AWS SAP · Domain 4 of 4

AWS SAP Domain 4: Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization

This domain covers moving workloads to AWS and modernizing them: selecting what to migrate, choosing the right migration strategy from the 7 Rs, using the migration tooling, and modernizing to containers, serverless and managed services.

Exam weight
20%
Official task statements
2
Estimated questions estimate
~13
Suggested study time estimate
25–35 hrs

About 9 min read Reviewed October 2026

Overview

Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization covers getting workloads to AWS and improving them once there. It has two task statements. Selecting workloads and processes for migration covers assessing the existing estate, building a business case with Migration Evaluator, tracking with Migration Hub, and prioritizing what to migrate. Determining the migration approach covers the 7 Rs, rehost, replatform, repurchase, refactor, relocate, retire and retain, choosing the one that fits each workload's constraints, the migration tooling (Application Migration Service, Database Migration Service with the Schema Conversion Tool, Snow Family for large data transfers), and modernization patterns such as decomposing monoliths into containers or serverless with the strangler fig pattern.

At 20%, this is the smallest domain but scenario-rich. The exam tests process as much as technology: which migration strategy and tool fit a given business constraint, and when to modernize rather than simply move. Matching the approach to the constraint is the central skill.

How it's tested

SAP-C02 questions in this domain describe a workload and business constraints and ask for the migration or modernization approach. Expect several migration paths to be technically possible; the correct one fits the stated timeline, team skills and modernization goal together. Match the strategy and tool to the constraint rather than defaulting to one.

  • Pick the R

    A workload and its constraints are described, and you choose the migration strategy from the 7 Rs.

  • Right migration tool

    A server or database migration is described, and you choose MGN, DMS with SCT, or the Snow Family.

  • Modernize or move

    A workload is described, and you decide whether to modernize to containers or serverless or simply migrate.

Reasoning it through

A company must move a large on-premises Oracle database to AWS while changing the engine to Aurora PostgreSQL, with minimal downtime. A simple backup-and-restore cannot change engines. The AWS Database Migration Service with the Schema Conversion Tool converts the schema and migrates the data between different engines with ongoing replication for low downtime, which is the heterogeneous migration approach the exam expects.

Task statements 2

Official task statements from the Amazon Web Services outline, in outline order.

4.1 Select existing workloads and processes for potential migrationAssessment, business case and migration tracking.
What it means
This covers assessing the existing estate, building a migration business case with Migration Evaluator, discovering dependencies, prioritizing workloads, and tracking migration progress across accounts with AWS Migration Hub.
What to understand
Migration starts with assessment: understanding the current estate, dependencies and costs to build a business case and prioritize. Migration Evaluator models the business case, and Migration Hub tracks status across tools and accounts. Not every workload should move, some are retired or retained.
How it shows up
An assessment or prioritization need is described, and you must choose the tool or approach for selecting and tracking migrations.
Common confusion
Migrating every workload rather than assessing which to retire, retain or prioritize.
4.2 Determine the optimal migration approach for new and existing workloadsThe 7 Rs, migration tooling and modernization patterns.
What it means
This covers the 7 Rs migration strategies (rehost, replatform, repurchase, refactor, relocate, retire, retain), migration tooling, Application Migration Service (MGN) for server replication and cutover, Database Migration Service with the Schema Conversion Tool for database migration, and the Snow Family for large offline data transfer, plus modernization to containers (ECS, EKS), serverless, and managed databases, using patterns such as the strangler fig.
What to understand
Each R fits different constraints: rehost (lift and shift) is fastest, replatform makes small optimizations, refactor rebuilds for the cloud, repurchase moves to a SaaS product, relocate moves wholesale such as VMware, and retire and retain cover decommissioning and leaving in place. MGN replicates servers, DMS with SCT migrates databases including across engines, and Snow moves large data offline. Modernization decomposes monoliths incrementally with the strangler fig pattern.
How it shows up
A workload and its constraints are described, and you must choose the R, the tool and whether to modernize.
Common confusion
Confusing rehost with refactor, or choosing a heavy modernization where a timeline demands a quick lift and shift.

High-yield concepts

The terms, rules and formulas this domain turns into questions most often.

  • The 7 Rs

    Rehost, replatform, repurchase, refactor, relocate, retire, retain.

    Remember
    Match the R to the business constraint.
    Tested as
    Migration strategy questions.
    Trap
    Treating every workload the same.

  • Rehost (lift and shift)

    Move with minimal change.

    Remember
    Fastest, least optimized.
    Tested as
    Strategy questions.
    Trap
    Confusing it with refactor.

  • Replatform

    Small optimizations during migration.

    Remember
    Some benefit, limited change.
    Tested as
    Strategy questions.
    Trap
    Confusing with rehost or refactor.

  • Refactor

    Rebuild for the cloud.

    Remember
    Most change and benefit, most effort.
    Tested as
    Strategy questions.
    Trap
    Choosing it when the timeline is tight.

  • Application Migration Service (MGN)

    Replicates servers and cuts over to AWS.

    Remember
    The primary rehost tool.
    Tested as
    Tooling questions.
    Trap
    Using it for database engine changes.

  • Database Migration Service with SCT

    Migrates databases, including across engines.

    Remember
    SCT converts heterogeneous schemas.
    Tested as
    Tooling questions.
    Trap
    Expecting it to migrate servers.

  • Snow Family

    Offline transfer of large data volumes.

    Remember
    For data too large for the network.
    Tested as
    Data transfer questions.
    Trap
    Using the network for petabyte-scale transfer.

  • Migration Hub and Evaluator

    Track migrations and model the business case.

    Remember
    Assessment and tracking.
    Tested as
    Assessment questions.
    Trap
    Skipping assessment.

  • Modernization patterns

    Containers, serverless and managed databases.

    Remember
    Decompose monoliths incrementally.
    Tested as
    Modernization questions.
    Trap
    Rewriting everything at once.

  • Strangler fig pattern

    Incrementally replace a monolith with new services.

    Remember
    Reduces risk of a big-bang rewrite.
    Tested as
    Modernization questions.
    Trap
    Attempting a full rewrite at once.

Side by side

Concepts candidates mix up, compared on the point that decides the answer.

Rehost vs. replatform vs. refactor

ConceptMeaningKey differenceCommon trap
Rehost Lift and shift, minimal change Fastest, least optimized Confusing with refactor
Replatform Small optimizations Some benefit, limited change Confusing with refactor
Refactor Rebuild for the cloud Most benefit, most effort Choosing it under tight timelines

MGN vs. DMS with SCT vs. Snow Family

ConceptMeaningKey differenceCommon trap
MGN Server replication and cutover Rehost servers Using it to change DB engines
DMS with SCT Database migration, including across engines Heterogeneous migration Expecting it to move servers
Snow Family Offline large-data transfer Data too big for the network Using the network at petabyte scale

Migrate vs. modernize

ConceptMeaningKey differenceCommon trap
Migrate Move the workload to AWS Fast, preserves architecture Modernizing when speed is required
Modernize Containers, serverless, managed services More benefit, more effort Rewriting when a move would do

Exam traps

Each trap is an answer that looks right. Learn the clue that should change your mind.

  1. Refactor under deadline

    What candidates pick
    Refactor a workload to cloud-native when the timeline demands a fast move.
    Why it looks right
    Refactoring gives the most benefit.
    Why it's wrong
    Rehosting with MGN moves quickly; refactoring takes longest and may miss the deadline.

    Clue to watch for The constraint is a tight migration timeline.

  2. MGN for engine change

    What candidates pick
    Use Application Migration Service to move Oracle to Aurora PostgreSQL.
    Why it looks right
    MGN migrates workloads.
    Why it's wrong
    MGN replicates servers; changing database engines needs DMS with the Schema Conversion Tool.

    Clue to watch for The migration changes the database engine.

  3. Network for huge data

    What candidates pick
    Transfer petabytes of data over the internet to AWS.
    Why it looks right
    The network is already there.
    Why it's wrong
    The Snow Family moves very large data offline far faster than a constrained network link.

    Clue to watch for The data volume is too large for the available bandwidth.

  4. Migrate everything

    What candidates pick
    Plan to migrate every workload in the estate.
    Why it looks right
    It seems thorough.
    Why it's wrong
    Assessment identifies workloads to retire or retain; not everything should move.

    Clue to watch for The estate includes obsolete or unsuitable workloads.

  5. Big-bang rewrite

    What candidates pick
    Rewrite a monolith into microservices all at once.
    Why it looks right
    It modernizes fully.
    Why it's wrong
    The strangler fig pattern replaces the monolith incrementally, reducing risk.

    Clue to watch for The monolith must be modernized with low risk.

Answer framework

For any Domain 4 scenario, use these steps to find the answer SAP-C02 expects.

  1. Assess the estate first, building a business case and identifying workloads to migrate, retire or retain.
  2. For each workload, choose the R from the 7 Rs that fits its constraints, favoring rehost for speed and refactor only when the benefit justifies the effort.
  3. Choose the right tool: MGN for server rehosting, DMS with SCT for database and heterogeneous migration, and the Snow Family for very large offline data.
  4. Decide whether to modernize, using containers or serverless and the strangler fig pattern to decompose monoliths incrementally.
  5. Track progress with Migration Hub, and match each decision to the business constraint rather than defaulting to one approach.

Practice question

A company must migrate a large on-premises Oracle database to AWS and change the database engine to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL, with minimal downtime. Which approach is MOST appropriate?

Want more like this? The AWS SAP practice test has questions for every domain.

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Study strategy

Learn the 7 Rs cold, since they are the backbone of this domain, and practice matching each to a business constraint: rehost for speed, replatform for small wins, refactor for maximum benefit when effort is justified, repurchase for SaaS, relocate for wholesale moves, and retire and retain for the rest. The exam tests which R fits, not just the list.

Next, learn the tooling precisely, because tool questions are common: MGN for server rehosting, DMS with the Schema Conversion Tool for database and cross-engine migration, and the Snow Family for very large offline data. Then learn modernization: containers versus serverless targets and the strangler fig pattern for incremental decomposition.

Because this domain blends process with technology, and sometimes non-AWS technology, practice scenario questions that tie a method to a constraint. This is the final domain, so finish with full practice exams spanning all four. Treat every question as a design decision under constraints, which is the SAP-C02 mindset throughout.

FAQ

How much of SAP-C02 is Domain 4?

Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization is 20% of the scored content, the smallest domain, but scenario-rich and process-focused.

What are the 7 Rs?

Rehost, replatform, repurchase, refactor, relocate, retire and retain, the AWS migration strategies, each suited to different workload constraints.

What is the difference between rehost and refactor?

Rehost is lift and shift with minimal change, the fastest option. Refactor rebuilds the application for the cloud, giving the most benefit but requiring the most effort.

Which tool migrates a database to a different engine?

AWS Database Migration Service with the Schema Conversion Tool, which converts the schema and migrates the data for heterogeneous migrations such as Oracle to Aurora PostgreSQL.

When should I use the Snow Family?

When the data volume is too large to transfer over the available network link in a reasonable time, since Snow moves large data offline.

What is the strangler fig pattern?

A modernization pattern that incrementally replaces parts of a monolith with new services, reducing the risk of a big-bang rewrite.

How does Domain 4 connect to the rest of the exam?

Migrated and modernized workloads land in the enterprise environment of Domain 1, are designed and improved using the principles of Domains 2 and 3, completing the architecture lifecycle.

Other Cloud Computing certifications

Where the same subject shows up in other exams. Cards marked "Same subject" open the matching domain.

Test your Domain 4 knowledge

You have covered migration selection, the 7 Rs, migration tooling and modernization. Test whether you can match the approach to the business constraint under exam conditions.

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