AWS Migration Strategy for Unchanged Legacy Workloads

CLF-C02 By islever Editorial Last updated

Understand the benefits of and strategies for migration to the AWS Cloud.

Short answer

C Rehost is the migration strategy that moves the workload to AWS without making any changes to the application.

Question

A company runs a legacy workload in an on-premises data center. The company wants to migrate the workload to AWS. The company does not want to make any changes to the workload. Which migration strategy should the company use?
  1. Repurchase
  2. Replatform
  3. Rehost Correct Answer
  4. Refactor

Key Takeaways

The question tests knowledge of the 6 Rs of migration; the trap is assuming 'Replatform' allows zero changes, whereas only 'Rehost' strictly prohibits application code or architecture adjustments.

This page explains the AWS cloud migration strategies, specifically identifying Rehost as the correct approach when no workload modifications are permitted. It clarifies why options like Refactor and Replatform are incorrect in this context.

Common mistake: Learners often confuse Replatform with Rehost, thinking that minor infrastructure tweaks (like switching DB engines) constitute a 'change' to the workload itself, leading them to reject Rehost incorrectly.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

Rehosting, commonly known as 'lift and shift,' involves moving an existing on-premises application to AWS without any modification to the application code or architecture. Since the requirement explicitly states that the company does not want to make any changes to the workload, Rehosting is the only strategy that fits this constraint perfectly. This method typically uses services like AWS Application Migration Service or EC2 to replicate the environment.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Refactoring (or Re-architecting) requires rewriting and re-optimizing code for cloud-native features, which directly violates the 'no changes' rule. Replatforming involves making minor changes to leverage cloud capabilities, such as changing a database engine from Oracle to Amazon RDS, which constitutes a change. Repurchasing involves buying a different product (like SaaS), which is not migrating the existing legacy workload.

Community Comment Notes

The community consensus strongly supports option C. As user alokdixit2006 noted, "Rehosting (lift and shift) is the process of migrating your on-premises application to the cloud without modifying it." Another user, Yomijohnson, emphasized that this strategy is suitable when "the company does not want to modify the workload but needs to move it to the cloud." The votes were unanimous, reflecting clear understanding of the definition.

Exam Strategy

Always look for keywords like 'no changes', 'without modification', or 'lift and shift' to identify Rehosting. If the question mentions optimizing for performance or using managed services, consider Replatforming or Refactoring instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Rehost and Replatform?

Rehost moves the app as-is ('lift and shift'), while Replatform makes minor changes to use cloud-native features like managed databases.

When should I choose Refactoring over Rehosting?

Choose Refactoring when you need to fully leverage cloud benefits like scalability and cost-efficiency by rewriting the application code.

More CLF-C02 FAQ →

Community Votes

C
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer C. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 4 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 4

  1. Yomijohnson 👍 1
    Rehosting, also known as "lift and shift," is the migration strategy where you move an existing workload from on-premises to AWS without making any changes to the application itself. This strategy is the most suitable when the company does not want to modify the workload but needs to move it to the cloud for reasons such as scalability, cost savings, or resource optimization.
  2. Kilobay1 👍 1 Answered C
    Rehosting is the ideal strategy for migrating a legacy workload to AWS when the goal is to maintain the existing application unchanged. This approach allows for a straightforward migration with minimal adjustments.
  3. alokdixit2006 👍 1 Answered C
    Rehosting (lift and shift) is the process of migrating your on-premises application to the cloud without modifying it
  4. ShaiTay 👍 1 Answered C
    C. Rehost - migrating, but not making any changes

Reader comments & corrections

No reader corrections yet — spotted an error or have a note? Share it below.

Log in to comment, report an error, or add a note about this question.

Which migration strategies move a cloud-incompatible CMS with least effort?

S-grade

Launching Third-Party IDS in AWS

S-grade

Which AWS Support Plan Offers API Access Most Cost-Effectively?

S-grade

S3 Express One Zone for Single-Digit Millisecond Latency

S-grade

Practice All CLF-C02 Questions

Access 120 questions with complete answers and detailed explanations.

View Full CLF-C02 Practice Test →

← Back to CLF-C02 Study Guide