Start & Stop EC2 Instance On Schedule

Start/Stop EC2 Instances On A Schedule Example

Server Scheduler automatically starts and stops EC2 instances on a schedule using our visual time grid, ensuring servers are running only when needed to save money and reduce operational headaches. In the following example, the server will be turned off and 0300 and back on at 0800 CEST:

The best part is no scripting, terraform or complex configuration is needed. Forget about cracking the mystery of AWS Instance Scheduler. The process is entirely point and click via our intuitive interface. The end result is your servers will be offline at the hours you choose and your cloudwatch charts will look like this:

Contents

• Why Schedule EC2 Start & Stop?
• How Server Scheduler Makes Scheduling Easy
• No Scripting Or Configuration Needed
• Real-World Use Cases
• How to Get Started with Server Scheduler
• Get Started Today
• Frequently Asked Questions

Why Schedule EC2 Start & Stop?

Running EC2 instances 24/7 is unnecessary for development or testing environments. Scheduling your EC2 instances to start and stop at specific times offers many benefits:

• ✅ Reduce AWS costs by powering down instances outside of business hours.
• ✅ Automate DevOps workflows and eliminate repetitive manual tasks.
• ✅ Enhance security by reducing the window of exposure for your resources.
• ✅ Support global teams with timezone-aware scheduling.
• ✅ Optimize cloud usage for test, QA, and training environments.

How Server Scheduler Makes Scheduling Easy

Server Scheduler is designed to make EC2 scheduling effortless with our visual time grid. Here's what sets us apart:

• 👉Intuitive Dashboard - View and manage all your AWS EC2 instances in one place
• 👉No scripting or configuration needed - Visual UI to configure on an off times.
• 👉Nothing to install - We use the AWS SDK so there is to need to install agents or packages on your servers.
• 👉Flexible Scheduling - Set up daily, weekly, or custom schedules with a few clicks
• 👉Team Collaboration - Assign roles, manage permissions, and work together securely
• 👉Notifications & Logs - Get alerts and track all scheduling activity for compliance
• 👉Start/Stop RDS - Accounts can also perform scheduled start & stop for RDS instances

No Scripting Or Configuration Needed

Writing Terraform scripts, configuring event bridge and instance scheduler is tedious even for the most seasoned of devops engineers and sticking together AWS services can feel like a game of jenga.

Server Scheduler is a visual interface that bypasses all of this. Click ops gets a bad name in some quarters but we see immense benefits in having a UI that makes things simple. Set the times you want your servers to be on and off, then watch as server scheduler gets to work.

Real-World Use Cases

How to start and stop a EC2 instance in particular time frame

Getting started is quick and easy. Here's how you can automate your EC2 instance scheduling in just a few steps:

1. 1
   Create Your Free Account:

   Visit our registration page and sign up with your email or Google account.

2. 2
   Connect Your Cloud Account:

   After logging in, go to the "Cloud Providers" section in your dashboard. Click "Add Cloud Provider" and select AWS. You'll be prompted to paste your AWS API key and secret. (We recommend creating a dedicated IAM user with the necessary permissions for security.)

3. 3
   Discover Your EC2 Instances:

   Once connected, Server Scheduler will automatically discover all your EC2 instances. You'll see them listed in your dashboard, along with their current status.

   
4. 4
   Set Up Your Schedule:

   Select the instance(s) you want to automate, choose your preferred start and stop times and save your schedule. Server Scheduler will handle the rest!

5. 5
   Monitor and Optimize:

   Receive notifications when instances are started or stopped, view audit logs, and adjust schedules as your needs change. Invite team members to collaborate and manage resources together.

Why Choose Server Scheduler?

Server Scheduler is trusted by DevOps teams who want to control their AWS costs easily. Our platform is secure, easy to use, and designed to support both simple and complex scheduling needs. You can Resize EC2 Instances On Schedule and configure an EC2 Scheduled Reboot. Standard features like, team management and detailed reporting are available out of the box allowing to you to centralize your cloud operations and focus on what matters most.

By automating your EC2 scheduling, you can save up to 70% on AWS costs by running instances only when needed. Server Scheduler helps you reduce human error with automated, reliable scheduling, and makes it easy to scale as your infrastructure grows. Our team-based access controls allow you to collaborate securely, ensuring that the right people have the right permissions at all times.

As your organization evolves, Server Scheduler grows with you. Whether you're managing a handful of instances or hundreds across multiple clouds, our platform provides the flexibility and control you need. With comprehensive support and a focus on usability, Server Scheduler empowers your team to work more efficiently and cost-effectively. The best thing is it's not only EC2 that we support. All of the same features like RDS scheduled reboot are available as well.

Why not automatically start and stop EC2 instance using tags?

This is possible of course but we like the ability to do it via a UI where we can point and click. Tags are also hardcoded pieces of text so if you added one that said 'offline-0300-0800', all of your team would see that regardless of the timezone they are in so it may not make sense. With Server Scheduler, the time is local to the users browser so team members in different time zones always see the schedule adapt to their local time

We also like to get an overview of all our EC2 schedules in one place which is hard to do with tags.

Get Started Today

Ready to take control of your EC2 costs and automate your EC2 instance management?

Sign up for Server Scheduler and start scheduling your EC2 instances today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How to start and stop a EC2 instance in particular time frame?

A: Just connect Server Scheduler to your AWS account and choose the times you want it to be on or off. Then click save and we handle the rest.

Q: How to stop EC2 instance from command line?

A: Make sure you have the AWS CLI installed and configured. Then run the following where i-0123456789abcdef0 is the instance ID:

aws ec2 stop-instances --instance-ids i-0123456789abcdef0