While this feels similar to other tools (like a VMware console), the real magic is using the terminal on your local computer. The same thing can be accomplished from the EC2 console by clicking your instance and then Connect -> Connection Method: Session Manager. You can easily start a web-based session by clicking an Instance and then clicking Actions -> Start Session. Once the requirements are met, you can view your managed instances by going to Systems Manager -> Managed Instances in the AWS Console. Install the Session Manager Plugin for AWS CLI Verify AWS CLI 1.16.12 or later is installedī. Verify SSM agent is running on your EC2 instances with an Instance Role that gives access to Systems ManagerĪ.The official documentation has the most detail, but the short answer is: You can either use the AWS Console for web access, or the AWS CLI for a native 'terminal' experience. All access is based on IAM permissions, and sessions are proxied by AWS Systems Manager.

Session Manager gives you remote access to your servers without opening any ports in security groups, building any VPN tunnels, or using bastion hosts. While not a very magical name, it does provide a magical experience. And with the rise in 'Zero Trust' networking, how do you securely provide access without blindly trusting network CIDR's?Įnter AWS Systems Manager Session Manager. This can increase in complexity very quickly with multiple VPC's across multiple regions, multipied by each AWS account. As you get more advanced, you setup VPN tunnels or bastion hosts to secure your remote access. Worst case, your server has a public IP with port 22 (SSH) open to the world, which means theoretically anyone, anywhere in the world could break in. When working with AWS, there are plenty of features that make your life easier, but it's rare to find a feature that feels like magic.īefore we dive into the magic, what's the problem we're trying to solve? When working with servers anywhere, usually there needs to be some sort of remote access to SSH or RDP and install/troubleshoot things as needed.

Local session manager