AWS Resource Explorer

To start using Resource Explorer, I need to turn it on so that it creates and maintains the indexes that will provide fast responses to my search queries. Usually, the administrator of the account is the one taking these steps so that authorized users in that account can start searching.

To run a query, I need a view that gives access to an index. If the view is using an aggregator index, then the query can search across all indexed Regions.

In the Resource Explorer console, I choose Enable Resource Explorer. Then, I select the Quick setup option to have visibility for all supported resources within my account. This option creates local indexes in all Regions and an aggregator index in the selected Region. A default view with a filter that includes all supported resources in the account is also created in the same Region as the aggregator index.

Setting up and configuring Resource Explorer

There are two ways to set up Resource Explorer:

• Quick setup

• Advanced setup

Setting up Resource Explorer using Quick setup
If you choose the Quick setup option, Resource Explorer does the following:

• Creates an index in every AWS Region in your AWS account.

• Updates the index in the Region you specify to be the aggregator index for the account.

• Creates a default view in the aggregator index Region. This view has no filters so it returns all resources found in the index.

Minimum permissions

To perform the steps in the following procedure, you must have the following permissions:

Action: resource-explorer-2:* – Resource: no specific resource (*)

Action: iam:CreateServiceLinkedRole – Resource: no specific resource (*)

To set up Resource Explorer using Quick setup

1. Open the AWS Resource Explorer console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/resource-explorer.

1. Choose Turn on Resource Explorer.
2. On the Turn on Resource Explorer page, choose Quick setup.
3. Choose which AWS Region you want to contain the aggregator index. You should select the Region that is appropriate for the geographic location for your users.
4. At the bottom of the page, choose Turn on Resource Explorer.
5. On the Progress page, you can monitor each AWS Region as Resource Explorer creates its index. The page displays the status of creating the aggregator index and creating the default view.

Searching With AWS Resource Explorer
After resources have been indexed, I choose Proceed to resource search. In the Search criteria, I choose which View to use. Currently, I have the default view selected. Then, I start typing in the Query field to search through the resources in my AWS account across all Regions.

For more details - Resource Explorer