Quick Answer
The answer is AWS Server Migration Service (SMS). This service is correct because it performs agentless, block-level replication of on-premises VMware VMs directly through the vCenter connector, creating Amazon Machine Images that preserve the entire operating system, installed applications, and system configurations without any reinstallation or reconfiguration. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this question tests your understanding of lift-and-shift migration tools for SAP workloads, often appearing alongside traps like AWS Migration Hub (which orchestrates but doesn’t replicate) or AWS Application Migration Service (which is agent-based and better for heterogeneous environments). The key distinction for SAP is that SMS maintains the exact OS and app state, critical for SAP’s kernel and license dependencies. Memory tip: think “SMS = Same Machine State” for VMware-to-AMI migrations.
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of migration. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 wants to migrate its on-premises VMware virtual machines to AWS. They need to retain the current operating system and applications. Which AWS service should they use?
AWS Server Migration Service (SMS)
SMS replicates VMware VMs to AWS.
AWS Application Migration Service (MGN)
Why wrong: MGN is agent-based, while SMS is agentless for VMware.
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
Why wrong: DMS is for databases, not VMs.
AWS DataSync
Why wrong: DataSync is for file transfers.
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)
AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) is the correct choice because it is specifically designed to migrate on-premises VMware virtual machines to AWS while preserving the operating system, applications, and system configurations. It uses agentless replication via the VMware vCenter connector to create Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) from the source VMs, enabling a lift-and-shift migration without reinstallation or reconfiguration.
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
SMS replicates VMware VMs to AWS.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
AWS Application Migration Service (MGN)
Why it's wrong here
MGN is agent-based, while SMS is agentless for VMware.
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
Why it's wrong here
DMS is for databases, not VMs.
AWS DataSync
Why it's wrong here
DataSync is for file transfers.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) with SMS, but MGN requires an agent and is not VMware-specific, whereas SMS is the agentless, VMware-native service that directly integrates with vCenter for VM discovery and replication.
Detailed technical explanation
AWS SMS leverages the VMware vSphere API to take snapshots of VMs and replicate incremental changes to AWS, creating AMIs that can be launched as EC2 instances. Under the hood, it uses a connector appliance deployed in the vCenter environment to orchestrate replication, and it supports multi-volume VMs with up to 16 TB per volume. A real-world scenario where this matters is migrating a legacy Windows Server 2008 R2 VM with custom applications; SMS ensures the OS license and application binaries are retained without needing to reinstall or reconfigure the software.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
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Migration — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Migration — This question tests Migration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) — AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) is the correct choice because it is specifically designed to migrate on-premises VMware virtual machines to AWS while preserving the operating system, applications, and system configurations. It uses agentless replication via the VMware vCenter connector to create Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) from the source VMs, enabling a lift-and-shift migration without reinstallation or reconfiguration.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This PAS-C01 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 PAS-C01 exam.
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