AWS News Blog: Introducing a new experience for AWS Systems Manager

Source URL: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/introducing-a-new-experience-for-aws-system-manager/
Source: AWS News Blog
Title: Introducing a new experience for AWS Systems Manager

Feedly Summary: Gain centralized visibility and control over AWS, on-premises, and multicloud compute at scale with the new AWS Systems Manager. Featuring a unified dashboard, one-click agent remediation, Amazon Q Developer integration for natural language queries, and cross-account/Region management – all at no extra cost.

AI Summary and Description: Yes

Summary: The text introduces an enhanced version of AWS Systems Manager that allows for cross-account and cross-Region management of a diverse range of managed nodes, including EC2 instances and IoT devices. Key features include natural language interaction with Amazon Q Developer, automated diagnosis of unmanaged nodes, and a centralized dashboard for infrastructure management, emphasizing improved operational efficiency.

Detailed Description:
The provided text highlights several significant advancements in AWS Systems Manager, emphasizing its critical role in managing and securing cloud infrastructure. Here are the key takeaways:

– **Centralized Management**: The updated Systems Manager offers centralized visibility across all managed nodes, integrating on-premises and multicloud environments.

– **Diverse Node Support**: It supports various infrastructure types, including:
– EC2 instances
– Containers
– Virtual machines from other cloud providers
– On-premise servers
– IoT devices

– **Managing Nodes**:
– Managed nodes are those with the Systems Manager Agent (SSM Agent) installed. When the agent fails, the node becomes unmanaged.
– The new version provides features to discover and troubleshoot these unmanaged nodes, facilitating reconnection efforts.

– **Enhanced Troubleshooting**:
– Automated diagnosis can be scheduled to address common issues that prevent nodes from being managed, such as misconfigured VPC settings or SSM Agent permissions.
– Users can execute recommended runbooks to quickly resolve issues, turning unmanaged nodes back into managed nodes.

– **Integration with Amazon Q Developer**:
– The inclusion of Amazon Q Developer allows users to inquire about their infrastructure using natural language, providing rapid insights and direct action links.

– **Operational Insights**:
– The dashboard visualizes managed and unmanaged nodes, providing insights through interactive charts.
– Users can filter and group results, making it easier to gather relevant data, especially during migration planning.

– **Reporting Features**:
– Users can download reports in CSV format to track the status of nodes during migrations or upgrades, contributing to effective resource management.

– **Cost Awareness**:
– Actions executed through Systems Manager may incur costs, prompting users to review implications before proceeding with actions.

The enhanced Systems Manager thus plays a vital role in operational actions at scale, simplifying management and security for organizations leveraging AWS infrastructure. Its cross-account and cross-Region capabilities, coupled with the power of generative AI through Amazon Q Developer, mark a significant step forward in the efficiency and effectiveness of cloud management practices.