SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
A company is migrating a legacy on-premises application to AWS. The application runs on a physical server with 16 vCPUs and 64 GB RAM, and it stores data on a local SSD. The company wants to minimize changes to the application and reduce operational overhead. They plan to use a lift-and-shift approach. Which AWS service should a solutions architect recommend to migrate the server?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse AWS DataSync with a server migration service, when DataSync is only for file and object data transfer and cannot replicate an entire server.
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
✓
AWS Application Migration Service (AWS MGN)
AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) is the primary service for lift-and-shift migrations of physical or virtual servers. It replicates the entire server to AWS, allowing the application to run unchanged on EC2. This minimizes changes and operational overhead, making it ideal for the scenario.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS)
Why it's wrong here
AWS DMS is used to migrate databases, not entire application servers. It focuses on moving data from one database to another with minimal downtime. While it is valuable for database migrations, it does not replicate the server's operating system or installed applications, so it cannot achieve a lift-and-shift of the entire server.
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AWS Server Migration Service (AWS SMS)
Why it's wrong here
AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) was used for migrating on-premises servers to AWS, but it has been deprecated and is no longer available for new migrations. AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) is the recommended replacement. Using SMS is not possible for new projects, and it lacks the advanced features and support of MGN.
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AWS Application Migration Service (AWS MGN)
Why this is correct
AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) is designed for lift-and-shift migrations of physical or virtual servers to AWS. It replicates the entire server, including the operating system, applications, and data, to AWS. This minimizes changes and reduces operational overhead because the migration is automated and the application runs as-is on Amazon EC2.
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AWS DataSync
Why it's wrong here
AWS DataSync is a data transfer service that automates moving file or object data between on-premises storage and AWS. It does not replicate entire servers or their operating systems. For a lift-and-shift of a server, you need a service like AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) that can replicate the full server environment.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Amazon Web Services exam blueprint
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.