Migration assessment tools are essential components in AWS workload migration strategies, helping organizations evaluate their current infrastructure and plan effective cloud transitions. These tools provide comprehensive analysis of existing environments, dependencies, and optimization opportuniti…Migration assessment tools are essential components in AWS workload migration strategies, helping organizations evaluate their current infrastructure and plan effective cloud transitions. These tools provide comprehensive analysis of existing environments, dependencies, and optimization opportunities.
AWS Migration Evaluator (formerly TSO Logic) is a primary assessment tool that analyzes on-premises infrastructure to build business cases for migration. It collects data about servers, storage, and licensing to provide cost projections and right-sizing recommendations for AWS deployments.
AWS Application Discovery Service helps gather information about on-premises data centers. It offers two discovery methods: agentless discovery using the Discovery Connector for VMware environments, and agent-based discovery for detailed server configuration, system performance, and network connection data. This information feeds into AWS Migration Hub for centralized tracking.
AWS Migration Hub provides a single location to track migration progress across multiple AWS and partner solutions. It aggregates data from assessment tools and displays application migration status, helping teams monitor their journey to the cloud.
Migration Portfolio Assessment (MPA) tool helps categorize applications into migration strategies known as the 7 Rs: Rehost, Replatform, Repurchase, Refactor, Retire, Retain, and Relocate. This categorization guides decision-making for each workload.
Third-party tools like CloudEndure Assessment and various partner solutions integrate with AWS services to provide additional insights. These tools often specialize in specific areas such as database migrations, mainframe assessments, or application dependency mapping.
Key metrics evaluated during assessment include compute utilization, storage patterns, network throughput, application dependencies, and licensing considerations. The tools generate reports identifying quick wins, complex migrations, and applications suitable for modernization.
Effective use of migration assessment tools reduces risk, optimizes costs, and accelerates cloud adoption by providing data-driven insights for informed decision-making throughout the migration lifecycle.
Migration Assessment Tools - AWS Solutions Architect Professional Guide
Why Migration Assessment Tools Are Important
Migration assessment tools are critical for organizations planning to move workloads to AWS. They provide data-driven insights that help reduce risk, estimate costs accurately, and create realistic migration timelines. Understanding these tools is essential for the AWS Solutions Architect Professional exam as they form the foundation of any successful migration strategy.
What Are Migration Assessment Tools?
AWS provides several assessment tools designed to analyze existing infrastructure, identify dependencies, and recommend optimal migration strategies:
AWS Migration Evaluator (formerly TSO Logic) This tool provides business case analysis by collecting data from on-premises environments. It analyzes compute, storage, and licensing costs to project potential savings and recommend right-sized EC2 instances. Migration Evaluator creates detailed reports showing total cost of ownership comparisons.
AWS Application Discovery Service This service collects configuration data, usage patterns, and dependency information from on-premises servers. It offers two discovery methods: - Agentless Discovery: Uses the Discovery Connector (OVA) deployed on VMware vCenter to collect VM inventory and configuration data - Agent-based Discovery: Installs agents on servers to collect detailed performance metrics, network connections, and running processes
AWS Migration Hub A central location to track migration progress across multiple AWS tools and partner solutions. It aggregates data from Application Discovery Service and provides a unified view of your migration portfolio.
AWS Migration Hub Strategy Recommendations Analyzes application portfolios and provides recommendations for migration strategies (rehost, replatform, refactor) based on application characteristics and business goals.
How These Tools Work Together
1. Discovery Phase: Application Discovery Service collects server inventory, performance data, and network dependencies 2. Analysis Phase: Migration Evaluator processes the data to build cost models and business cases 3. Strategy Phase: Strategy Recommendations suggests the optimal migration approach for each application 4. Tracking Phase: Migration Hub provides visibility into migration progress
The collected data integrates with AWS Migration Hub, creating a comprehensive view that enables informed decision-making throughout the migration journey.
Key Features to Remember
- Application Discovery Service stores data in AWS for up to 90 days - Data can be exported to CSV or visualized using Amazon Athena and QuickSight - Migration Evaluator provides on-demand or modeled business cases - Agent-based discovery captures more detailed information than agentless discovery - Migration Hub supports integrations with partner tools like CloudEndure and ATADATA
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Migration Assessment Tools
Scenario Recognition - When a question mentions analyzing on-premises dependencies, think Application Discovery Service - When cost justification or business case development is mentioned, consider Migration Evaluator - For tracking migration progress across multiple tools, Migration Hub is the answer - VMware environments with agentless requirements point to Discovery Connector
Common Exam Patterns - Questions often present scenarios where organizations need to understand application dependencies before migration - the answer typically involves Application Discovery Service with agent-based discovery - Business stakeholder buy-in scenarios requiring cost analysis suggest Migration Evaluator - Large-scale migrations needing centralized visibility point to Migration Hub
Key Differentiators - Agentless discovery: Less detailed data, easier deployment, VMware only - Agent-based discovery: Detailed metrics, process information, network connections, works on physical and virtual servers
Watch for These Keywords - Dependency mapping = Application Discovery Service - TCO analysis or business case = Migration Evaluator - Single pane of glass or centralized tracking = Migration Hub - Migration strategy recommendation = Strategy Recommendations
Elimination Strategy - Eliminate answers suggesting manual inventory processes when automated discovery is available - Eliminate third-party tools when native AWS services can fulfill requirements - Remember that Migration Hub itself does not perform discovery - it aggregates data from other tools