SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
A company is migrating a monolithic application to AWS. The application currently runs on a single on-premises server and uses a MySQL database. The company wants to minimize changes to the application code during migration. Which migration strategy should the company use?
⚠ Common exam trap
SAP-C02 often tests the 7 Rs by pairing 'minimize code changes' with the wrong R (e.g., replatform or refactor), so candidates must map the constraint precisely to rehost.
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 and migrate the database to Amazon RDS.
Rehosting (lift-and-shift) moves the application to Amazon EC2 and the MySQL database to Amazon RDS with minimal or no code changes, which directly satisfies the requirement to minimize application code changes. This is the fastest migration path and preserves the existing monolithic architecture. Rehosting is the canonical 'minimize changes' strategy in the 7 Rs framework.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Refactor the application to use microservices and Amazon RDS.
Why it's wrong here
Refactoring to microservices rewrites application structure and code, directly contradicting the requirement to minimise code changes. It is tempting because microservices and Amazon RDS are cloud-native targets, and refactoring is correct when an organisation wants long-term agility and is willing to invest in re-architecting rather than lift-and-shift.
- ✓
Rehost the application on Amazon EC2 and migrate the database to Amazon RDS.
Why this is correct
Rehosting lifts the application onto Amazon EC2 unchanged, while Amazon RDS runs MySQL with the same engine, so connection strings and SQL remain compatible. This minimises application code changes, which is the explicit constraint the company specified for migration.
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Replatform the application to use AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Amazon Aurora.
Why it's wrong here
Elastic Beanstalk and Aurora change the runtime platform and database engine, requiring code and driver adjustments that the stem's minimal-change constraint rules out. It is tempting because replatforming offers managed benefits, and it would be correct where modest code changes are acceptable in exchange for reduced operational burden.
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Repurchase the application by adopting a SaaS solution.
Why it's wrong here
Adopting a SaaS product replaces the application entirely, discarding the existing codebase rather than migrating it with minimal changes. It is tempting because repurchase removes operational ownership, and it would be correct where the business accepts standardised third-party functionality instead of preserving bespoke application behaviour.
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JA
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.