IPF Standard - EC2 Snapshot (2025-08-20).docx

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IPF Standard AWS EBS Snapshot Management 2025-08-20 Purpose This document defines retention of Amazon EC2 based EBS snapshot resources within the IPF. It addresses the amount of time snapshots should exist in a given account as well as using AWS lifecycle manager to automate retention and deletion. The goal is to standardize EBS backups and to ensure unnecessary snapshots are removed in a timely matter. It also defines how snapshots that need to exist beyond the automated, standard retention are taken and identified.

Standard for EBS Snapshot Management

1. All EBS volumes shall have automated daily back-ups that are retained for 14 days using the following method:

a. Create Default EBS snapshot standard

b. Open the Amazon EC2 console

c. Sign in to AWS Management Console. Make sure that the permissions of the AWS account you use allow you to create EC2 instances, EBS volumes and EBS snapshots in the required environment.

d. In the navigation panel, choose Lifecycle Manager and then choose Create lifecycle policy.

e. For Policy type, choose Default policy and then choose EBS snapshot policy.

f. For Description, enter your account name that the policy is being created in. example ‘dms_snapshot_policy’

g. For IAM role, choose the Default IAM role

i. Example ’AWSDataLifecycleMangerDefaultRole’

ii. If the default role does not exist, please put a ServicePlus ticket in to have it created.

h. For Creation frequency enter 1

i. For Retention period enter 14

j. Use the default for all other parameters

2. Any back-up needed beyond 14 days shall follow the guide below and shall be reviewed every 60 days to determine if it can be deleted.

a. Sign in to AWS Management Console. Make sure that the permissions of the AWS account you use allow you to create EC2 instances, EBS volumes and EBS snapshots in the required environment.

b. Open the Amazon EC2 console

c. In the navigation pane, choose Snapshots, Create snapshot.

d. For Resource type, choose Volume.

e. For Volume ID, select the volume from which to create the snapshot. (The Encryption field indicates the volume and resulting snapshot's encryption status. It can't be modified.)

f. For Description, enter a brief description for the purpose of the snapshot.

g. Choose Create snapshot.

h. The following manual back-up tags are required:

i. A tag that matches the following exactly: beyond_14_snapshot

ii. A description that includes the reason for need

1. Example description - ‘GeoNames software deployment baseline 39. Need to keep until 40 is deployed.’