# Start an instance export task
<a name="export-instance"></a>

When you export your instance using VM Import/Export, the exported file is written to the specified S3 bucket using the following S3 key:

```
prefixexport-i-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.format
```

For example, if the bucket name is `amzn-s3-demo-export-bucket`, the prefix is `vms/`, and the format is OVA, the exported file is written to `amzn-s3-demo-export-bucket/vms/export-i-1234567890abcdef0.ova`.

For more information about the supported formats, see [Considerations for image export](limits-image-export.md).

**Important**  
Your instance might reboot during the export process. Ensure that you are performing this action when some downtime is acceptable.

------
#### [ AWS CLI ]

**To export an instance**  
Use the [create-instance-export-task](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/ec2/create-instance-export-task.html) command.

```
aws ec2 create-instance-export-task \
    --description "$(date '+%b %d %H:%M') My instance export" \
    --instance-id i-1234567890abcdef0 \
    --target-environment vmware \
    --export-to-s3-task '{
        "ContainerFormat": "ova",
        "DiskImageFormat": "VMDK",
        "S3Bucket": "amzn-s3-demo-export-bucket",
        "S3Prefix": "vms/"
    }'
```

The following is an example response. The status shown is `active`, which means that the export task is in progress. The instance export is finished when the status is `completed`.

```
{
    "ExportTask": {
        "Description": "Jul 15 14:55 My instance export",
        "ExportTaskId": "export-i-021345abcdef6789",
        "ExportToS3Task": {
            "ContainerFormat": "ova",
            "DiskImageFormat": "vmdk",
            "S3Bucket": "amzn-s3-demo-export-bucket",
            "S3Key": "vms/export-i-021345abcdef6789.ova"
        },
        "InstanceExportDetails": {
            "InstanceId": "i-1234567890abcdef0",
            "TargetEnvironment": "vmware"
        },
        "State": "active"
    }
}
```

------
#### [ PowerShell ]

**To export an instance**  
Use the [New-EC2InstanceExportTask](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/powershell/latest/reference/items/New-EC2InstanceExportTask.html) cmdlet.

```
New-EC2InstanceExportTask `
    -Description ((Get-Date -Format "MMM dd HH:mm ") + "My instance export") `
    -InstanceId "i-1234567890abcdef0" `
    -TargetEnvironment "vmware" `
    -ExportToS3Task_ContainerFormat "ova" `
    -ExportToS3Task_DiskImageFormat "VMDK" `
    -ExportToS3Task_S3Bucket "amzn-s3-demo-export-bucket" `
    -ExportToS3Task_S3Prefix "vms/"
```

The following is an example response. The status shown is `active`, which means that the export task is in progress. The instance export is finished when the status is `completed`.

```
Description           : Jul 15 14:53 My instance export
ExportTaskId          : export-i-021345abcdef6789
ExportToS3Task        : Amazon.EC2.Model.ExportToS3Task
InstanceExportDetails : Amazon.EC2.Model.InstanceExportDetails
State                 : active
StatusMessage         : 
Tags                  : {}
```

------