# Using sample Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) with AWS PCS
<a name="working-with_ami_samples"></a>

AWS provides [sample AMIs](ami-release-notes.md) that you can use as a starting point for working with AWS PCS.

**Important**  
Sample AMIs are for demonstration purposes and are not recommended for production workloads.

**Important**  
Compute node groups configured with AWS PCS sample AMIs and multiple network interfaces won't work currently if the subnets are only configured to use IPv6. Use dual-stack subnets (IPv4 and IPv6) or IPv4-only subnets instead.

## Find current AWS PCS sample AMIs
<a name="working-with_ami_samples_find"></a>

------
#### [ AWS Management Console ]

 AWS PCS sample AMIs have the following naming convention: 

```
aws-pcs-sample_ami-{{OS}}-{{architecture}}
```

**Accepted values**
+  {{OS}} – `al2023` 
+  {{architecture}} – `x86_64` or `arm64` 

A sample AMI supports every Slurm version that is not EOL. The AMI name doesn't identify a Slurm version. Instead, the AMI description lists the versions the AMI supports, for example `Slurm: 25.05, 25.11, 26.05.`

**Note**  
Sample AMIs released before the Slurm 26.05 release support a single Slurm version and include the scheduler and its major version in the name, for example `aws-pcs-sample_ami-al2023-arm64-slurm-25.11`. Those AMIs remain available for Slurm 25.11 and earlier.  
The single-version sample AMIs for Slurm 25.05 use Amazon Linux 2 (`amzn2`) instead of Amazon Linux 2023 (`al2023`).

**To find AWS PCS sample AMIs**

1. Open the [Amazon EC2 console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2).

1. Navigate to **AMIs**.

1. Choose **Public images**.

1. In **Find AMI by attribute or tag**, search for an AMI using the templated name.

**Examples**
   + Sample AMI for Arm64 instances

     ```
     aws-pcs-sample_ami-al2023-arm64
     ```
   + Sample AMI for x86 instances

     ```
     aws-pcs-sample_ami-al2023-x86_64
     ```
**Note**  
If there are multiple AMIs, use the AMI with the most recent time stamp.
**Note**  
Check the AMI description to confirm that the AMI supports the Slurm version of your cluster.

1. Use the AMI ID when you create or update a compute node group.

------
#### [ AWS CLI ]

You can find the latest AWS PCS sample AMI with the commands that follow. Replace {{region-code}} with the AWS Region where you use AWS PCS, such as `us-east-1`, and {{slurm-version}} with the Slurm major version of your cluster, such as `26.05`. The description filter selects an AMI that supports that version.
+ **x86\_64**

  ```
  aws ec2 describe-images --region {{region-code}} --owners amazon \
  --filters 'Name=name,Values=aws-pcs-sample_ami-al2023-x86_64*' \
              'Name=description,Values=*{{slurm-version}}*' \
              'Name=state,Values=available' \
  --query 'sort_by(Images, &CreationDate)[-1].[Name,ImageId,Description]' --output text
  ```
+ **Arm64**

  ```
  aws ec2 describe-images --region {{region-code}} --owners amazon \
  --filters 'Name=name,Values=aws-pcs-sample_ami-al2023-arm64*' \
              'Name=description,Values=*{{slurm-version}}*' \
              'Name=state,Values=available' \
  --query 'sort_by(Images, &CreationDate)[-1].[Name,ImageId,Description]' --output text
  ```

Use the AMI ID when you create or update a compute node group.

------

## Learn more about AWS PCS sample AMIs
<a name="working-with_ami_samples_learn"></a>

To view the contents, configuration details for current and previous releases of the AWS PCS sample AMIs, see [Release notes for AWS PCS sample AMIs](ami-release-notes.md).

## Build your own AMIs compatible with AWS PCS
<a name="working-with_ami_samples_build"></a>

To learn how to build your own AMIs that work with AWS PCS, see [Custom Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) for AWS PCS](working-with_ami_custom.md).