AWS S3
Connect your Amazon S3 buckets to Memex for seamless cloud storage access.
What is AWS S3?
Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) is a cloud object storage service that lets you store and retrieve any amount of data from anywhere. It's commonly used for hosting files, backups, static website assets, and data lakes. Once connected, Memex can help you explore your buckets, list objects, and work with your S3 data through natural conversation.
What You'll Need
Access Key ID
Your AWS access key identifier
AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE
Secret Access Key
Your AWS secret access key
wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY
Default Region
AWS region for your buckets
us-east-1
Creating Your AWS Credentials
Step 1: Access the IAM Console
Log in to the AWS Management Console and navigate to IAM (Identity and Access Management). You can find it by searching "IAM" in the search bar.
Step 2: Create or Select a User
In the IAM console, go to Users in the left sidebar. Either select an existing user or click Create user to create a new one specifically for Memex access.
Step 3: Set Permissions
If creating a new user, attach a policy that grants S3 access. You can use the managed policy AmazonS3ReadOnlyAccess for read-only access, or create a custom policy for specific buckets.
Step 4: Create Access Key
Select your user and go to the Security credentials tab
Under Access keys, click Create access key
Select Application running outside AWS as the use case
Click Create access key
Step 5: Copy Your Credentials
Copy both the Access key ID and Secret access key immediately.
The secret access key is only shown once. If you lose it, you'll need to create a new access key.
Connecting to Memex
Open the Memex Hub from the sidebar
Click on the Connectors tab
Find and click the AWS S3 card
Enter your Access Key ID, Secret Access Key, and Default Region
Give your connection a memorable name (e.g., "Production S3" or "Data Lake")
Click Add Connection
Verifying Your Connection
Once connected, try asking Memex:
You should see a list of your S3 buckets.
Using Your Connection
Here are some examples of what you can ask:
Security Considerations
Access Key Security
Your AWS access keys provide programmatic access to your AWS resources. Treat them like passwords:
Never share your secret access key
Don't commit credentials to version control
Use IAM policies to limit access to only the buckets and actions needed
Least Privilege Access
Create a dedicated IAM user for Memex with minimal permissions:
Use AmazonS3ReadOnlyAccess for read-only operations
For specific buckets only, create a custom policy that restricts access to those buckets
Avoid using root account credentials
Key Rotation
Regularly rotate your access keys for security:
Create a new access key in IAM
Update your Memex connection with the new credentials
Delete the old access key once confirmed working
If you suspect your access key has been compromised, immediately deactivate it in the IAM console and create a new one.
Troubleshooting
Invalid Access Key
Verify you copied the Access Key ID correctly (no extra spaces)
Check that the access key is active in IAM (not deactivated or deleted)
Ensure you're using the correct credentials for your AWS account
Access Denied Errors
Verify the IAM user has permissions to access S3
Check if bucket policies are restricting access
Ensure the correct region is specified for region-specific operations
Bucket Not Found
Verify the bucket name is spelled correctly (bucket names are case-sensitive)
Ensure the bucket exists in the specified region
Check that your IAM user has permission to list buckets
Learn More
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