Which AWS Services Are Used for Discovery and Assessment in Migration?
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 TWO AWS services should be used for discovery and assessment?
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.
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates may assume AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) is a discovery tool because of its name, but it is actually a replication service used for migrating servers. Discovery is better handled by AWS Application Discovery Service.
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 Migration Hub
For discovery and assessment of on-premises infrastructure, AWS Application Discovery Service (Option D) automatically discovers servers and application dependencies, while AWS Migration Hub (Option B) provides a centralized view to track migrations and integrates with discovery data. AWS Server Migration Service (Option A) is a replication tool for migrating servers, not a discovery service, and it has been deprecated. Amazon CloudWatch (Option C) is a monitoring service, and AWS Trusted Advisor (Option E) provides best practice recommendations; neither performs discovery.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
AWS Server Migration Service (SMS)
Why it's wrong here
AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) is a replication tool for migrating servers, not a discovery service. It has been deprecated and does not perform discovery or assessment.
- ✓
AWS Migration Hub
Why this is correct
AWS Migration Hub provides a single place to track the progress of application migrations across multiple AWS and partner solutions, including discovery data from Application Discovery Service, making it useful for assessment and planning.
- ✗
Amazon CloudWatch
Why it's wrong here
Amazon CloudWatch is a monitoring service for AWS resources and applications, not a service for discovering on-premises infrastructure or dependencies.
- ✓
AWS Application Discovery Service
Why this is correct
AWS Application Discovery Service automatically discovers your on-premises servers and collects information about their configuration, performance, and dependencies, which is essential for assessment and migration planning.
- ✗
AWS Trusted Advisor
Why it's wrong here
AWS Trusted Advisor provides recommendations for cost optimization, performance, security, and fault tolerance, but it does not perform discovery of on-premises assets.
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Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on SAP-C02
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?
hard- A.AWS Server Migration Service (SMS)
- ✓ B.AWS Application Migration Service (MGN)
- ✓ C.AWS Migration Hub
- D.AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
- ✓ E.AWS Application Discovery Service
Why B: To assess the current environment and track migration progress for a large number of on-premises VMs, the correct combination is AWS Application Discovery Service (to discover and map dependencies), AWS Migration Hub (to track progress across multiple tools), and AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) (to automate VM migration). Option A (SMS) is deprecated and replaced by MGN. Option D (DMS) is for databases, 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.)
easy- A.AWS DataSync
- B.AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
- C.AWS Server Migration Service (SMS)
- ✓ D.AWS Application Migration Service (MGN)
- ✓ E.AWS Application Discovery Service
Why 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.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.