AWS Migration Evaluator: A Beginner’s Guide to Assessing Cloud Moves

Thinking about moving your workloads to AWS but unsure where to start? The AWS Migration Evaluator (formerly TSO Logic) is a free, data‑driven tool that helps you measure the financial, technical, and operational impact of a migration before you commit.

Why Use AWS Migration Evaluator?

• Accurate cost modeling – Generates a detailed TCO comparison between on‑premises and AWS.
• Performance insight – Analyzes CPU, memory, storage, and network usage to size the right EC2 instance types.
• Risk reduction – Identifies dependencies and workloads that may need refactoring.

These insights let you build a business case, secure stakeholder buy‑in, and prioritize migration waves with confidence.

How Migration Evaluator Works

1. Data Collection

Connect the tool to your environment using one of three methods:

1. Agent‑based discovery – Lightweight agents installed on servers collect utilization metrics for 30 days.
2. VMware vCenter integration – Pulls performance data directly from vSphere.
3. CSV import – Upload existing monitoring reports if agents aren’t an option.

The data is securely stored in an AWS S3 bucket you control.

2. Workload Classification

Migration Evaluator automatically groups resources by application, tier, or custom tag. You can fine‑tune classifications to match your migration strategy (e.g., lift‑and‑shift vs. re‑platform).

3. Recommendation Engine

Using AWS pricing, instance families, and Savings Plans, the engine proposes the most cost‑effective target architecture:

• Right‑sized EC2 instance types (including burstable, general‑purpose, compute‑optimized, etc.)
• Appropriate storage options (EBS gp3, io2, Amazon S3, or Glacier)
• Potential use of AWS services such as RDS, Aurora, or ECS for containerized workloads

Key Metrics You’ll Get

• Current TCO – Power, cooling, licensing, staffing, and hardware depreciation.
• Projected AWS cost – Monthly and annual spend, including Savings Plans and Reserved Instances savings.
• Performance fit – CPU, memory, and IOPS match percentage for each recommended instance.
• Migration effort – Estimated person‑hours based on workload complexity.

Step‑by‑Step Migration Planning Using Evaluator Insights

1. Run the assessment – Gather a full month of utilization data for accurate sizing.
2. Review the cost model – Use the side‑by‑side comparison to build your business case.
3. Prioritize workloads – Focus on high‑savings, low‑complexity apps for an early “quick win”.
4. Design the target architecture – Leverage the recommended instance types and AWS services.
5. Create a migration wave plan – Group workloads by dependency, data volume, and risk level.
6. Execute with AWS Migration Hub – Track progress and adjust sizing as you move.

Best Practices & Tips

• Collect at least 30 days of data to capture peak usage and seasonality.
• Tag resources consistently before the assessment; it simplifies classification.
• Include licensing costs (Windows, SQL, Oracle) in the on‑prem TCO for a true comparison.
• Test Savings Plans vs. Reserved Instances using the tool’s cost scenarios.
• Run a pilot migration on a low‑risk workload to validate the sizing recommendations.

FAQ

Is AWS Migration Evaluator free?

Yes, the assessment and recommendation reports are provided at no charge. You only pay for the AWS resources you actually launch.

Can the tool assess on‑prem databases?

It captures database server metrics but does not analyze schema. For detailed database migration, pair it with AWS Database Migration Service (DMS).

How secure is the data collected?

All data is stored in an S3 bucket you own, encrypted at rest, and never shared with third parties.

Do I need deep AWS expertise to interpret the results?

No. The reports include plain‑language summaries and actionable recommendations, though consulting an AWS Partner can help refine large‑scale strategies.

What if my workloads need refactoring?

The tool flags workloads with low performance fit, suggesting options like containerization on ECS/EKS or moving to managed services such as RDS.

Conclusion

The AWS Migration Evaluator turns guesswork into data‑driven decisions. By quantifying cost savings, performance fit, and effort, it empowers teams to build a realistic migration roadmap and secure leadership approval. Start with a 30‑day assessment, review the report, and take the first step toward a smoother, more economical cloud journey.

Ready to Start?

Log in to the AWS Management Console, navigate to Migrations & Transfer → Migration Evaluator, and launch your free assessment today. Need help interpreting the results? Contact our Cloud Migration Service team for a complimentary strategy session.