AWS Systems Manager now supports custom configuration during on-boarding for managing EC2 instances, providing flexibility in connecting to Systems Manager and updating agents.
New features include enabling/disabling default EC2 permissions, setting inventory collection frequency, controlling SSM Agent update frequency, and using customized IAM policies.
Previously, manual steps were required for IAM roles, default inventory schedules, and agent updates, but now it can all be centralized and streamlined with less manual effort.
Integration with IaC tools like Terraform, CloudFormation, and AWS CDK allows for easier alignment of Systems Manager with CI/CD pipelines and improved security measures.