AWS Server Migration Service
AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) is a fully managed service that automates the migration of on-premises virtual machines (VMs) and physical servers to the AWS cloud. It simplifies the process by replicating server volumes as Amazon EBS snapshots and creating Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) for deployment on Amazon EC2. This tool supports incremental replication to minimize downtime and is designed for large-scale server migrations.
Developers should use AWS Server Migration Service when migrating existing on-premises workloads to AWS, especially for lift-and-shift migrations of VMware, Hyper-V, or physical servers. It is ideal for organizations looking to reduce migration complexity, automate replication, and minimize downtime during cutover. Specific use cases include data center migrations, disaster recovery setups, and consolidating server infrastructure in the cloud.