Quick Answer
The correct answer is AWS Application Discovery Service, along with AWS Migration Hub and AWS Server Migration Service. Application Discovery Service directly gathers data about on-premises servers, including utilization and dependencies, which is essential for discovery and assessment services for migration. Migration Hub provides a centralized view to track the assessment and migration progress, while Server Migration Service, though primarily a migration tool, also offers server inventory capabilities that aid in discovery. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this question tests your understanding of the integrated discovery-to-migration workflow, often trapping candidates who overlook that SMS contributes to discovery even though its primary role is migration. A common memory tip is to remember the trio as "DMS" for Discovery, Migration Hub, and Server Migration Service, but note that Trusted Advisor and CloudWatch are red herrings focused on optimization and monitoring, not discovery.
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 planning to migrate its on-premises infrastructure to AWS. The company wants to assess the current environment and create a migration plan. Which THREE AWS services should be used for discovery and assessment?
AWS Server Migration Service (SMS)
Can automate server migration and provide server inventory.
AWS Migration Hub
Central place to track migration progress and discover applications.
Amazon CloudWatch
Why wrong: Monitoring service, not for discovery.
AWS Application Discovery Service
Discovers on-premises servers and dependencies.
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why wrong: Provides cost optimization and security checks, not discovery.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
AWS Server Migration Service (SMS)
Option A (Migration Hub), Option B (Application Discovery Service), and Option C (Server Migration Service - though SMS is for migration, it can also help with discovery) are correct. Note: SMS is used for migration but also provides server inventory. Option D (Trusted Advisor) is for cost optimization, not discovery. Option E (CloudWatch) is for monitoring.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
AWS Server Migration Service (SMS)
Why this is correct
Can automate server migration and provide server inventory.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Migration Hub
Why this is correct
Central place to track migration progress and discover applications.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Amazon CloudWatch
Why it's wrong here
Monitoring service, not for discovery.
AWS Application Discovery Service
Why this is correct
Discovers on-premises servers and dependencies.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why it's wrong here
Provides cost optimization and security checks, not discovery.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A startup's cloud architect reviews their monthly bill and notices costs are higher than expected for a long-running batch job. Switching from on-demand instances to Reserved Instances — or using Spot/Preemptible VMs — can reduce compute costs by up to 72 %. Questions like this test whether you understand the tradeoffs between commitment, flexibility, and cost across cloud pricing models.
What to study next
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — study guide chapter
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Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization practice questions
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FAQ
Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — This question tests Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) — Option A (Migration Hub), Option B (Application Discovery Service), and Option C (Server Migration Service - though SMS is for migration, it can also help with discovery) are correct. Note: SMS is used for migration but also provides server inventory. Option D (Trusted Advisor) is for cost optimization, not discovery. Option E (CloudWatch) is for monitoring.
Identify which SAP-C02 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company is migrating a large number of on-premises VMs to AWS. They need to assess the current environment and track migration progress. Which THREE AWS services should be used together?
hardWhy B: Options A, C, and D are correct. AWS Application Discovery Service discovers on-premises servers. AWS Migration Hub tracks migration progress across multiple tools. AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) automates the migration of VMs. Option B is wrong because Server Migration Service (SMS) is deprecated. Option E is wrong because DMS is for database migration, not VMs.
Variation 2. Which TWO AWS services can be used together to automate the discovery and migration of on-premises servers to AWS? (Choose two.)
easyWhy D: AWS MGN automates server migration. AWS Application Discovery Service helps discover on-premises server inventory. AWS DMS is for databases. AWS SMS is deprecated. AWS DataSync is for file/object storage.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 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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