Which AWS Tool Discovers On-Premises Usage Before Migration?
Short answer
A AWS Application Discovery Service collects on-premises configuration, utilization, and dependency data for migration planning without replicating workloads.
Question
Key Takeaways
The exam tests whether you can separate the migration-assessment phase (discovery) from the migration-execution phase (replication and cutover); the trap is picking AWS Application Migration Service because the question mentions migrating.
AWS Application Discovery Service is the tool that inventories on-premises servers, their configuration, utilization, and network dependencies so a migration can be planned. This page confirms why it satisfies the requirement to assess the existing environment without replicating any workloads to AWS yet.
Common mistake: Choosing AWS Application Migration Service (B) because the scenario says "migrate" — but that service replicates live servers and performs the cutover, which the company explicitly wants to postpone.
Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
AWS Application Discovery Service is purpose-built for the assessment phase of a migration: it collects server inventory, configuration details, resource utilization, and network/application dependency data from the on-premises data center. That output is exactly what the company needs to "understand the existing on-premises usage and configuration" and to right-size and group servers before any move. Crucially, discovery is read-only from the workload's perspective — nothing is replicated, staged, or cut over to AWS, which matches the constraint that workloads must not be replicated yet. Discovery data also feeds AWS Migration Hub and Migration Evaluator-style planning so the later migration wave is based on real data rather than assumptions. All three commenters converged on this option for precisely that reason.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
AWS Application Migration Service (option B) is the execution tool: it continuously replicates source servers into a staging area in AWS and then launches them during cutover, which is the very replication the company wants to avoid for now. Cloud Migration Factory (option C) is a programmatic orchestration approach for running large numbers of migrations at scale — it automates migration waves, not pre-migration discovery. AWS Transfer Family (option D) is a managed SFTP/FTPS/FTP/AS2 endpoint for moving files into Amazon S3 or Amazon EFS and has nothing to do with inventorying on-premises servers or their dependencies. Each distractor belongs to a different migration stage or a different problem domain entirely.
Community Comment Notes
All three learners selected option A, giving the question unanimous support in the comment thread. samosa_123 described it as "specifically designed for companies that want to assess and understand" the existing environment before migrating, which mirrors the question's wording about not migrating yet. d00b229 explained that the service "helps you understand your existing on-premises usage and configuration" and stressed that this happens without requiring replication. ShaiTay simply confirmed the same choice, so there is no dissent to reconcile on this item.
Official Reference
- https://aws.amazon.com/application-discovery/
- https://docs.aws.amazon.com/application-discovery/latest/userguide/what-is-appdiscovery.html
These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.
Exam Strategy
Anchor on the phase words in the stem: "understand," "assess," "plan," and "not yet" signal Application Discovery Service, while "replicate," "cut over," or "go-live" signal Application Migration Service. When a question explicitly rules out replication, any answer that moves data or servers to AWS is automatically disqualified.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't AWS Application Migration Service satisfy the 'no replication yet' requirement?
How does Application Discovery Service collect data without changing the on-premises environment?
Community Votes
100% of anonymous learners picked answer A. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Discussion 3 contributions
Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.
From public community threads 3
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d00b229 👍 1A. AWS Application Discovery Service AWS Application Discovery Service helps you understand your existing on-premises usage and configuration by collecting data on your on-premises infrastructure, including application dependencies, server configurations, and usage patterns. This information helps in planning your migration to the AWS Cloud without requiring you to replicate or migrate your workloads at this stage.
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samosa_123 👍 1 Answered AA. AWS Application Discovery Service: This service helps you collect detailed information about your on-premises environment, including server configurations, resource utilization, and network dependencies. It's specifically designed for companies that want to assess and understand their existing infrastructure before migrating to AWS, without actually replicating or migrating workloads yet.
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ShaiTay 👍 1 Answered AA. AWS Application Discovery Service
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