AWS Manager

AWS Manager is a tool designed to manage and monitor services on Amazon Web Services. It simplifies interaction with multiple AWS resources through a command-line interface.

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• Complete EC2 instance management. AWS Manager retrieves detailed information for all EC2 instances deployed in the AWS account, including current state, instance type, availability zone, and assigned tags. From the main interface, users can start or stop individual instances without accessing the AWS web console, reducing operational overhead and eliminating context switching between browser windows.
• ECS service control and task scaling. For Amazon ECS environments, the tool lists all available clusters and displays the running services within each cluster. Users can modify the desired task count for any service, enabling manual scaling or controlled shutdown of development and testing environments. Operations execute through direct AWS API calls, ensuring immediate synchronization with the actual cluster state.
• RDS database instance administration. AWS Manager provides a unified view of all relational database instances, displaying parameters such as instance class, current state, engine type, and endpoint. The application allows starting or stopping RDS instances on demand, a critical capability for cost optimization in non-production environments where databases do not require continuous operation.
• On-demand Lambda function invocation. The tool lists all Lambda functions configured in the account, showing runtime, allocated memory, environment variables, and execution role. A distinguishing feature is the ability to invoke any Lambda function directly from the interface with a custom JSON payload, useful for functional testing, integration validation, or manual triggering of automated processes.
• S3 object browsing and manipulation. AWS Manager presents all S3 buckets associated with the account. Selecting a bucket reveals a hierarchical object view displaying names, sizes, and modification dates. Available operations include downloading individual objects, uploading files from the local system, and deleting objects, all without requiring additional tools or accessing the web console.
• CloudFront distribution cache invalidation. For services using Amazon CloudFront as a content delivery network, AWS Manager retrieves all active distributions and displays their identifiers, statuses, and associated origins. The primary function in this section is cache invalidation, allowing users to create invalidation requests for specific paths directly from the application, streamlining content updates without manual intervention in the AWS management panel.
• Direct AWS console access for each resource. Every managed resource—whether EC2 instance, RDS database, S3 bucket, Lambda function, ECS service, or CloudFront distribution—includes a direct link that opens the AWS Management Console in a browser with the specific resource preselected. This mechanism accelerates diagnostic tasks or advanced configurations that still require the native web interface.
• Configuration persistence through local file storage. During first launch, AWS Manager generates a configuration file in the same directory as the executable. This file stores preferences such as AWS credentials profiles, default region, and display options. Users can modify these parameters through an integrated menu under the extras section, avoiding manual text file edits.
• Multi-service support without complex external dependencies. The application consolidates interaction with six core AWS services—EC2, ECS, RDS, Lambda, S3, and CloudFront—into a single graphical interface. Each module communicates with the respective AWS APIs using the official SDK, ensuring compatibility with the latest service versions and eliminating the need for separate tools such as the AWS CLI for basic operations.
• Environment variable and metadata visibility for Lambda. When inspecting a Lambda function, AWS Manager displays not only basic configuration but also associated environment variables, critical information for understanding function behavior across different environments. This visibility helps detect misconfigurations or poorly managed secrets without leaving the application.
• Real-time ECS service update feedback. When modifying the desired task count for an ECS service, the tool executes the update operation and verifies the resulting state, indicating whether the service is stabilizing or has reached the requested count. This feedback eliminates guesswork and provides confidence when making changes to container-based architectures.
• S3 object exploration with per-object actions. The S3 interface allows users to select individual objects within a bucket and perform immediate operations such as download or deletion. Each object displays its exact size and last modification date, facilitating storage cleanup tasks or specific file recovery without additional scripting.
• Rapid status monitoring for EC2 and RDS instances. For both EC2 and RDS, AWS Manager automatically updates the state of each instance after every action. The application reflects state transitions, enabling verification of start or stop operation success without consulting multiple screens in the web console.
• AWS credential profile compatibility. The application reads credentials from standard AWS profiles configured in the system using the standard credentials file, allowing seamless switching between different accounts or roles. This enables management of multiple environments from a single installation.
• CloudFront origin and behavior visibility. For each CloudFront distribution, AWS Manager lists configured origins and associated cache behaviors, providing context before performing invalidations. This auxiliary information helps select the correct paths for invalidation and understand the content delivery architecture.
• Lambda invocation with custom JSON payload. When invoking a Lambda function, AWS Manager presents a text field for entering a valid JSON payload. The function response displays within the same interface, allowing analysis of results, errors, or debugging output without setting up external test environments.
• Confirmation prompts for critical actions. Before executing state-modifying actions—such as stopping an EC2 instance, deleting an S3 object, or changing ECS task counts—AWS Manager requires explicit confirmation. This additional layer prevents accidental modifications and reinforces operational safety.
• Quick startup without complex installation procedures. AWS Manager distributes as a standalone executable requiring no installation or additional dependencies beyond the Windows operating system. After downloading and executing the file, the application automatically creates its configuration file and becomes ready for operation, simplifying deployment on workstations or management servers.
• ECS service parameter updates without console access. Modifying task counts for ECS services uses integrated slider controls or numeric input fields, sending requests directly to the ECS API. This approach eliminates the need to navigate complex console menus, particularly beneficial for operations teams managing multiple clusters.
• Complete S3 bucket listing with hierarchical navigation. AWS Manager displays all buckets accessible to the account and presents a folder and object structure similar to a file explorer within each bucket. This visual representation facilitates locating specific objects within buckets containing thousands of items.
• Path-specific CloudFront invalidation with operation history. In addition to executing cache invalidations, the tool maintains a record of invalidation requests made during the session, showing the status of each request. This provides traceability for actions performed without requiring external log reviews.
• Configurable AWS region support. AWS Manager allows selection of the AWS region where operations will target, enabling management of resources deployed across different geographic areas from a single interface. The application adapts API calls according to the configured region, maintaining consistency with the actual infrastructure.
• Extended metadata display for EC2 and RDS. EC2 instances show details such as instance type, VPC, subnet, security group, and public or private IP addresses. RDS displays database engine, version, allocated storage, and cluster identifier where applicable. These metadata elements are essential for inventory and diagnostic tasks.
• S3 object download with folder structure preservation. When downloading an object from an S3 bucket, AWS Manager preserves the relative path within the bucket, organizing downloaded files into local directories that reflect the original hierarchy. This feature simplifies replication of entire structures for backups or partial migrations.
• Lambda function management with environment variable visibility. The Lambda interface displays environment variable keys without masking by default, enabling rapid verification of configurations. This functionality is particularly useful for security audits or confirming that critical variables are correctly defined before execution.
• Integration with AWS SDK without manual credential entry in the app. AWS Manager uses credentials stored in standard AWS profiles, eliminating the need to input secret keys within the graphical interface. Authentication inherits from the configured environment, aligning with security best practices.
• Sequential action execution on multiple resources. Although the interface operates on individual resources, start and stop operations on EC2 and RDS execute with immediate feedback, allowing administrators to manage several resources quickly without reloading the entire list view. The application architecture maintains an updated main list after each action.
• Support for special characters and long object paths in S3. S3 bucket navigation correctly handles object names containing spaces, Unicode characters, and deep hierarchies, displaying full names and enabling download and deletion operations without encoding-related errors.
• Session operation history. AWS Manager incorporates a panel that records actions performed, such as instance starts or stops, Lambda invocations, CloudFront invalidations, and ECS service changes. This log facilitates traceability of tasks executed during a management session.
• Manual resource list refresh capability. Across all modules, users can request an explicit data reload from AWS to reflect changes made outside the application. This mechanism ensures the view can always synchronize with the most recent account state.
• Credential profile selection from the interface. AWS Manager configuration allows choosing among different profiles defined on the system, facilitating switching between development, testing, and production accounts without modifying environment variables or external configuration files. Each profile retains its associated default region.
• Optimized memory and CPU usage for continuous operation. AWS Manager is built to remain running throughout work sessions without excessive resource consumption. AWS API calls occur on demand without automatic intensive polling, making it suitable for teams needing the tool open persistently as a resource control center.
• Error handling with descriptive interface messages. When communication with AWS fails, AWS Manager displays a descriptive error message within the application window, indicating the root cause whenever possible using information returned by the AWS SDK.
• Timestamp display for last data retrieval. Each module shows a timestamp of the last successful data update, helping administrators determine whether displayed information reflects the current infrastructure state or requires a manual refresh.
• Organized ECS cluster and service presentation with visual filtering. The ECS cluster list displays in collapsible format, showing services belonging to each cluster only when expanded. This hierarchy improves usability when managing numerous services distributed across multiple clusters.
• Support for AWS GovCloud and opt-in regions. The tool supports regions requiring explicit enablement, provided the credentials used have access to those regions and they are correctly selected in the configuration, enabling resource management in regulated environments from the same interface.
• Lambda invocation with temporarily assumed roles. When invoking a Lambda function, AWS Manager respects the permissions of the configured credential profile; if the profile can assume roles, execution occurs with the appropriate context. This ensures function testing runs with the same permissions expected in production.
• Basic resource information export capability. While not a highlighted feature in primary documentation, the application structure allows copying key identifiers from the interface, facilitating use in scripts or documentation.
• Navigation between services without modal window proliferation. AWS Manager uses a single-window interface where each service is accessed via tabs or sections, maintaining session context and preventing the proliferation of pop-up windows.
• S3 object listing with sorting by size and date. The object view within a bucket allows sorting by size or modification date, facilitating identification of large objects that may be generating unnecessary costs or obsolete files requiring cleanup.
• Identification of disabled CloudFront distributions. AWS Manager clearly displays the status of each distribution, helping avoid invalidation attempts on distributions that are not active. The invalidation action only enables when the distribution is in deployed state.
• API rate limit handling through controlled retries. The application implements retry logic with exponential backoff for AWS API calls that may encounter rate limiting, reducing the probability of transient failures in environments with high resource density.
• Temporary credential management when assuming roles. If the configured profile assumes a role through AWS STS, AWS Manager automatically handles temporary credential renewal, maintaining an active session throughout application usage without interruptions due to credential expiration.
• Managed policy visibility for Lambda functions. In expanded Lambda function details, the tool displays the execution role along with attached managed or inline policies, providing valuable information for permission audits without requiring separate IAM consultation.
• Launch from any location without system dependency installation. The AWS Manager executable includes all necessary libraries within its package, allowing execution from removable media, network drives, or local folders without requiring administrator privileges or modifying the system registry.
• Support for regions with specific protocols. S3 download and upload operations respect bucket configuration, including features such as Transfer Acceleration if enabled on the bucket, though the application does not modify these advanced settings.
• Visual indicators for background processes. During operations that may take several seconds, AWS Manager displays progress indicators informing users that tasks are in progress, preventing interpretation of delays as unresponsiveness.
• Compatibility with S3 bucket names containing dots. AWS Manager correctly handles bucket names containing dots, complying with S3 conventions for buckets used with static websites without generating errors in object listing operations.
• Optional local log generation for debugging. Although not visible in the main interface, the application can generate log files in the execution directory when launched with specific parameters, facilitating troubleshooting of connectivity or permission issues without accessing source code.

AWS Manager was created by Dennis Seichter, with development initiated in 2020 to consolidate frequent operations on core Amazon Web Services into a single desktop tool. The program is written entirely in Python, utilizing the Tkinter graphics library for the user interface and the official boto3 SDK for communication with AWS APIs. Since its first release, the project has evolved to progressively incorporate support for EC2, ECS, RDS, Lambda, S3, and CloudFront, maintaining a modular structure that allows extension with additional services. Development adheres to principles of direct functionality without unnecessary abstraction layers, distributing as a standalone Windows executable packaged with PyInstaller to include all dependencies.

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