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This lesson explains the AWS services that help customers migrate workloads and transfer data from on-premises environments or other clouds into AWS. To make the concepts easier to remember, we use a moving-house analogy that maps each step of a physical move to an equivalent step in a cloud migration. That analogy clarifies why each tool exists and how it supports discovery, planning, transfer, and cutover.
The moving-house analogy maps directly to migration tasks: assessment → discovery, sorting → application categorization, packing/loading → data transfer, and unloading → cutover/validation. Think of AWS services as specialized movers, trucks, and packing materials tailored for different parts of the migration.

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Moving-house → Cloud migration: stage-by-stage mapping

Below are the typical stages of a physical move followed by the equivalent cloud-migration activities and examples of AWS tooling you might use at each stage.
A presentation slide titled "Home Migration – Steps" showing illustrated tiles for stages like Assessment and Inventory, Decluttering and Sorting, Categorization, Transportation Needs, Packing Items, Loading and Transport, and Unloading and Organizing. Each step is represented by an orange icon and label inside rounded boxes.
All of these steps apply whether you are moving from on-premises to AWS or migrating between clouds: discovery and inventory, categorization, selection of migration approaches, execution of the migration, and validation after cutover.

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Primary AWS migration and transfer services (overview)

The table below summarizes core AWS migration and transfer services, what they do, and where they fit in the migration lifecycle.
A slide titled "AWS Migration – Services" showing colored icons and labels for AWS migration tools (e.g., AWS Migration Hub, Application Discovery Service, Application Migration Service, Database Migration Service, Elastic Disaster Recovery, Mainframe Modernization, Transfer Family, and DataSync). Each service is represented by a rounded square icon with a simple line graphic and a short label.
  • AWS Snow Family
    If network transfer is impractical or too slow, Snow devices (Snowcone, Snowball, Snowmobile) provide secure offline, large-scale data transport. Use Snow Family when data volumes, bandwidth constraints, or regulatory requirements favor physical shipment.
Remember: AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery (DRS) is built for continuous replication and rapid failover for disaster recovery scenarios. For long-term permanent migration, consider AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) or DMS depending on workload type and migration goals.

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How these services combine in a migration project

  • Discovery and planning: Start with Application Discovery Service to create an inventory, then use Migration Hub to track waves and tool integrations.
  • Application migration: Use AWS MGN for rehosts; refactor and replatform as appropriate.
  • Database migration: Use AWS DMS for data replication and cutover; use AWS SCT where schema conversion is required.
  • File and bulk data transfer: Use DataSync for online transfers; use Transfer Family for protocol-based file access; use Snow Family for offline transfers at scale.
  • DR or fallback capability: Use Elastic Disaster Recovery to maintain a continuously replicated recovery site.

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Next steps and references

  • Map your inventory and dependencies before choosing the transfer mechanism—network transfers, managed services, or offline devices.
  • Plan migration waves by grouping applications with tight dependencies together.
  • Validate cutover and measure RTO/RPO objectives against service capabilities.
Links and references

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