — the status will still be there.

Using a Custom AMI in a New Environment

Once your AMI is ready, it shows up as an option whenever you create a new environment through the custom environment method.

To launch an AWS VM from a custom AMI:

  1. Start by creating a new environment using the “Custom Environment” method in the environment creation wizard.
  2. Under Select AMI Type, you'll see a new dropdown option for Custom AMIs. Selecting it shows you all the custom AMIs available to you.
  3. For each custom AMI you select, you'll still need to choose the hardware type and network.
  4. Select any of the custom AMIs that appear in the list.
  5. Spin up your environment. 
Note: AMIs are region-specific — the list of custom AMIs available when you choose the “Custom AMIs” option only shows AMIs from the AWS region you've selected.
Note: All External Cloud VMs in an environment must come from the same AWS region. To add an External Cloud VM Template (public or custom) from a different region, first remove your current selection.

Within a single environment, you can combine VMs from custom AMIs and public AMIs from the same AWS region, alongside standard CloudShare VMs or VMs from any other source.

 

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