Using service-linked roles for WorkSpaces Web

WorkSpaces Web 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 WorkSpaces Web. Service-linked roles are predefined by WorkSpaces Web and include all the permissions that the service requires to call other AWS services on your behalf.

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

You can delete a service-linked role only after first deleting its related resources. This protects your WorkSpaces Web 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 WorkSpaces Web

WorkSpaces Web uses the service-linked role named AWSServiceRoleForAmazonWorkSpacesWeb – WorkSpaces Web uses this service-linked role to access Amazon EC2 resources of customer accounts for streaming instances and CloudWatch metrics.

The AWSServiceRoleForAmazonWorkSpacesWeb service-linked role trusts the following services to assume the role:

• workspaces-web.amazonaws.com

The role permissions policy named AmazonWorkSpacesWebServiceRolePolicy allows WorkSpaces Web to complete the following actions on the specified resources:

• Action: ec2:DescribeVpcs on all AWS resources

• Action: ec2:DescribeSubnets on all AWS resources

• Action: ec2:DescribeAvailabilityZones on all AWS resources

• Action: ec2:CreateNetworkInterface on all AWS resources

• Action: ec2:DescribeNetworkInterfaces on all AWS resources

• Action: ec2:DeleteNetworkInterface on all AWS resources

• Action: ec2:DescribeSubnets on all AWS resources

• Action: ec2:AssociateAddress on all AWS resources

• Action: ec2:DisassociateAddress on all AWS resources

• Action: ec2:DescribeRouteTables on all AWS resources

• Action: ec2:DescribeSecurityGroups on all AWS resources

• Action: ec2:DescribeVpcEndpoints on all AWS resources

• Action: cloudwatch:PutMetricData on all AWS resources

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 WorkSpaces Web

You don't need to manually create a service-linked role. When you create your first portal in the AWS Management Console, the AWS CLI, or the AWS API, WorkSpaces Web creates the service-linked role for you.

Important

This service-linked role can appear in your account if you completed an action in another service that uses the features supported by this role.

If you delete this service-linked role and later need to create it again, you can use the same process to recreate the role in your account. When you create your first portal, WorkSpaces Web creates the service-linked role for you again.

You can also use the IAM console to create a service-linked role with the WorkSpaces Web use case. In the AWS CLI or the AWS API, create a service-linked role with the workspaces-web.amazonaws.com 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 WorkSpaces Web

WorkSpaces Web doesn't allow you to edit the AWSServiceRoleForAmazonWorkSpacesWeb service-linked role. After you create a service-linked role, you can't 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 WorkSpaces Web

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 the WorkSpaces Web service is using the role when you try to delete the resources, then the deletion might fail. If that happens, wait for a few minutes and try the operation again.

To delete WorkSpaces Web resources used by the AWSServiceRoleForAmazonWorkSpacesWeb

• Choose from one of the following options:

  • If you use the console, delete all of your portals on the console.

  • If you use the CLI or API, disassociate all of your resources (including browser settings, network settings, user settings, and trust stores) from your portals, delete these resources, and then delete the portals.

To manually delete the service-linked role using IAM

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

Supported regions for WorkSpaces Web service-linked roles

WorkSpaces Web supports using service-linked roles in all of the regions where the service is available. For more information, see AWS Regions and Endpoints.