# Tutorial: Log the state of an Amazon EC2 instance using EventBridge
<a name="eb-log-ec2-instance-state"></a>

You can create an [AWS Lambda](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lambda/latest/dg/welcome.html) function that logs a state change for an [Amazon EC2](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/concepts.html) instance. Then you can create a [rule](eb-rules.md) that runs your Lambda function whenever there is a state transition or a transition to one or more states that are of interest. In this tutorial, you log the launch of any new instance.

**Topics**
+ [Step 1: Create an AWS Lambda function](#eb-ec2-create-lambda-function)
+ [Step 2: Create a rule](#eb-ec2-create-rule)
+ [Step 3: Test the rule](#eb-api-test-rule)
+ [Step 4: Confirm success](#success)
+ [Step 5: Clean up your resources](#cleanup)

## Step 1: Create an AWS Lambda function
<a name="eb-ec2-create-lambda-function"></a>

Create a Lambda function to log the state change [events](eb-events.md). When you create your rule in Step 2, you specify this function.

**To create a Lambda function**

1. Open the AWS Lambda console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/lambda/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/lambda/).

1. Choose **Create function**.

1. Choose **Author from scratch**.

1. Enter a name and description for the Lambda function. For example, name the function `LogEC2InstanceStateChange`.

1. Leave the rest of the options as the defaults and choose **Create function**.

1. On the **Code** tab of the function page, double-click **index.js**.

1. Replace the existing code with the following code.

   ```
   'use strict';
   
   exports.handler = (event, context, callback) => {
       console.log('LogEC2InstanceStateChange');
       console.log('Received event:', JSON.stringify(event, null, 2));
       callback(null, 'Finished');
   };
   ```

1. Choose **Deploy**.

## Step 2: Create a rule
<a name="eb-ec2-create-rule"></a>

Create a rule to run the Lambda function you created in Step 1. The rule runs when you launch an Amazon EC2 instance.

**To create the EventBridge rule**

1. Open the Amazon EventBridge console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/events/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/events/).

1. In the navigation pane, choose **Rules**.

1. Choose **Create rule**.

1. Enter a name and description for the rule. For example, name the rule `TestRule`

1. For **Event bus**, choose the event bus that you want to associate with this rule. If you want this rule to match events that come from your account, select **default**. When an AWS service in your account emits an event, it always goes to your account’s default event bus.

1. For **Rule type**, choose **Rule with an event pattern**.

1. Choose **Next**.

1. For **Event source**, choose **AWS services**.

1. For **Event pattern**, do the following:

   1. For **Event source**, select **EC2** from the drop-down list.

   1. For **Event type**, choose **EC2 Instance State-change Notification** from the drop-down list.

   1. Choose **Specific states(s)** and choose **running** from the drop-down list.

   1. Choose **Any instance**

1. Choose **Next**.

1. For **Target types**, choose **AWS service**.

1. For **Select a target**, choose **Lambda function** from the drop-down list.

1. For **Function**, select the Lambda function that you created in the **Step 1: Create a Lambda function** section. In this example, select `LogEC2InstanceStateChange`.

1. Choose **Next**.

1. Choose **Next**.

1. Review the details of the rule and choose **Create rule**.

## Step 3: Test the rule
<a name="eb-api-test-rule"></a>

You can test your rule by stopping an Amazon EC2 instance using the Amazon EC2 console. Wait a few minutes for the instance to stop, and then check your AWS Lambda metrics on the CloudWatch console to verify that your function ran.

**To test your rule by stopping an instance**

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

1. Launch an instance. For more information, see [Launch Your Instance](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/LaunchingAndUsingInstances.html) in the *Amazon EC2 User Guide*.

1. Stop the instance. For more information, see [Stop and Start Your Instance](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/Stop_Start.html) in the *Amazon EC2 User Guide*.

1. To view the output from your Lambda function, do the following:

   1. Open the CloudWatch console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/cloudwatch/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/cloudwatch/).

   1. In the navigation pane, choose **Logs**.

   1. Select the name of the log group for your Lambda function (`/aws/lambda/function-name`).

   1. Select the name of the log stream to view the data provided by the function for the instance that you stopped.

1. (Optional) When you're finished, terminate the stopped instance. For more information, see [Terminate Your Instance](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/terminating-instances.html) in the *Amazon EC2 User Guide*.

## Step 4: Confirm success
<a name="success"></a>

If you see the Lambda event in the CloudWatch logs, you've successfully completed this tutorial. If the event isn't in your CloudWatch logs, start troubleshooting by verifying the rule was created successfully and, if the rule looks correct, verify the code of your Lambda function is correct.

## Step 5: Clean up your resources
<a name="cleanup"></a>

You can now delete the resources that you created for this tutorial, unless you want to retain them. By deleting AWS resources that you are no longer using, you prevent unnecessary charges to your AWS account.

**To delete the EventBridge rule(s)**

1. Open the [Rules page](https://console.aws.amazon.com/events/home#/rules) of the EventBridge console.

1. Select the rule(s) that you created.

1. Choose **Delete**.

1. Choose **Delete**.

**To delete the Lambda function(s)**

1. Open the [Functions page](https://console.aws.amazon.com/lambda/home#/functions) of the Lambda console.

1. Select the function(s) that you created.

1. Choose **Actions**, **Delete**.

1. Choose **Delete**.