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Don't just learn the cloud—BYTE it!
Byte the Cloud is your go-to, on-the-go, podcast for mastering AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud certifications and exam prep!
Chris 0:00
Hey everyone, and welcome to another deep dive. Hey
Kelly 0:02
there. Today
Chris 0:02
we're tackling a topic that's super relevant. If you're a mid level cloud engineer, like most of our listeners are, definitely we're going to be diving deep into AWS application migration service, or as it's more commonly known as AWS MGN. And you know this service, it's all about helping you migrate those on prem applications to the cloud? Yeah,
Kelly 0:23
you got it. And, you know, as cloud engineers, we all know how important that is, right?
Chris 0:27
Oh, for sure, it's like the name of the game these days.
Kelly 0:29
It really is. And, you know, AWS MGN, it really is like a secret weapon to make those migrations go smoothly. So,
Chris 0:36
like, could you give us just like, a quick sort of elevator pitch of what AWS MGN is all about, sure.
Kelly 0:42
So basically, AWS MGN, it's a service that helps you lift and shift those applications from your on premises servers right up into the AWS cloud. Okay, so it's like moving houses, but for applications, exactly. And the best part is, it handles a lot of the heavy lifting for you, so you don't have to worry about all those, like, nitty gritty details.
Chris 1:00
So no more sleepless nights, worrying about downtime and data loss and all that fun stuff
Kelly 1:04
you got. It's designed to minimize all those risks and make the whole migration process much smoother and faster.
Chris 1:10
Sounds like a dream come true for anyone who's ever had to deal with a messy migration.
Kelly 1:14
It really is. And you know, I think it's important to understand why this is such a big deal right now. Yeah, for sure. So many businesses are moving away from those like traditional data centers, towards more like flexible and scalable cloud solutions. Cloud is King these days it is. And, you know, migrating those applications can be super complex and risky, as we talked about, yeah, it's not for the faint of heart. No, it's not. But AWS, MGN, it comes in to simplify and streamline that whole process so you can minimize those risks and headaches.
Chris 1:45
So it's like having a team of expert movers who know exactly how to pack up your precious apps and get them settled into their new cloud home without breaking anything. That's
Kelly 1:54
a great analogy. And you know, to really see the power of AWS MGN, I think it helps to look at some real world examples.
Chris 2:01
I love real world examples makes it all so much more tangible. Me too. So
Kelly 2:05
imagine, like a large retailer, they need to migrate their entire e commerce platform to AWS to handle those massive traffic spikes during like, big sale events, oh yeah,
Chris 2:15
like Black Friday, Cyber Monday. Those are make or break moments for online businesses, exactly,
Kelly 2:20
and AWS MGN can help them make that transition seamlessly with minimal disruption to online sales.
Chris 2:26
No website crashes, no angry customers. Everybody
Kelly 2:28
wins exactly, or think about like a healthcare provider moving their sensitive patient record system to the
Chris 2:34
cloud. Yeah, security and compliance are absolutely critical in that scenario,
Kelly 2:38
for sure, and AWS MGN it can ensure a secure and compliant migration process, safeguarding that data at every step the
Chris 2:46
way. Okay, I'm starting to see why this service is getting so much buzz. It's a game changer, for sure, but let's get into the specifics now, yeah, let's dive into the nuts and bolts of AWS MGN, right? So
Kelly 2:55
one of the biggest benefits of AWS MGN is its ability to minimize downtime during the migration. Now time is the enemy. It is, and AWS, MGN tackles that head on by using Continuous Replication break that down for us, sure. So it basically creates a live, up to date copy of your application in the AWS cloud while your original application keeps running on premises. So it's like having a clone in the cloud, exactly, and then when it's time to make the switch, the transition is super quick, so there's minimal disruption to your users. No more
Chris 3:27
those dreaded maintenance windows where everyone's scrambling to get things done. Nope. It's
Kelly 3:30
all about keeping the business running smoothly. I like the sound of that, and that's just one of the great things about AWS MGN. It also has this amazing feature called Automated conversion.
Chris 3:40
Okay, automated conversion. What's that all about?
Kelly 3:42
So this is where AWS, MGN really flexes its muscles. It can automatically convert your source servers to run natively on AWS. Wow, that's impressive. It is. It takes care of things like modifying those boot scripts, adjusting network configurations and converting those storage volumes to AWS compatible formats. So
Chris 4:01
as a cloud engineer, you don't have to do all that manual configuration yourself. You
Kelly 4:05
got it saves a ton of time and reduces the chances of errors. Sounds like a win, win to me. It is. And another great thing about AWS MGN is that it supports a wide range of source operating systems. Okay? So it's not just limited to Windows or it can handle various versions of both, including some older, less common ones. So it's pretty versatile. It is. It's a versatile tool for migrating those diverse application landscapes that we often see in the real world.
Chris 4:30
That's great to hear. But like with any tool, I'm guessing there are limitations, right? Of course, no tool is perfect. So when would AWS MGN not be the best fit for a migration?
Kelly 4:41
That's a great question. So, for example, applications with very specific hardware dependencies, like those requiring specialized GPUs or custom hardware accelerators, they might not be suitable for AWS MGN, right? Because
Chris 4:54
you might not be able to replicate that exact hardware setup in the cloud exactly. You
Kelly 4:58
probably need to explore. Other migration strategies in those cases. Okay,
Chris 5:02
that makes sense. And what about really large and complex applications?
Kelly 5:06
Yeah, those can also be tricky, especially if they have intricate dependencies. You might need more careful planning and maybe even a phased approach right
Chris 5:13
break it down into smaller, more manageable chunks,
Kelly 5:16
exactly. So it's not a one size fits all solution.
Chris 5:19
It's all about choosing the right tool for the job and understanding the nuances of your application landscape. I couldn't have said it better myself. Now I'm curious, how does AWS MGN play with other AWS services?
Kelly 5:31
It plays very well, actually, good to hear. It integrates seamlessly with other services like EC2 for your compute needs, S3 for storage and IAM for managing access and permissions. It's
Chris 5:41
like part of a bigger cloud ecosystem, exactly.
Kelly 5:43
It provides a really cohesive cloud experience and makes it much easier to manage and secure your migrated applications.
Chris 5:50
That's awesome. And does it like work alongside other migration tools?
Kelly 5:53
Oh yeah for sure. It complements other tools, like AWS Data Sync, which is great for moving large data sets, and AWS Server migration service which can be used to migrate specific server roles.
Chris 6:04
So it's like having a whole team of specialists working together to ensure a smooth migration. That's a great way to put it. Now, I know a lot of our listeners are gearing up for those AWS certification exams. Yeah, those exams can be tough. So how does all of this AWS MGN knowledge translate into exam style questions. That's
Kelly 6:21
what we're gonna get into next. But first a quick break. All right, so let's put all this knowledge to the test. Okay, I'm ready. Imagine you're a solutions architect, and you've got this task to migrate a company's web application over to AWS.
Chris 6:34
Okay, sounds like a pretty common scenario.
Kelly 6:37
It is. It's a classic migration scenario, and let's say this application, it's a multi tiered application, okay, so we're talking multiple layers different components. Exactly. The front end, it's running on a bunch of Windows servers of a Windows front end, but the back end it's all Linux servers, okay, so a mix of operating systems, yep, and they've got a MySQL database for all their data. Of course, got to have a database, and the company's biggest concern is minimizing downtime during this migration?
Chris 7:00
Yeah, downtime. That's the nightmare scenario for any business, absolutely. So
Kelly 7:05
the question is, which AWS service would you choose for this migration and why? Hmm,
Chris 7:09
okay, let me think we've got a multi tiered application, different operating systems, a database, and minimizing downtime is crucial. Those are the key factors. Given all that, I'd say AWS MGN is the way to go. You got it spot on, Continuous Replication, that's the key here, right? Exactly.
Kelly 7:29
It ensures that there's minimal disruption to the application during the migration, and it
Chris 7:33
can handle both Windows and Linux servers, no problem, seamlessly. So we're covered on all fronts, nice. So AWS MGN, it is, for this scenario, perfect choice. Now let's switch gears a bit. Okay, I'm following along. Imagine a different company. This one's a bit more budget conscious.
Kelly 7:49
Okay, so we need to be mindful of costs. Definitely,
Chris 7:52
they've got a small IT team, limited resources, and a handful of legacy applications that they need to migrate to. AWS
Kelly 7:59
legacy applications,
Chris 8:01
those can be tricky. They can be but security is also a top concern for this company. Of course, security is always paramount. So given those constraints, what migration strategy would you recommend? Hmm,
Kelly 8:11
okay, small team, limited budget, legacy applications and security is key. What's your approach? I think a phased migration would make sense. In this case,
Chris 8:20
I agree completely. Instead of trying to move everything all at once, which could be overwhelming for a small team and potentially risky, we break it down into smaller steps, manageable chunks exactly start with maybe a smaller, less critical application to get the hang of the process and then gradually move on to the more complex ones. That's a
Kelly 8:39
smart approach. It allows the team to get comfortable with AWS MGN and minimize the impact on the business if any issues pop up, right? And
Chris 8:46
since security is a big concern, we can leverage AWS mgns built in security features like integration with AWS I am exactly
Kelly 8:54
we can ensure that those legacy applications are secure throughout the entire migration process. Okay,
Chris 9:00
so phase migration It is for this cost conscious and security minded company. It's
Kelly 9:05
like a solid plan. Now let's throw in a curve ball. Okay, hit me. What if we have a company whose application relies heavily on custom hardware accelerator, so
Chris 9:12
those specialized components that might not be available in the cloud exactly, could
Kelly 9:16
they still use AWS MGN for this migration? Hmm,
Chris 9:19
that's a tough one, because AWS MGN, it's great for lift and shift migrations, but it can't magically replicate custom hardware in the cloud. You're absolutely right. So in this case, they probably have to look at other options, like refactoring the application to remove those dependencies, or maybe even finding a cloud provider that can accommodate their specific hardware
Kelly 9:38
needs. Those are both valid options. It all depends on their specific requirements and constraints.
Chris 9:43
It's good reminder that while AWS MGN is powerful, it's not a magic bullet for every migration scenario. Definitely,
Kelly 9:50
careful assessment is always key. Okay, so
Chris 9:53
we've successfully migrated an application using AWS MGN. Now, how do we hand. Security for this newly migrated application. Ah,
Kelly 10:03
security always a top priority, absolutely, especially in the cloud, right? So this is where AWS IAM comes
Chris 10:08
into play. I am the identity and access management service that's the one. IAM
Kelly 10:12
is crucial for controlling who has access to what within your AWS environment. So
Chris 10:17
we can create different immu Users and Groups and assign them specific roles and permissions exactly.
Kelly 10:22
You have granular control over who can do what with the application, so
Chris 10:27
administrators might have full control while developers might have more limited access.
Kelly 10:32
Precisely. It's all about setting up the right level of access for each user role. Okay, it makes sense. Now. What about troubleshooting? Uh, troubleshooting every cloud engineer's favorite pastime.
Chris 10:42
Yeah, it comes with the territory. So let's say a company's migrating a database server using AWS MGN, and suddenly the process hits a snag. Okay? Migration stalled. What do we do? First things first, check the AWS MGN console and CloudWatch logs. Oh, he's
Kelly 10:58
a good starting point.
Chris 10:59
They often provide valuable clues about what might be going wrong, error messages, warnings, that kind of thing.
Kelly 11:04
Those logs can be your best friend. When troubleshooting
Chris 11:07
and beyond the logs, we should also make sure that the source server meets all the prerequisites for migration,
Kelly 11:13
absolutely, things like having the necessary agents installed and configured correctly, right?
Chris 11:18
It's like making sure you packed everything you for a trip before you head out the door Exactly.
Kelly 11:21
And while we're checking things, let's not forget about network connectivity. Ah, yes, the network the backbone of everything. Make sure there's a solid and secure connection between the source server and AWS,
Chris 11:32
right? A migration can't happen if the data can't travel between the two environments Exactly.
Kelly 11:37
So network connectivity is crucial. Now let's talk about costs for
Chris 11:42
a minute. Costs, yeah, that's always a factor in any cloud project. So
Kelly 11:46
imagine a company is planning a large scale migration using AWS MGM,
Chris 11:51
okay, big migration, lots of data to move, and
Kelly 11:54
they're trying to estimate the financial impact of this migration, right? Got to keep those costs in check? Well, AWS has a great tool for that, the AWS pricing calculator. Pricing calculator sounds helpful. It is you can input all your migration paRAMeters, like the number of servers, the data volume, the migration duration, and it'll give you a detailed cost breakdown, so you can get a pretty
Chris 12:13
good idea of what you're going to be spending before you even start the migration exactly no synchronizes later on. That's awesome. And I'm assuming they also need to consider the ongoing costs of running those applications in AWS once the migration is complete, definitely
Kelly 12:26
things like the cost of EC2 instances, storage, data, transfer, all those factors need to be considered.
Chris 12:32
Okay, so far, we've been talking a lot about migrations from on premises to AWS, but what about companies that are already using a hybrid cloud approach?
Kelly 12:40
Hybrid Cloud, that's a whole other ball game, right, where
Chris 12:43
they have some applications running on premises and some already in the cloud. Can AWS MGN be used in those scenarios?
Kelly 12:50
That's a great question, and it's becoming increasingly relevant as more companies adopt hybrid cloud models. So
Chris 12:56
it's not just a one way street to the cloud, not
Kelly 12:58
necessarily while AWS MGN is primarily designed for on premises to AWS migrations. It can certainly play a role in hybrid cloud environments.
Chris 13:07
Okay, so what are some examples of how AWS MGN could be useful in a hybrid setup?
Kelly 13:11
Well, one common use case is disaster recovery. Disaster Recovery always a top concern. It is so companies can use AWS MGN to replicate their on premises applications to AWS, creating a standby environment in the cloud so
Chris 13:25
if disaster strikes, they can quickly switch over to the cloud and minimize downtime Exactly.
Kelly 13:29
It's like having an insurance policy for your applications. I like that analogy. And
Chris 13:33
what about other use cases for AWS, MGN in a hybrid cloud? Another
Kelly 13:37
great use case is application testing and staging. Yeah,
Chris 13:42
so you can create copies of your on premises applications in AWS to test new features or updates without affecting your production environment. Exactly.
Kelly 13:49
It gives you a safe space to experiment and innovate. Makes sense.
Chris 13:53
Now we've been focusing a lot on AWS, MGN, but what about the other components of an IT infrastructure,
Kelly 13:59
like file servers, network configurations, active directories, all that good stuff, exactly.
Chris 14:03
Can AWS MGN handle those as well? That's a common
Kelly 14:06
question, and it's important to understand that while AWS MGN is fantastic for applications and databases, it's not designed to handle every single aspect of an IT infrastructure migration, right? It's
Chris 14:18
like having a specialized moving company. Yeah, they might be great at moving furniture, but you might need separate experts for handling fragile items or setting up your home theater system.
Kelly 14:27
Exactly so for migrating file servers. AWS offers a service called AWS datasync. Datasync, we touched on that earlier. Right? It's specifically designed for moving large datasets efficiently. And what about network configurations? For networks. It's less about migrating existing configurations and more about building a new network environment in AWS
Chris 14:47
using services like EPCs, security groups, route tables, all those networking building blocks
Kelly 14:53
precisely you're creating a new network infrastructure in AWS that aligns with your cloud architecture. Here.
Chris 15:00
Okay, that makes sense. And what about active directories for that you've got AWS directory, directory service, so we can manage users and permissions in the cloud Exactly.
Kelly 15:07
It allows you to transition your users and their permissions seamlessly to the AWS environment.
Chris 15:13
So it's all about choosing the right AWS service for each aspect of the migration and understanding how they all fit together. Exactly
Kelly 15:20
a successful cloud migration is like a well choreographed dance. Each service playing its part perfectly.
Chris 15:27
I love that analogy. And speaking of AWS services, are there any new trends or features on the horizon for AWS MGN that we should be aware of?
Kelly 15:37
That's a great question, and it highlights the fact that the cloud landscape is constantly evolving. AWS is always innovating, keeping us on our toes. Definitely. One exciting trend is the growing integration between AWS MGM and other AWS services. Okay, so
Chris 15:51
even more seamless migrations, exactly
Kelly 15:53
for example, AWS is deepening the integration between AWS, MGN and AWS control tower, control
Chris 16:01
tower, that's the service for setting up and governing a multi account AWS environment. That's the
Kelly 16:06
one. And this integration will make it easier to migrate applications into well architected, compliant landing zones within AWS to less manual configuration, more automation, exactly. And another trend is the increasing focus on application modernization as part of the migration process
Chris 16:21
modernization. So it's not just about moving the application as is. It's about making it better, taking advantage of
Kelly 16:26
the cloud. Precisely, AWS is adding features to AWS MGN that help companies modernize their applications, leveraging cloud native services and architectures
Chris 16:35
so they can enhance scalability, performance, cost efficiency, all those
Kelly 16:38
cloud benefits. Exactly, it's about getting the most out of your migration. Okay, this is
Chris 16:42
all incredibly insightful. We've covered so much ground today. We have we've explored
Kelly 16:46
the core features and benefits of AWS MGN, its limitations, its role in hybrid cloud migrations, even some exam prep tips. But before we
Chris 16:55
wrap up, I have one final thought provoking question. Okay, hit me. We've talked about how AWS MGN handles applications and databases, but what about the data itself, those massive data sets that often accompany migrations? Ah,
Kelly 17:09
that's a fantastic question, and it leads us to another key player in the AWS migration toolkit. Okay,
Chris 17:15
I'm intrigued, but I think we're running out of time for this part of our deep dive. Don't
Kelly 17:18
worry. We'll pick up right where we left off in the next and final part, where we'll delve into the world of data migration with AWS and how it complements the application migration process.
Chris 17:27
Sounds good. I'm already looking forward to it. Welcome back, everyone. We left off on a bit of a cliffhanger talking about data and how we handle those massive data sets that often need to be migrated along with applications.
Kelly 17:39
Right data? It's the heart of any application, absolutely. So we
Chris 17:43
know AWS MGN is our go to for migrating applications and databases themselves, but what about all that data that needs to come along for the ride? That's
Kelly 17:50
where AWS datasync comes in. Datasync, okay,
Chris 17:53
we touched on that briefly before, yeah, think of
Kelly 17:55
it in a high speed train for data transfer. It's specifically designed to move those large datasets. We're talking terabytes, petabytes, even between on premises storage and various AWS services like
Chris 18:06
s 3e, f, s, f, s, x, for Windows, those kinds of services, those are the usual suspects. So while AWS, MGN is busy relocating the application data, sync is working in parallel to efficiently move all that data to its new cloud home you got
Kelly 18:20
it's like a well coordinated dance. They work together seamlessly. I like that
Chris 18:24
analogy. So what makes data sync so great for this kind of large scale data transfer? What are some of its advantages?
Kelly 18:32
Well, first and foremost, it's incredibly fast. It uses a multi threaded, parallel transfer approach to maximize throughput. So
Chris 18:39
we're not talking about days or weeks for these huge data sets to arrive, no
Kelly 18:42
way. Data Sync is all about speed and efficiency. It also has built in data integrity checks to ensure that your data arrives at its destination safe and sound. Okay,
Chris 18:52
so no corrupted data after the migration. That's always a good thing.
Kelly 18:55
Absolutely, data integrity is paramount, and of course, we can't forget about costs, right? Costs are always a consideration. Datasync is designed with cost optimization in mind. It automatically compresses data during transfer to minimize bandwidth usage and costs.
Chris 19:10
So less bandwidth means lower costs. That makes sense,
Kelly 19:13
and you only pay for the data you actually transfer, not for any idle time.
Chris 19:17
Okay, so datasync Seems like the clear choice for large data sets. Are there any scenarios where it might not be the ideal tool?
Kelly 19:25
There are a few edge cases. For example, if you have extremely latency sensitive data that needs to be moved in real time, you might consider AWS Direct Connect. Direct Connect
Chris 19:34
that gives you a dedicated network connection between on premises and
Kelly 19:38
AWS, right? Exactly. It's all about low latency in those cases, makes
Chris 19:41
sense. And what about scenarios where you need to move data incrementally, capturing only the changes since the last transfer? Ah,
Kelly 19:48
in those cases, you might want to look at AWS database migration service or DMS.
Chris 19:53
DMS, right? That's often used for ongoing data replication or for migrating databases with minimum. Downtime
Kelly 20:00
Exactly. It's a different tool for different needs. So
Chris 20:03
the takeaway here is that there's no one size fits all solution for data migration. It all depends on the specific requirements of the project.
Kelly 20:10
Couldn't agree more, you always got to choose the right tool for the job. Now, shifting
Chris 20:15
gears a bit. I know a lot of our listeners are prepping for those AWS certification exams.
Kelly 20:19
Yeah, those exams, they can be a real challenge. They can So what are
Chris 20:24
some key things to keep in mind when it comes to AWS application migration service and those related data migration services? Well,
Kelly 20:30
first and foremost, it's not enough to just memorize definitions. Right? Understanding the concepts is key exactly. You need to be able to explain the why behind the what. So for
Chris 20:39
AWS, MGN, for example, you should be able to articulate its core features like Continuous Replication and automated conversion and explain how
Kelly 20:47
those features contribute to minimizing downtime and simplifying migrations right. Show
Chris 20:53
that you understand the real world benefits and how those features solve specific problems
Kelly 20:56
Exactly. And for datasync, the focus should be on its strength, like speed efficiency for large scale, data transfer, cost optimization, data integrity, all those key aspects and
Chris 21:07
knowing when Data Sync is the best choice versus other services like direct connect or DMS, right?
Kelly 21:14
It's about demonstrating that deep understanding of the services and their nuances.
Chris 21:19
Now, what about those tricky exam questions, the ones that don't have a clear cut answer,
Kelly 21:23
those are the ones that really test your knowledge. So any tips for tackling those? Well, first of all, don't panic, take a deep breath. Read the question carefully and try to break it down into smaller pieces.
Chris 21:33
Identify the problem, the relevant services, the desired outcome
Kelly 21:37
exactly and sometimes. Eliminating obviously wrong answers can help you narrow down the choices like a process of elimination, right? And even if you're not 100% sure of the answer, showing your thought process and demonstrating your understanding of the concepts can often earn you points.
Chris 21:53
It's about showing that you can think critically and apply your knowledge to a real world situation. Exactly.
Kelly 21:58
That's what those exams are all about. Well, I
Chris 22:00
think we've covered just about everything there is to know about AWS application migration service and its companion data migration services.
Kelly 22:08
It's been a comprehensive, deep dive, for sure. We've explored
Chris 22:10
the core features and benefits, the limitations, the use cases in different scenarios, even touched on some exam prep strategies. Hopefully our
Kelly 22:19
listeners are feeling much more confident in their AWS MGN knowledge. Now, I
Chris 22:23
hope so, and don't forget to check out the show notes for links to all the AWS documentation, white papers, practice exams, all those valuable resources. Keep
Kelly 22:31
learning, keep experimenting, keep those cloud skills sharp, and
Chris 22:35
until next time, happy. Cloud computing. Everyone you.