Summary
AWS Application Migration Service automates key migration processes, eliminating manual errors and ensuring a smooth transition. This guide walks you through the benefits of cloud migration automation, common challenges, and best practices to optimize your move.
Learn how to minimize downtime, enhance security, and scale efficiently while leveraging AWS-native automation tools. Whether you’re handling a single workload or an enterprise-wide migration, this guide provides actionable insights to help you confidently navigate the process. Stay ahead in the cloud era—start optimizing your migration today!
Table of Contents
Introduction
Moving to the cloud is no longer optional for most businesses. Many are taking this step to improve reliability and reduce costs. However, the migration process is often complicated. Systems must keep running while the move happens, and the risk of downtime or data loss can cause hesitation.
AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) offers a way to simplify this transition. It uses automation to replicate your existing applications and systems to the cloud. Testing happens in the background, so there’s no disruption. The cutover is fast and smooth when you are ready. With most workloads moving in the cloud, Gartner reports that 85% of enterprises will have moved most workloads in the cloud by 2025. This emphasizes a service like MGN in AWS is a must-have for any modern business.
This approach removes the guesswork from migrating to the cloud. Instead of worrying about complex processes, you can focus on what matters—building better solutions in a modern, scalable environment. Application migration services in AWS gives businesses a reliable way to move forward.
What is AWS Application Migration Service (AWS MGN)?
AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) facilitates companies’ convenient migration of their applications to the AWS cloud. The product is built to copy your existing servers (on-premises or in another cloud) to AWS. This stands out because you do not have to redo or redesign your applications before the move. The concept is built to make the process as ‘simple and efficient’ as possible.
AWS MGN works by automating three critical stages of the migration process:
1. Replication: Continuous data replication ensures that your source servers remain synchronized with AWS, reducing the risk of data loss or inconsistency.
2. Testing: Before making the switch, businesses can test their migrated servers in AWS to validate performance and compatibility without affecting live systems.
3. Cutover: Once testing is complete, a final cutover is performed to transition operations seamlessly to AWS.
Automated workflow eliminates manual work, shortens downtime, and thus makes businesses migrate securely. MGN by AWS can be installed on various platforms, such as Windows, Linux, VMware, or other servers, making it applicable to businesses with different infrastructure needs.
Visit AWS Application Migration Service to assess official documentation.
Key Features Of AWS Application Migration Service
Application Migration Service (MGN) from AWS is built with features that make migrations to the cloud simple, automate complicated tasks, and ensure that they are robust from start to finish. And this is what makes it an outstanding solution:
Automation at Scale
Migration often involves repetitive and time-consuming tasks like data replication, testing, and transitioning to new infrastructure. It eliminates much of this manual effort through automation.
- Replication: The service continuously copies data from source servers to the cloud, ensuring everything is up-to-date when it’s time to cut over.
- Testing: Businesses can test environments to validate applications without impacting their live systems.
- Cutover: When ready, the transition to AWS happens smoothly and with minimal downtime.
Automation reduces errors, speeds up migration, and allows teams to focus on strategy rather than technical hurdles.
Agent-Based vs. Agentless Migration
AWS MGN offers flexibility with two migration approaches: agent-based and agentless. Here’s how they compare:
| Feature | Agent-Based Migration
| Agentless Migration
|
|---|
| Setup | Requires installing a lightweight agent on source servers.
| No agent installation is needed; it uses built-in APIs.
|
| Use Cases
| Ideal for environments with supported OS versions.
| Suitable for legacy systems or unsupported servers.
|
| Performance | Offers continuous, block-level replication.
| Limited to systems with compatible APIs.
|
| Ease of Use
| Requires minor configuration for each server.
| Easier setup, but with fewer advanced features.
|
Agent-based migration is typically the go-to choice for environments that require detailed configuration and granular control. Agentless migration works well for businesses with strict infrastructure constraints or legacy systems.
Post-Launch Actions
After migration, optimization is key to unlocking the full potential of the AWS cloud. AWS MGN allows businesses to automate post-launch actions, such as:
- Configuring Auto Scaling to handle traffic spikes.
- Applying security patches to enhance protection.
- Modernizing workloads by integrating AWS-native services like Lambda or RDS.
These actions ensure that businesses migrate successfully and operate efficiently in their new cloud environment.
Scalability
The greatest strength of Application Migration Services by AWS is its ability to handle migrations at scale. Whether moving a single application or thousands of servers, the service is built to perform seamlessly in even the most complex environments. Its scalability suits large enterprises with diverse workloads across multiple data centers.
Benefits of AWS Application Migration Service
AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) stands out as a trusted solution for businesses and developers tackling the complexities of cloud migration. Its robust features address the most common challenges with precision, efficiency, and reliability. Here’s why it’s a preferred choice:
Minimized Downtime
Downtime during migration can disrupt operations and lead to revenue losses. MGN reduces this risk through continuous block-level replication, which keeps your source servers in sync with AWS throughout the migration. This ensures applications remain available, even during the transition phase.
Stat: Organizations using AWS MGN report up to 40% lower downtime compared to manual migration processes.
Cost Efficiency
Migrating workloads can be expensive, but MGN from AWS helps businesses save on direct and indirect costs. Automated replication and testing eliminate the need for extensive manual labor, while AWS offers 90 days of free usage for replicated servers. This allows businesses to plan and execute their migrations without upfront financial pressure.
Enhanced Security
MGN’s data encryption security in AWS operates during transit and adheres to GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 standards. The protected nature of data throughout its journey provides businesses with complete assurance about data security.
Granular Control
AWS application migration service provides a high level of customization to meet specific business needs. Users can configure replication settings, fine-tune launch templates, and automate post-launch actions, ensuring a seamless transition and optimal workload performance in the AWS environment.
Faster Migration Timelines
Manual migration workflows can stretch timelines and delay project goals. MGN accelerates the process, reducing migration timelines by up to 60%. Automated testing and replication streamline the workflow, letting teams focus on strategic objectives instead of repetitive tasks. (Source)
Simplified Testing and Validation
Testing before final migration is critical, and the application migration service makes this step simple and effective. Businesses can run tests in the AWS environment without disrupting live systems, ensuring the workloads function as expected and minimizing surprises after the cutover.
Scalability for Complex Workloads
Application migration service by AWS scales effortlessly from a handful of applications to millions of servers. Its ability to deal with complicated setups satisfies the needs of both large corporations and startups.
Improved Operational Agility
Post-migration, MGN enables businesses to modernize their workloads by integrating AWS-native services such as Lambda, Amazon RDS, or Elastic Load Balancing. This unlocks new possibilities for innovation and operational efficiency.
Step-by-Step Guide to Migrating with AWS Application Migration Service
When using AWS Application Migration Service (MGN), users get to enjoy the efficient and secure migration process. This guide details all the steps necessary for a smooth migration.
Step 1: Preparing Your Environment
A successful migration needs proper environmental setup, which should occur before beginning the data transfer process.
- Set Up IAM Roles: Your AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles require appropriate permissions to access MGN through its system.
- Configure Your Network: Your network requires configuration to create VPCs, subnets, and security groups, which support replication functions and testing operations.
- Define Replication Templates: Specify server replication settings for precise control, including bandwidth limits and retention periods.
Preparation reduces the risk of issues during replication and cutover.
Step 2: Installing the AWS Replication Agent
This step involves deploying the replication agent to your source servers:
- Agent-Based Migration: Install the lightweight replication agent directly onto supported servers.
- Agentless Migration: For legacy systems or unsupported environments, use agentless APIs for data transfer.
💡 Pro Tip: Monitor agent installation for pitfalls like firewall misconfigurations or unsupported operating systems.
Step 3: Configuring Launch Settings and Post-Launch Actions
Once replication is active, configure launch settings for your target AWS instances:
- EC2 Templates: Set instance types, disk configurations, and launch preferences.
- OS Licensing: Verify compliance with operating system licenses during the transition.
- Post-Launch Actions: Automate tasks like attaching security groups, optimizing storage, and applying patches.
This step ensures that your applications run efficiently in their new environment.
Step 4: Testing the Migration
Testing is a critical step to ensure your workloads perform as expected in the AWS environment:
- Launch test instances to validate configurations, network settings, and application performance.
- Identify and resolve issues during this phase to avoid disruptions during the final cutover.
Testing reduces uncertainty and allows for fine-tuning before the migration is finalized.
Step 5: Final Cutover
The cutover is the moment of transition:
- Stop replication on source servers once all systems are verified.
- Execute the cutover, switching operations from on-premises or other cloud environments to AWS.
- Monitor performance and address any final adjustments post-migration.
Best Practices for a Successful Migration with AWS MGN
The migration process is not just limited to moving data but also about a smooth, low-cost, and secure transition to the cloud. AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) helps businesses simplify the process, but a well-planned approach makes a migration successful.
Plan Before You Start
A successful migration begins long before the first server moves. Taking time to assess your environment prevents surprises later.
- Check if your applications have dependencies that could cause issues after migration.
- Review network settings like VPCs and subnets to ensure everything will connect properly.
- Verify capacity needs so your AWS setup can handle workloads without performance drops.
💡 Tip: AWS provides a Cloud Readiness Assessment or Migration Readiness Assessment checklist to help businesses plan better.
Get Migration-Ready with a Free Cloud Assessment
You can try our Free Cloud Assessment Services to review your on-premise infrastructure and cloud preparedness to get migration ready with a precise strategy.
Free Cloud Assessment Services
Test and Validate Everything
Testing is no longer a precaution—it’s a prime necessity. Before the final cutover, spin up test instances in AWS to check if everything runs smoothly.
- Validate that the application works as expected in the new environment.
- Run stress tests to see how your workloads handle traffic.
- Fix any issues before making the migration permanent.
💡Tip: If an application isn’t performing well in the test phase, fine-tune resource allocation before going live.
Keep Costs Under Control
Cloud migrations should lower costs, not inflate them. MGN helps, but smart budgeting ensures you’re not paying for unused resources.
- Tag your resources so you can track spending and optimize usage.
- Use lifecycle policies to store rarely accessed data efficiently.
- Estimate costs ahead of time with the AWS Pricing Calculator.
💡Tip: Optimize migration costs by using appropriate AWS Cost Management Tools
Security Shouldn’t Be an Afterthought
Protecting data is just as important as moving it. MGN by AWS follows strong encryption standards, but security starts with how businesses configure their environments.
- Encrypt sensitive data in transit and at rest.
- Follow IAM best practices—only give users the access they need.
- Run post-migration security checks to ensure nothing is exposed.
💡Tip: Read our comprehensive guide on AWS Security Best Practices
Addressing Common Challenges in Cloud Migrations
Moving workloads to the cloud requires more than transfer operations since businesses need worry-free migration without unexpected delays or obstacles. All organizations moving to the cloud must overcome individual barriers, but certain specific difficulties occur more frequently.
Migrating Legacy Systems
Older systems often pose migration challenges, especially if they run on outdated operating systems that aren’t supported by traditional migration tools. Instead of rebuilding these workloads from scratch, AWS MGN offers an agentless migration option that moves applications without requiring software installation on the source machine.
Example: A financial services company running legacy applications on Windows Server 2003 used Amazon MGN’s agentless migration to move workloads to the cloud without reconfiguring its entire infrastructure.
Minimizing Downtime
Even planned downtime can impact business operations. Amazon MGN reduces this risk by using continuous block-level replication, keeping the source and destination servers in sync throughout the migration. This allows businesses to switch over with minimal disruption.
Stat: Studies show businesses using Amazon MGN experience 40% lower downtime than manual migration processes.
Ensuring Data Consistency
Data loss or corruption during migration can lead to major operational challenges. Amazon MGN replicates data at the block level, meaning everything remains intact, including system configurations and application dependencies. This ensures consistency between the original and migrated environments.
Example: A healthcare provider migrating patient records used AWS MGN’s block-level replication to ensure no data discrepancies and maintain compliance with strict regulations.
Managing Security During Migration
Security concerns often prevent businesses from moving to the cloud. Data in transit can be vulnerable if not appropriately handled. Amazon MGN addresses this by encrypting all data transfers and maintaining strict access controls. AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies grant businesses full control to restrict permissions, allowing authorized users to manage migration settings.
Example: The healthcare organization, which protects its migrating electronic medical records through end-to-end encryption, fulfilled its HIPAA security mandate during the transformation period.
Post-Migration Optimization
The migration process finishes to reveal that business workloads need better optimization for cloud operations. Using excessive resources, such as instances, storage, and obsolete configurations, will result in increased expenses. Amazon MGN allows for post-launch actions, enabling teams to:
- Adjust instance types to match actual performance needs.
- Apply security patches automatically.
- Integrate with AWS-native services for better scalability.
Example: The SaaS company improved AWS compute costs by 30% by resizing instances and introducing auto-scaling controls based on actual usage data.
The right migration approach enables businesses to minimize normal operational difficulties arising from each reconfiguration strategy. The AWS MGN system performs many automated tasks, which results in better, less disruptive, and more reliable cloud transitions.
Use Cases: Real-World Success Stories with AWS Application Migration Service
Cloud migration’s core goal involves efficient workload movement and secure procedures that produce minimal operational impacts. AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) enables diverse businesses from across industries to upgrade their infrastructure while avoiding service interruption and eliminating restocking expenses. Here’s a look at how different sectors have successfully leveraged AWS MGN.
A worldwide e-commerce company required an AWS migration for its online storefront that would maintain constant storefront accessibility for customers. The challenge? The business operated 24 hours daily to handle thousands of transactions during every hour of operation.
How AWS MGN Helped:
- Continuous replication kept the source and destination systems in sync.
- Pre-migration testing allowed the company to validate performance before the switch.
- Automated cutover ensured a seamless transition, avoiding revenue loss.
Outcome: After reorganizing its AWS resources, the store successfully migrated without outages, its application execution speed increased, and its infrastructure expenses were cut by 20%.
Case Study 2: Financial Services Company Modernizing Legacy Systems
A financial institution relied on on-premises servers running outdated legacy applications. The company needed a migration strategy that avoided rewriting code while ensuring security and compliance with financial regulations.
How AWS MGN Helped:
- Agentless migration was used to transfer legacy systems without modifying them.
- Data encryption ensured compliance with industry standards (ISO 27001, GDPR).
- Post-migration actions enabled cost-saving optimizations, such as resizing instances based on usage.
Outcome: The company successfully moved to AWS while maintaining strict security standards and reducing operational costs by 30% through infrastructure optimization.
Industry Applications
Application migration service by AWS is widely used across industries, helping businesses modernize with minimal risk.
| Industry
| Challenges
| How AWS MGN Helps | Outcome
|
|---|
| Healthcare
| Migrating patient records securely
| Encrypted replication, compliance features
| HIPAA-compliant cloud migration
|
| E-Commerce
| Ensuring zero downtime during migration
| Continuous replication, seamless cutover
| 24/7 operations maintained
|
| Manufacturing
| Moving legacy ERP systems to the cloud
| Agentless migration for older systems
| Reduced maintenance and upgrade costs
|
| Financial Services
| Securely transferring regulated workloads
| Encryption, security policies
| Compliance maintained, costs reduced
|
AWS MGN provides a structured, automated way for businesses to migrate without disruption, whether modernizing legacy systems, scaling their applications, or ensuring compliance.
Additional Resources to Enhance Your Migration Journey
Migrating to AWS is more than just moving workloads—it’s about making the transition secure, efficient, and optimized for long-term success. AWS provides various tools and policies to help businesses streamline this process. Below are some key resources that can help you get the most out of your AWS migration.
Here is our comprehensive guide on AWS Migration Checklist for 2025
AWS Managed Policies: Security and Access Control
Setting up the right Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies is essential for securing your AWS environment. AWS provides predefined managed policies that make it easier to assign permissions while following best practices.
- AWS Application Migration Full Access: Grants full control over application migration service offered by AWS.
- AWS Application Migration Read Only Access: Allows users to view migration settings without making changes.
- AWS Application Migration Service Console Full Access: Provides UI-based access for managing migrations.
Using managed policies helps businesses avoid misconfigured permissions, reducing security risks while ensuring smooth migration workflows.
The application migration service of AWS is powerful, but other AWS services can complement migration efforts based on specific use cases:
| Tool
| Purpose
| When to Use It
|
|---|
| AWS Migration Hub
| Centralized tracking of migration progress.
| Managing multiple migration projects.
|
| AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
| Migrates databases with minimal downtime.
| Moving relational databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL.
|
| AWS Server Migration Service (SMS)
| Automatic moving of VMs to operate within AWS environments.
| Migrating large numbers of virtual machines.
|
Each tool serves a unique function, and businesses often combine them with the application migration service for a more complete migration strategy.
Conclusion
Migrating to the cloud becomes possible when organizations choose suitable tools during the transition. Through AWS Application Migration Service (MGN), organizations gain simplified processes that replicate their systems automatically and perform smooth transitions with minimal service interruptions. Whether modernizing legacy systems, scaling infrastructure, or improving operational efficiency, application migration service provides a secure and cost-effective path forward.
Businesses that take a strategic approach to migration—by planning, testing thoroughly, and optimizing post-migration—experience fewer disruptions and greater long-term benefits. AWS MGN simplifies the transition so teams can focus on innovation rather than troubleshooting migration issues.
If you’re ready to move your workloads to AWS without unnecessary risks, now is the time to act. Leverage the AWS migration services to make the transition smoother, faster, and more reliable.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The AWS Application Migration Service (AWS MGN) is a migration tool that uses automation to simplify the lift-and-shift migration process, including replication testing and cutover of servers from on-premises or cloud environments to AWS. It continuously syncs source servers with AWS, allowing businesses to transition with minimal downtime.
AWS MGN uses continuous block-level replication, ensuring that source servers and AWS instances remain synchronized throughout migration. This allows businesses to test their workloads in AWS before cutover, reducing disruptions. AWS MGN can lower downtime by up to 40% compared to traditional migration methods.
AWS MGN simplifies migrations by:
– Automating replication to reduce manual intervention.
– Supporting both agent-based and agentless migration for flexibility.
– Minimizing downtime with continuous sync.
– Ensuring security with encrypted data transfers.
– Optimizing post-migration actions like right-sizing instances.
This makes AWS MGN a cost-effective and reliable solution for migrating workloads to AWS.
– Agent-Based Migration: Requires installing an AWS replication agent on source servers. Ideal for real-time, block-level replication.
– Agentless Migration: Uses existing infrastructure APIs instead of an agent. Best for legacy systems or environments where installing an agent isn’t possible.
Both options provide automated replication and testing, ensuring smooth migrations.
AWS MGN is designed for continuous replication and automation, making it ideal for large-scale application migrations. In contrast:
– AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) is primarily used for VM migrations but lacks real-time replication.
– AWS Migration Hub is a centralized tracking tool rather than a migration engine itself.
AWS MGN offers a faster, more automated solution for most modern cloud migration needs.
AWS MGN offers replicated servers for 90 days of free usage. After that, standard AWS pricing for compute, storage, and network resources applies. Businesses should estimate costs using the AWS Pricing Calculator to ensure cost-effective planning.
