The correct answer is to rehost the application on EC2 instances with the same IP addresses using Elastic IPs. This migration pattern, known as lift-and-shift, directly addresses the challenge of migrating a legacy application with hardcoded IP addresses by preserving those exact addresses on the target EC2 instances, thereby minimizing changes to the application code. Elastic IPs are static, public IPv4 addresses that can be associated with an EC2 instance, allowing you to assign the same IP the legacy application expects, while security groups replace the need for firewall rule changes. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to choose the least disruptive migration strategy when non-HTTP protocols and hardcoded IPs prevent DNS-based refactoring or containerization. A common trap is assuming you must refactor to use DNS or a load balancer, but the exam emphasizes that rehosting with Elastic IPs is the simplest path when code changes must be avoided. Memory tip: "Hardcoded IPs? Elastic IPs—no code flips."
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of accelerate workload migration and modernization. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is migrating a legacy application to AWS. The application has hardcoded IP addresses and uses non-HTTP protocols. The solutions architect needs to minimize changes to the application code. Which migration pattern should be used?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Rehost the application on EC2 instances with the same IP addresses using Elastic IPs.
Rehosting (lift-and-shift) with private IP addresses on EC2 and security groups allows the application to retain its IP configurations with minimal changes. Option A is wrong because refactoring to use DNS requires code changes. Option B is wrong because containerization requires code modifications. Option D is wrong because AWS Global Accelerator is for traffic management, not for replacing hardcoded IPs without code changes.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Use AWS Global Accelerator to assign static IP addresses.
Why it's wrong here
Does not replace internal IP references.
✗
Containerize the application and use service discovery.
Why it's wrong here
Requires code and infrastructure changes.
✓
Rehost the application on EC2 instances with the same IP addresses using Elastic IPs.
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Refactor the application to use DNS names instead of IP addresses.
Why it's wrong here
Requires code changes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — This question tests Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Rehost the application on EC2 instances with the same IP addresses using Elastic IPs. — Rehosting (lift-and-shift) with private IP addresses on EC2 and security groups allows the application to retain its IP configurations with minimal changes. Option A is wrong because refactoring to use DNS requires code changes. Option B is wrong because containerization requires code modifications. Option D is wrong because AWS Global Accelerator is for traffic management, not for replacing hardcoded IPs without code changes.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SAP-C02 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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