Managing your Amazon DataSync agent
Once you deploy and activate an Amazon DataSync agent in your storage environment, Amazon manages the virtual machine (VM) appliance for you.
Agent software updates
Amazon automatically updates your agent's software, including the underlying operating system and related DataSync software packages.
DataSync updates your agent only when it's idle. For example, your agent won't be updated until your transfer is complete.
The agent may go offline briefly following updates. This can happen, for instance, shortly after agent activation when Amazon updates the agent.
Warning
DataSync doesn't support updating an Amazon EC2 agent manually with cloud-init directives. If you update an agent this way, you may encounter interoperability problems with DataSync where you can’t activate or use the agent.
Agent statuses
The following table describes the status of DataSync agents.
| Agent status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Online | The agent is configured properly and ready to use. This is the normal running status for an agent. |
| Offline | The agent's virtual machine (VM) is turned off or the agent is in an unhealthy state and has been out of contact with DataSync for five minutes or longer. |
Troubleshooting your agent
While Amazon manages the DataSync agent for you, there are situations when you might need to again work directly with it. For example, if your agent goes offline or loses its connection to your on-premises storage system, you can try to resolve these issues in the agent’s local console.
For more information, see troubleshooting DataSync agents.