# Automate backups with Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager
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You can use Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager to automate the creation, retention, and deletion of EBS snapshots and EBS-backed AMIs. When you automate snapshot and AMI management, it helps you to:
+ Protect valuable data by enforcing a regular backup schedule.
+ Create standardized AMIs that can be refreshed at regular intervals.
+ Retain backups as required by auditors or internal compliance.
+ Reduce storage costs by deleting outdated backups.
+ Create disaster recovery backup policies that back up data to isolated Regions or accounts.

Combined with Amazon EventBridge and AWS CloudTrail monitoring, Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager provides a complete backup solution for Amazon EC2 instances and EBS volumes at no additional cost.

**Important**  
Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager can't manage snapshots or AMIs created by any other means.
Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager can't automate the creation, retention, and deletion of instance store-backed AMIs.

Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager is assessed as a service capability of Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS). Any [AWS Services in Scope by Compliance Program](https://aws.amazon.com/compliance/services-in-scope/) (FedRAMP, HIPAA BAA, SOC, etc) which lists Amazon EBS will also apply to Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager.

## Quotas
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Your AWS account has the following quotas related to Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager:


| Description | Quota | 
| --- | --- | 
| Custom lifecycle policies per Region | 100 | 
| Default policies for EBS snapshots per Region | 1 | 
| Default policies for EBS-backed AMIs per Region | 1 | 
| Tags per resource | 45 |