Question 1

What's the difference between AWS Systems Manager and AWS OpsWorks?

Accepted Answer

Systems Manager is a general-purpose operations hub for managing instances (run commands, patching, automation workflows, secure shell-less access, inventory, and configuration parameters). OpsWorks is primarily a configuration management service built around Chef/Puppet-style concepts for deploying and managing application stacks. If you mainly need day-to-day instance operations (patching, remote commands, maintenance automation), Systems Manager is usually the better fit.

Question 2

When should I use AWS Systems Manager?

Accepted Answer

Use it when you need to manage many servers consistently—especially for patching, running scripts/commands at scale, automating maintenance (like AMI updates or service restarts), collecting inventory, or getting secure interactive access without opening inbound SSH/RDP. It’s particularly useful in multi-account environments and when you want to reduce manual server administration.

Question 3

How much does AWS Systems Manager cost?

Accepted Answer

Many core features have no additional charge (for example, Run Command, Patch Manager, Automation, Session Manager, and Inventory), but you still pay for the underlying resources they use (EC2, EBS, data transfer). Some related capabilities can add cost depending on usage, such as advanced parameters in Parameter Store, higher-volume logging/metrics (CloudWatch Logs/Metrics), and any optional integrations or paid tiers. Always verify current pricing for your region and the specific Systems Manager features you enable.

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