Managing your AWS DataSync agent - AWS DataSync

Managing your AWS DataSync agent

Once you activate an AWS DataSync agent, AWS manages the virtual machine (VM) appliance for you.

Agent software updates

AWS automatically updates your agent's software, including the underlying operating system and related DataSync software packages.

DataSync updates your agent only when it's idle. For example, your agent won't be updated until your transfer is complete.

The agent might go offline briefly following updates. This can happen, for instance, shortly after agent activation when AWS updates the agent.

Important
  • DataSync automatically and regularly patches agents to maintain their security and stability. DataSync agents use Amazon Linux 2 as their base operating system. You can view the current status of detected Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) issues on the Amazon Linux Security Center. CVE patches are automatically applied within 30 days of their release date, as indicated on the Amazon Linux Security Center. Patching occurs as long as your agent is online and not actively running a task execution.

  • DataSync doesn't support updating an Amazon EC2 agent manually with cloud-init directives. If you update an agent this way, you may encounter interoperability problems with DataSync where you can’t activate or use the agent.

Agent statuses

The following table describes the status of DataSync agents.

Agent status Meaning
Online The agent is configured properly and ready to use. This is the normal running status for an agent.
Offline The agent has been out of contact with the DataSync service for five minutes or longer. This can happen for a few reasons. For more information, see What do I do if my agent is offline?

Troubleshooting your agent

While AWS manages the DataSync agent for you, there are situations when you might need to again work directly with it. For example, if your agent goes offline or loses its connection to your on-premises storage system, you can try to resolve these issues in the agent’s local console.

For more information, see troubleshooting DataSync agents.