The answer is Rehost (lift-and-shift). This is the correct migration strategy because it moves the legacy Windows SQL Server application to AWS exactly as it is, requiring no modifications to the application code, database schema, or operating system. The core technical concept here is that rehosting replicates the on-premises environment in the cloud—typically using Amazon EC2 for Windows Server and Amazon RDS for SQL Server or simply EC2 with SQL Server installed—so the application runs identically without refactoring. On the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 exam, this scenario tests your ability to distinguish between the six migration strategies (the 6 Rs), with rehost being the go-to choice when the business constraint is minimizing code changes. A common trap is confusing rehost with replatform, but remember: replatform involves minor optimizations like moving to a managed database, which still requires some code tweaks. Memory tip: think “Rehost = No Touch,” as in you lift the entire stack and shift it without touching the code.
SAP-C02 Practice Question: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization
This SAP-C02 practice question tests your understanding of accelerate workload migration and modernization. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 on-premises application to AWS. The application currently runs on a Windows Server with a SQL Server database. The company wants to minimize changes to the application code. 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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Rehost (lift-and-shift)
Rehosting (lift-and-shift) involves moving the application as-is to AWS, minimizing code changes. Replatforming (lift-and-resize) may involve some changes, but rehosting requires the least modification. Refactoring and rebuilding involve significant 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.
✓
Rehost (lift-and-shift)
Why this is correct
Correct. Rehosting moves the application to AWS with minimal changes.
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.
✗
Refactor / re-architect
Why it's wrong here
Refactoring involves significant code changes to optimize for cloud-native services.
✗
Replatform (lift-and-resize)
Why it's wrong here
Replatforming may involve some changes, such as moving to Amazon RDS, which is more than minimal.
✗
Rebuild
Why it's wrong here
Rebuilding involves rewriting the application from scratch, which is the most change.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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 — 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 (lift-and-shift) — Rehosting (lift-and-shift) involves moving the application as-is to AWS, minimizing code changes. Replatforming (lift-and-resize) may involve some changes, but rehosting requires the least modification. Refactoring and rebuilding involve significant changes.
What should I do if I get this SAP-C02 question wrong?
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.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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 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?
easy
A.Refactor the application to use microservices and Amazon RDS.
✓ B.Rehost the application on Amazon EC2 and migrate the database to Amazon RDS.
C.Replatform the application to use AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Amazon Aurora.
D.Repurchase the application by adopting a SaaS solution.
Why B: Option B is correct because rehosting (lift-and-shift) involves moving applications to AWS with minimal changes, which fits the requirement to minimize code changes. Option A is wrong because refactoring requires code changes. Option C is wrong because replatforming involves some optimizations. Option D is wrong because repurchasing replaces the application with a SaaS product.
Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
Question Discussion
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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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