- A
Retire the application and replace it with a SaaS-based solution.
Why wrong: Retiring is not an option since the application is still needed.
- B
Refactor the application to use .NET Core and deploy on Linux containers with Amazon ECS.
Why wrong: Refactoring would require significant code changes and does not minimize re-architecture.
- C
Replatform the application to use AWS Elastic Beanstalk with a SQL Server Express Multi-AZ RDS instance.
Why wrong: Replatforming would still require changes to the database setup and may not minimize re-architecture.
- D
Rehost the application on Amazon EC2 Windows instances using an AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) partner tool.
Rehosting lifts and shifts the application with minimal changes, reducing operational overhead.
Quick Answer
The answer is to rehost the application on Amazon EC2 Windows instances using an AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) partner tool. This is correct because the .NET Framework 4.7 application is tightly coupled to Windows Server 2012 R2, IIS, and a local SQL Server Express database; rehosting, or lift-and-shift, preserves the existing architecture without any code changes, directly satisfying the goal to minimize re-architecture and reduce operational overhead. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between migration strategies when the application is tightly bound to its operating system and local storage—a common trap is to suggest replatforming to Amazon RDS or refactoring to containers, but those introduce unnecessary changes. Remember the memory tip: “If it’s tightly coupled and you want zero code changes, lift-and-shift is the only choice.”
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of accelerate workload migration and modernization. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 .NET Framework 4.7 web application to AWS. The application currently runs on Windows Server 2012 R2 with IIS and uses SQL Server Express for local storage. The company wants to minimize re-architecture and reduce operational overhead. Which migration strategy should the company use?
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 choices
Why each option matters
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 Amazon EC2 Windows instances using an AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) partner tool.
Option D is correct because rehosting (lift-and-shift) the .NET Framework 4.7 application to Amazon EC2 Windows instances minimizes re-architecture and reduces operational overhead. The application is tightly coupled to Windows Server and IIS, and SQL Server Express is a local database; rehosting preserves the existing architecture without code changes. Using an AWS MAP partner tool streamlines the migration process, aligning with the goal of minimizing changes.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Retire the application and replace it with a SaaS-based solution.
Why it's wrong here
Retiring is not an option since the application is still needed.
- ✗
Refactor the application to use .NET Core and deploy on Linux containers with Amazon ECS.
Why it's wrong here
Refactoring would require significant code changes and does not minimize re-architecture.
- ✗
Replatform the application to use AWS Elastic Beanstalk with a SQL Server Express Multi-AZ RDS instance.
Why it's wrong here
Replatforming would still require changes to the database setup and may not minimize re-architecture.
- ✓
Rehost the application on Amazon EC2 Windows instances using an AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) partner tool.
Why this is correct
Rehosting lifts and shifts the application with minimal changes, reducing operational overhead.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may choose replatforming (Option C) thinking it reduces overhead, but it actually requires modifying the database connection string and handling Multi-AZ failover, which adds re-architecture effort beyond a simple lift-and-shift.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Rehosting on EC2 Windows instances preserves the original IIS configuration and local SQL Server Express database, allowing the application to run unchanged. The AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) provides tools like AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) or third-party tools to automate the lift-and-shift process, reducing manual effort. In a real-world scenario, this approach is ideal for legacy .NET Framework applications that cannot be easily containerized or refactored due to dependencies on Windows-specific APIs or COM components.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SAP-C02 question test?
Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — This question tests Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Rehost the application on Amazon EC2 Windows instances using an AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) partner tool. — Option D is correct because rehosting (lift-and-shift) the .NET Framework 4.7 application to Amazon EC2 Windows instances minimizes re-architecture and reduces operational overhead. The application is tightly coupled to Windows Server and IIS, and SQL Server Express is a local database; rehosting preserves the existing architecture without code changes. Using an AWS MAP partner tool streamlines the migration process, aligning with the goal of minimizing changes.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SAP-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SAP-C02 exam.
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