DefaultAmi
Default Amazon Machine Image (AMI) for x86_64-based Rack instances. This allows racks to automatically use the latest recommended ECS-optimized AMI without manual intervention.
| Default value | /aws/service/ecs/optimized-ami/amazon-linux-2/recommended/image_id |
| Allowed values | AWS SSM AMI path (e.g., /aws/service/ecs/optimized-ami/amazon-linux-2023/recommended/image_id) |
By default, Convox racks use the Amazon Linux 2 (AL2) ECS-optimized AMI. However, with AL2 nearing deprecation, you can switch to Amazon Linux 2023 (AL2023) by setting:
$ convox rack params set DefaultAmi="/aws/service/ecs/optimized-ami/amazon-linux-2023/recommended/image_id"
If the Ami rack parameter is set, DefaultAmi will be ignored, and the explicitly set Ami value will be used instead.
Use Cases
- Upgrade to Amazon Linux 2023 for longer support lifecycle, improved security defaults, and updated packages.
- Pin a specific AMI path for testing before rolling it out across all racks.
- Roll back to a known-good AMI path if a new ECS-optimized AMI introduces regressions.
Additional Information
The value is an AWS Systems Manager (SSM) parameter path, not a direct AMI ID. AWS automatically updates the AMI ID that this path resolves to whenever a new ECS-optimized image is published. This means your Rack instances will pick up the latest AMI on the next instance replacement (e.g., during a scaling event or parameter update) without requiring manual changes.
If you need to pin a specific AMI ID rather than using the auto-resolving SSM path, use the Ami parameter instead.
See Also
- DefaultAmiArm
- Ami
- InstanceType
- Rack Parameters for a full list of available parameters
