Switch role access with aws-cli

Question:  In the AWS GUI there is a facility to switch role between accounts - how can you achieve the same functionaility in aws-cli?

The basic setup would be to have a login account , and then use the AWS Access Key ID and the aws secret access key to execute commands in the other account 

Answer: It is possible to achive the same functionality through AWS CLI

Step 1 :    Login to the AWS login account via AWS CLI  & then check your AWS credentials file

The credentials file is located at ~/.aws/credentials on Linux or macOS, or at C:\Users\USERNAME\.aws\credentials on Windows.

Open the credentials   file with your favourite text editor , and you'll see something similar to : 

[default]
aws_access_key_id = JKNMKJHYIJIOKKIKM8
aws_secret_access_key = CvbbbbUjk80vfg890D
aws_session_token = weqiweuqwyeqouwyequwye
region = us-west-2

output = json

Step 2 : Add entries for the target accounts . Add as many as required

role_arn = the target account role_arn  , most organizations will use a pattern , so easily repeatable.

source_profile = pointing back to the default profile . i.e you only need to logon once and the switch between the groups referencing the details in default profile

[my_dev_account1]
role_arn = arn:aws:iam::83838383883:role/my_dev_DBA_role
source_profile = default

[my_dev_account2]

role_arn = arn:aws:iam::83838383883:role/my_dev_DBA_role
source_profile = default

Step 3: Confirm the profile is valid 

aws --profile  my_dev_account1  sts get-caller-identity

Step 4 : Make the target profile Default 

To avoid having to reference the --profile switch , make the profile default 

In Windows:

set $AWS_DEFAULT_PROFILE= my_dev_account1

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