[mqzaidi]

We enable auto applying security updates in the AMI, and the first thing the provisioning script does is update packages. That said, I would definitely want to explore alternatives - not needing to update while provisioning will take a few seconds off the provisioning time.

[mnutt]

What if you rebuilt the AMI every time you deployed?

[crb]

That's what Netflix do: http://techblog.netflix.com/2013/03/ami-creation-with-aminat...