Using service-linked roles for AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery

AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery uses AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)service-linked roles. A service-linked role is a unique type of IAM role that is linked directly to AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery. Service-linked roles are predefined by AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery and include all the permissions that the service requires to call other AWS services on your behalf.

A service-linked role makes setting up AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery easier because you don’t have to manually add the necessary permissions. AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery defines the permissions of its service-linked roles, and unless defined otherwise, only AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery can assume its roles. The defined permissions include the trust policy and the permissions policy, and that permissions policy cannot be attached to any other IAM entity.

You can delete a service-linked role only after first deleting their related resources. This protects your AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery resources because you can't inadvertently remove permission to access the resources.

For information about other services that support service-linked roles, see AWS Services That Work with IAM and look for the services that have Yes in the Service-Linked Role column. Choose a Yes with a link to view the service-linked role documentation for that service.

Service-linked role permissions for AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery

AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery uses the service-linked role named AWSServiceRoleForElasticDisasterRecovery. This role includes a managed IAM policy AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryServiceRolePolicy with scoped permissions that AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery needs to run in your account.

The AWSServiceRoleForElasticDisasterRecovery service-linked role trusts the following services to assume the role: drs.amazonaws.com

The role permissions policy allows AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery to complete the following actions on the specified resources.

{
	"Version": "2012-10-17",
	"Statement": [
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy1",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "drs:ListTagsForResource"
            ],
            "Resource": "*"
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy2",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "drs:TagResource"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:drs:*:*:recovery-instance/*"
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy3",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "drs:CreateRecoveryInstanceForDrs",
                "drs:TagResource"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:drs:*:*:source-server/*"
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy4",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": "iam:GetInstanceProfile",
            "Resource": "*"
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy5",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": "kms:ListRetirableGrants",
            "Resource": "*"
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy6",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:DescribeAccountAttributes",
                "ec2:DescribeAvailabilityZones",
                "ec2:DescribeImages",
                "ec2:DescribeInstances",
                "ec2:DescribeInstanceTypes",
                "ec2:DescribeInstanceAttribute",
                "ec2:DescribeInstanceStatus",
                "ec2:DescribeLaunchTemplateVersions",
                "ec2:DescribeLaunchTemplates",
                "ec2:DescribeSecurityGroups",
                "ec2:DescribeSnapshots",
                "ec2:DescribeSubnets",
                "ec2:DescribeVolumes",
                "ec2:DescribeVolumeAttribute",
                "ec2:GetEbsDefaultKmsKeyId",
                "ec2:GetEbsEncryptionByDefault",
                "ec2:DescribeVpcAttribute",
                "ec2:DescribeInternetGateways",
                "ec2:DescribeVpcs",
                "ec2:DescribeNetworkAcls",
                "ec2:DescribeRouteTables",
                "ec2:DescribeDhcpOptions"
            ],
            "Resource": "*"
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy7",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:RegisterImage"
            ],
            "Resource": "*"
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy8",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:DeregisterImage"
            ],
            "Resource": "*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:ResourceTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy9",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:DeleteSnapshot"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:snapshot/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:ResourceTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy10",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:CreateLaunchTemplateVersion",
                "ec2:ModifyLaunchTemplate",
                "ec2:DeleteLaunchTemplate",
                "ec2:DeleteLaunchTemplateVersions"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:launch-template/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:ResourceTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy11",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:DeleteVolume",
                "ec2:ModifyVolume"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:volume/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:ResourceTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy12",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:StartInstances",
                "ec2:StopInstances",
                "ec2:TerminateInstances",
                "ec2:ModifyInstanceAttribute",
                "ec2:GetConsoleOutput",
                "ec2:GetConsoleScreenshot"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:instance/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:ResourceTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy13",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:RevokeSecurityGroupEgress",
                "ec2:AuthorizeSecurityGroupIngress",
                "ec2:AuthorizeSecurityGroupEgress"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:security-group/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:ResourceTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy14",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:CreateVolume"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:volume/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:RequestTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy15",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:CreateSecurityGroup"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:security-group/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:RequestTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy16",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:CreateSecurityGroup"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:vpc/*"
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy17",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:CreateLaunchTemplate"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:launch-template/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:RequestTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy18",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:CreateSnapshot"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:volume/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:ResourceTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy19",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:CreateSnapshot"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:snapshot/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:RequestTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy20",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:DetachVolume",
                "ec2:AttachVolume"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:instance/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:ResourceTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy21",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:AttachVolume"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:volume/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:ResourceTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy22",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:DetachVolume"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:volume/*"
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy23",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:RunInstances"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:instance/*",
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:RequestTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy24",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ec2:RunInstances"
            ],
            "Resource": [
                "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:security-group/*",
                "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:volume/*",
                "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:subnet/*",
                "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:image/*",
                "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:network-interface/*",
                "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:launch-template/*"
            ]
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy25",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": "iam:PassRole",
            "Resource": [
                "arn:aws:iam::*:role/service-role/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryReplicationServerRole",
                "arn:aws:iam::*:role/service-role/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryConversionServerRole",
                "arn:aws:iam::*:role/service-role/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryRecoveryInstanceRole"
            ],
            "Condition": {
                "StringEquals": {
                    "iam:PassedToService": "ec2.amazonaws.com"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy26",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": "ec2:CreateTags",
            "Resource": [
                "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:launch-template/*",
                "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:security-group/*",
                "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:volume/*",
                "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:snapshot/*",
                "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:instance/*"
            ],
            "Condition": {
                "StringEquals": {
                    "ec2:CreateAction": [
                        "CreateLaunchTemplate",
                        "CreateSecurityGroup",
                        "CreateVolume",
                        "CreateSnapshot",
                        "RunInstances"
                    ]
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy27",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": "ec2:CreateTags",
            "Resource": [
                "arn:aws:ec2:*:*:image/*"
            ],
            "Condition": {
                "Null": {
                    "aws:RequestTag/AWSElasticDisasterRecoveryManaged": "false"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "Sid": "DRSServiceRolePolicy28",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": "cloudwatch:GetMetricData",
            "Resource": "*"
        }
    ]
}
                

You must configure permissions to allow an IAM entity (such as a user, group, or role) to create, edit, or delete a service-linked role. For more information, see Service-Linked Role Permissions in the IAM User Guide.

Creating a service-linked role for AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery

You don't need to manually create a service-linked role. When you configure the Replication Configuration Template for AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery, a service-linked role is automatically created. AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery automatically creates the IAM service-linked role, which you can see in the IAM console. You don't need to manually create or configure this role.

If you delete this service-linked role, and then need to create it again, you can use the same process to recreate the role in your account. When you create the first new replication configuration template in AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery, it creates the service-linked role for you again.

In the AWS CLI or the AWS API, create a service-linked role with the AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery service name. For more information, see Creating a Service-Linked Role in the IAM User Guide. If you delete this service-linked role, you can use this same process to create the role again.

Editing a service-linked role for AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery

AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery does not allow you to edit the AWSServiceRoleForElasticDisasterRecovery service-linked role. After you create a service-linked role, you cannot change the name of the role because various entities might reference the role. However, you can edit the description of the role using IAM. For more information, see Editing a Service-Linked Role in the IAM User Guide.

Deleting a service-linked role for AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery

If you no longer need to use a feature or service that requires a service-linked role, we recommend that you delete that role. That way you don’t have an unused entity that is not actively monitored or maintained. However, you must clean up the resources for your service-linked role before you can manually delete it.

Note

If AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery is using the role when you try to delete the resources, the deletion might fail. If that happens, wait for a few minutes and try the operation again.

To clean up AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery resources used by AWSServiceRoleForElasticDisasterRecovery

Resources can be cleaned up without stopping any AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery services. Cleaning up AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery resources will cause AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery to stop working. For more information, see Cleaning up a service-linked role in the IAM User Guide.

To manually delete the service-linked role using IAM

Use the IAM console, the AWS CLI, or the AWS API to delete the AWSServiceRoleForElasticDisasterRecovery service-linked role. For more information, see Deleting a service-linked role in the IAM User Guide.

Supported AWS Regions for AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery service-linked roles

AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery supports using service-linked roles in all of the AWS Regions where the service is available.