| name | resource-explorer-diagnostics |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| last_updated | 2025-04-12 |
| description | Use this skill to investigate and troubleshoot AWS Resource Explorer problems by analyzing index creation, aggregator indexes, search queries, missing resources, views, filters, cross-region indexing, IAM permissions, organization integration, and supported resource types. Activate when: index creation failures, search errors, missing resources, view configuration issues, cross-region problems, permission errors, or the user says something is wrong with Resource Explorer.
|
| compatibility | Requires AWS CLI or SDK access with resource-explorer-2, iam, organizations, and cloudwatch permissions.
|
AWS Resource Explorer Diagnostics
When to use
Any AWS Resource Explorer investigation — index creation, aggregator configuration, search queries, missing resources, view management, filter expressions, cross-region indexing, IAM permissions, organization integration, or supported resource types.
Investigation workflow
Step 1 — Collect and triage
aws resource-explorer-2 list-indexes --query 'Indexes[*].{Region:Region,Type:Type,Arn:Arn}'
aws resource-explorer-2 get-index
aws resource-explorer-2 list-views --query 'Views[*]'
Step 2 — Domain deep dive
aws resource-explorer-2 search --query-string "resourcetype:AWS::EC2::Instance" --view-arn <view-arn>
aws resource-explorer-2 get-view --view-arn <view-arn>
aws resource-explorer-2 list-supported-resource-types --query 'ResourceTypes[*].{Service:Service,ResourceType:ResourceType}'
Step 3 — Detailed investigation
aws cloudtrail lookup-events --lookup-attributes AttributeKey=EventSource,AttributeValue=resource-explorer-2.amazonaws.com --max-results 20
aws iam simulate-principal-policy --policy-source-arn <role-arn> --action-names resource-explorer-2:Search resource-explorer-2:GetIndex
aws resource-explorer-2 list-indexes --type AGGREGATOR
Read references/guardrails.md before concluding on any Resource Explorer issue.
Tool quick reference
| Tool / API | When to use |
|---|
resource-explorer-2 list-indexes | List all indexes across regions |
resource-explorer-2 get-index | Get index details for current region |
resource-explorer-2 search | Search for resources |
resource-explorer-2 list-views | List configured views |
resource-explorer-2 get-view | Get view details and filters |
resource-explorer-2 list-supported-resource-types | List supported resource types |
resource-explorer-2 create-index | Create a local or aggregator index |
Gotchas: AWS Resource Explorer
- Resource Explorer requires an index in EACH region you want to search. Without a local index, resources in that region are invisible to search.
- Only ONE aggregator index is allowed per account. The aggregator collects data from all local indexes. Attempting to create a second aggregator fails.
- Search results may be delayed up to 36 hours after resource creation. Resource Explorer does not provide real-time resource discovery.
- Views filter search results. The default view shows all resources, but custom views with filters may hide resources the user expects to see.
- Filter expressions use a specific syntax. Common mistakes include wrong field names, missing quotes, and incorrect operators.
- Not all AWS resource types are supported. Resource Explorer indexes a subset of AWS resource types. Unsupported types will never appear in search results.
- Cross-region search requires both a local index in the source region AND an aggregator index. Without both, cross-region queries return incomplete results.
Anti-hallucination rules
- Always cite specific index ARNs, view ARNs, or search query results as evidence.
- Local indexes and aggregator indexes serve different purposes. Never conflate them.
- Search delays are normal (up to 36 hours). Never claim Resource Explorer provides real-time discovery.
- Views filter results. Always check the view configuration before concluding resources are missing.
- Spend no more than 2 minutes on any single hypothesis. Pivot if inconclusive.
12 runbooks
| Category | IDs | Covers |
|---|
| A — Indexes | A1–A2 | Index creation, aggregator issues |
| B — Search | B1–B2 | Query errors, missing resources |
| C — Views | C1–C2 | View configuration, filter expressions |
| D — Cross-Region | D1–D2 | Cross-region indexing, index types |
| E — Permissions | E1–E2 | IAM permissions, organization integration |
| F — Resources | F1 | Supported resource types |
| Z — Catch-All | Z1 | General troubleshooting |
