WorkSpaces (EC2)

The WorkSpaces (EC2) settings page allows administrators to enable and manage EC2 backed WorkSpaces.

To configure a WorkSpaces EC2 instance, click on Add Instance Definitions. This takes you to the page where you can enter all the required details for your EC2 WorkSpace setup—including:

• Friendly Name for easy reference

• AWS Instance Type (e.g., t3a.xlarge)

• AWS Account ID and AWS Region

• AMI ID, Subnet ID, and Security Group ID

• Key Pair Name for administrative access

• Volume Size (GB) and Encryption settings

• Domain Join configuration

• FQDN and Target OU for domain joining (required when Domain Join is enabled)

• Safe Shutdown CPU % Defines the maximum CPU utilisation allowed for a scheduled shutdown to proceed. If the instance is using more CPU than this value, the shutdown will be delayed by 30 minutes and the user will receive an email notification.

• Shutdown Warning period (in minutes) that users will be notified before a scheduled shutdown occurs.

• Simulate Shutdown option for testing automated shutdown behaviour

To manage an EC2 Instance as a WorkSpace, the following tag must be applied:

• Tag Name: WSM-Managed

• Tag Value: true

If the tag is not present, the instance will not be discovered or managed by WorkSpaces Manager.

The Add Schedule Definition feature allows administrators to define automatic start and stop times for the EC2-based WorkSpaces, helping to optimize cost and resource usage. You can create custom schedules by setting stop and start times for weekdays, Saturday, and Sunday individually.

For example, a schedule like "Mon–Fri Stop at 5pm" ensures that EC2 WorkSpaces are shut down at the end of the workday—reducing compute costs without requiring manual intervention.