feat(ansible,awx): clone ec2 instances

knowledge base/cloud computing/aws/README.md

@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ One can can rapidly remapping addresses to other instances in one's account and
 | [Security Hub]                | Aggregator for security findings              |
 
 [Service icons][aws icons] are publicly available for diagrams and such.
+Public service IP address ranges are [available in JSON form][aws public ip address ranges now available in json form]
+at <https://ip-ranges.amazonaws.com/ip-ranges.json>.
 
 ### Billing and Cost Management
 
@@ -254,6 +256,7 @@ Refer [IAM].
 - [Rotating AWS KMS keys]
 - [Image baking in AWS using Packer and Image builder]
 - [Using AWS KMS via the CLI with a Symmetric Key]
+- [AWS Public IP Address Ranges Now Available in JSON Form]
 
 <!--
   Reference
@@ -301,6 +304,7 @@ Refer [IAM].
 [what is amazon vpc?]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/userguide/what-is-amazon-vpc.html
 [what is aws config?]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/config/latest/developerguide/WhatIsConfig.html
 [what is cloudwatch]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudWatch/latest/monitoring/WhatIsCloudWatch.html
+[aws public ip address ranges now available in json form]: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/aws-ip-ranges-json/
 
 <!-- Others -->
 [automating dns-challenge based letsencrypt certificates with aws route 53]: https://johnrix.medium.com/automating-dns-challenge-based-letsencrypt-certificates-with-aws-route-53-8ba799dd207b

knowledge base/cloud computing/aws/ebs.md

@@ -28,9 +28,13 @@ Apparently, Linux machines are able to do that automatically with a reboot.
 
 ## Snapshots
 
-When created, snapshots are **incremental**.<br/>
+The first snapshot is **complete**, with all the volume's blocks being copied. All successive snapshots of the same
+volume are **incremental**, with only the changes being copied.<br/>
 Incremental snapshots are stored in EBS' standard tier.
 
+Snapshots can be unbearably slow depending on the amount of data needing to be copied.<br/>
+For comparison, the first snapshot of a 200 GiB volume took about 2h to complete.
+
 Snapshots can be [archived][archive amazon ebs snapshots] to save money should they **not** need frequent nor fast
 retrieval.<br/>
 When archived, incremental snapshots are converted to **full snapshots** and moved to EBS' archive tier.

knowledge base/cloud computing/aws/ec2.md

@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ Use an instance profile to pass an IAM role to an EC2 instance.
 The instance type [_can_ be changed][change the instance type]. The procedure depends on the root volume, but does
 require downtime.
 
+Clone EC2 instances by:
+
+1. Creating an AMI from the original instance.
+   Mind the default behaviour of the AMI creator is to **shutdown** the instance, take a snapshot, and boot it again
+   [to guarantee the image's filesystem integrity][create an ami from an amazon ec2 instance].
+1. Using that AMI to launch clones identical to the original.
+
 <details>
   <summary>Real world use cases</summary>
 
@@ -122,6 +129,8 @@ See [EBS].
 - [Retrieve instance metadata]
 - [Burstable performance instances]
 - [Change the instance type]
+- [How to Clone instance EC2]
+- [Create an AMI from an Amazon EC2 Instance]
 
 <!--
   Reference
@@ -137,16 +146,18 @@ See [EBS].
 <!-- Upstream -->
 [best practices for handling ec2 spot instance interruptions]: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/best-practices-for-handling-ec2-spot-instance-interruptions/
 [burstable performance instances]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/burstable-performance-instances.html
+[change the instance type]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/ec2-instance-resize.html
 [connect to your instances without requiring a public ipv4 address using ec2 instance connect endpoint]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/connect-with-ec2-instance-connect-endpoint.html
+[create an ami from an amazon ec2 instance]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/toolkit-for-visual-studio/latest/user-guide//tkv-create-ami-from-instance.html
 [describe-images]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/ec2/describe-images.html
 [describeimages]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/APIReference/API_DescribeImages.html
+[how to clone instance ec2]: https://repost.aws/questions/QUOrWudF3vRL2Vqtrv0M9lfQ/how-to-clone-instance-ec2
 [iam roles for amazon ec2]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/iam-roles-for-amazon-ec2.html
 [key concepts and definitions for burstable performance instances]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/burstable-credits-baseline-concepts.html
 [retrieve instance metadata]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/instancedata-data-retrieval.html
 [standard mode for burstable performance instances]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/burstable-performance-instances-standard-mode.html
 [unlimited mode for burstable performance instances]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/burstable-performance-instances-unlimited-mode.html
 [using instance profiles]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/id_roles_use_switch-role-ec2_instance-profiles.html
-[change the instance type]: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/ec2-instance-resize.html
 
 <!-- Others -->
 [aws ec2 instance pricing comparison]: https://ec2instances.github.io/