Module 01
Evaluate cloud readiness, build a compelling business case, and choose the right assessment tools for your migration journey.
Every successful cloud migration begins with a thorough assessment. Before moving a single workload, organizations need to understand their current environment, evaluate readiness, and build a solid business case that justifies the investment.
The AWS migration lifecycle is structured around three iterative phases, with the Well-Architected Framework applied throughout:
For AnyCompany Bank, the Assess phase is critical for understanding regulatory constraints. Data sovereignty requirements, compliance mandates from financial regulators, and zero-downtime expectations for core banking systems all need to be mapped before any migration planning begins.
| Phase | Tools & Services |
|---|---|
| Assess | CART, MRA, Migration Evaluator, MPA |
| Mobilize | AWS Control Tower, Application Discovery Service |
| Migrate & Modernize | Application Migration Service, DMS, DataSync, Storage Gateway |
AWS recommends engaging certified Migration Competency Partners throughout all three phases. These partners bring specialized expertise in planning, executing, and optimizing cloud migrations — particularly valuable for complex enterprise environments with regulatory requirements.
AWS Prescriptive Guidance offers a library of proven strategies, architectural patterns, and implementation guides developed by AWS experts and the global partner community. It provides actionable frameworks for planning and executing migrations at scale.
AWS provides four primary assessment tools, each designed for different stages of readiness evaluation and business case development.
CART is a free, self-service online assessment that helps organizations evaluate their preparedness for cloud adoption. It surfaces organizational strengths and areas requiring attention, based on the six perspectives of the AWS Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF).
MRA provides a deeper, facilitated assessment of migration readiness. Unlike CART, it requires engagement with AWS Professional Services or an AWS Partner and is typically delivered as a one-day workshop or interview-style session.
MRA is a prerequisite for the Migration Acceleration Program (MAP). Organizations seeking MAP funding must complete this assessment during the Assess phase.
Migration Evaluator analyzes your existing infrastructure portfolio to understand current costs and utilization patterns. It then proposes right-sized EC2 instance types, storage options, and licensing models — producing a directional business case for migration.
MPA is a web application that assists with discovering, classifying, and planning the migration of application portfolios. It combines data inventory, portfolio analysis, and migration planning into a comprehensive planning tool.
For AnyCompany Bank, Migration Evaluator is particularly valuable for building the financial case around migrating core banking databases (Oracle, SQL Server) to managed services. The licensing analysis helps quantify savings from moving away from expensive commercial database licenses.
Understanding why organizations migrate is essential for building a compelling business case. These drivers represent the strategic motivations that justify the investment in cloud migration.
| Driver | Description |
|---|---|
| Cost Reduction | Pay only for consumed resources rather than maintaining underutilized on-premises hardware |
| Facility Decisions | Data center lease expirations, consolidation initiatives, or hardware refresh cycles |
| Agility | Accelerate development cycles and reduce time-to-market for new capabilities |
| Innovation | Access cutting-edge services (AI/ML, analytics, serverless) without infrastructure investment |
| Security | Leverage AWS security capabilities and shared responsibility model |
| Resilience | Built-in redundancy, multi-AZ deployments, and global infrastructure |
| Contract Changes | Colocation or outsourcing contract renewals triggering re-evaluation |
| Elastic Compute | Scale compute capacity for intensive workloads without capital expenditure |
Successful migrations deliver measurable outcomes across four categories:
For AnyCompany Bank, regulatory compliance is often the primary driver alongside cost optimization. Financial regulators increasingly expect robust disaster recovery capabilities and data sovereignty controls that cloud infrastructure can deliver more effectively than aging on-premises data centers.
Choosing the right assessment tool depends on your organization's stage, access level, and specific needs.
| Aspect | CART | MRA |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Available to all AWS customers (self-service) | Requires AWS Professional Services or Partners |
| Engagement Style | Self-paced online questionnaire | Facilitated workshop or interview (typically 1 day) |
| Depth | 6 CAF perspectives, 47 questions | 6 CAF perspectives, 85+ questions |
| MAP Requirement | Not required for MAP | Required for MAP Assess phase |
| Output | Readiness report with strengths/gaps | Heatmap, radar chart, workstream scores, action plan |
| Aspect | Migration Evaluator | MPA |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Open to all customers and partners | AWS Partners and Professional Services |
| Data Collection | Offline transformation by data analyst; agentless | Guided self-service import from discovery tools or CMDB |
| Licensing Analysis | Includes OS licensing analysis with processor age consideration | Does not include OS licensing analysis |
| Network & Labor Costs | Not supported | Includes on-premises and AWS estimates for storage, network, labor, support |
| Primary Focus | Cost analysis and right-sizing recommendations | Portfolio discovery, classification, and migration planning |
AnyCompany Bank would typically start with CART for an initial self-assessment, then engage partners for a formal MRA (required for MAP funding). Migration Evaluator provides the financial justification needed for board-level approval, while MPA helps sequence the migration of hundreds of banking applications across multiple business lines.
Start here: Use CART for a quick organizational readiness check — it takes minutes and gives immediate feedback.
Go deeper: Engage for an MRA when you need a formal readiness assessment, especially if pursuing MAP funding.
Build the case: Use Migration Evaluator to produce the financial business case with right-sizing and licensing analysis.
Plan the portfolio: Use MPA to classify applications, determine migration strategies, and build a sequenced migration plan.