code: private boolean checkVmIsKnown() {
  
  		DescribeInstancesRequest dis = new DescribeInstancesRequest();
  		dis.setInstanceIds(Collections.singletonList(this.machineId));
  
  		DescribeInstancesResult disresult = this.ec2Api.describeInstances(dis);
  		return disresult.getReservations().size() > 0
  				&& disresult.getReservations().get( 0 ).getInstances().size() > 0;
  	}
docs: Checks whether a VM is known (i.e. all the EC2 parts know it).
  @return true if the VM is know, false otherwise