Lesson 1Data cataloging and normalisation: building spreadsheets or CMDB entries, tagging strategy for migration prioritisationDiscover ways to list servers, applications, and data into organised inventories or CMDBs. Understand normalisation techniques, naming conventions, and tagging approaches that aid migration phases, track ownership, and ensure governance after moving to AWS in a structured manner.
Designing inventory spreadsheets and CMDB fieldsNormalising application and system namingDefining ownership, criticality, and SLA attributesCreating AWS-aligned tagging taxonomiesTagging for migration waves and prioritisationLesson 2Two discovery tools researched: AWS Application Discovery Service and VMware vRealize Network Insight — how to use each for inventory, dependency mapping, and export formatsExplore AWS Application Discovery Service and VMware Aria Operations for Networks in detail. Learn about setup processes, data gathering, dependency mapping, and export options to integrate with AWS Migration Hub and other planning resources effectively.
Configuring AWS Application Discovery ServiceCollecting agentless and agent-based ADS dataSetting up VMware Aria Operations for NetworksBuilding dependency maps and flow visualisationsExporting inventories to AWS Migration HubLesson 3Interview guide for stakeholders: app owners, DBAs, network, security, operations, business stakeholdersCreate a well-structured interview guide for both technical and business stakeholders. Find out the right questions to pose to app owners, DBAs, network teams, security personnel, and operations staff to reveal hidden dependencies and migration limitations.
Identifying key technical and business stakeholdersPreparing role-specific interview question setsRunning effective discovery workshops and sessionsValidating findings with follow-up interviewsDocumenting decisions, risks, and open issuesLesson 4Storage and I/O characteristics: datastore types, IOPS, throughput, shares, deduplication, backup schedulesGrasp storage and I/O features that shape AWS designs. Document datastore varieties, performance profiles, deduplication methods, and backup timetables to select appropriate EBS, EFS, or FSx solutions and related policies for your needs.
Classifying datastore and array types in useMeasuring IOPS, throughput, and latency profilesIdentifying storage tiers, QoS, and share settingsDocumenting snapshots, backups, and retentionMapping storage needs to AWS storage servicesLesson 5Collecting server and VM inventory: CPU, memory, storage, OS versions, VM tools, snapshotsFind out how to gather thorough server and VM details from VMware and guest operating systems. Record CPU, memory, storage, OS versions, tools, and snapshots to aid right-sizing, compatibility assessments, and planning migrations to AWS.
Gathering CPU, memory, and NUMA informationCapturing disk layout, datastore, and capacity dataRecording OS versions, editions, and patch levelsIdentifying VMware Tools status and versionsDetecting snapshots and orphaned VM artifactsLesson 6Application and tier dependencies: web, app, DB processes, inter-host ports, service mapsLearn to spot and record application tiers and their interconnections across web, application, and database levels. Understand required ports, protocols, and service maps to securely re-platform workloads onto AWS without issues.
Identifying web, app, and database tiersDocumenting inter-tier ports and protocolsBuilding end-to-end service dependency mapsDetecting hidden batch jobs and background tasksCapturing external third-party service callsLesson 7Operational procedures and runbooks: backup/restore, patching, deployment, escalation pathsExamine current operational procedures and runbooks that maintain workload health on-premises. Adapt backup, patching, deployment, and escalation routines into requirements and constraints for AWS landing zones and daily operations.
Cataloguing backup and restore proceduresDocumenting patching and maintenance workflowsCapturing deployment and release processesUnderstanding monitoring and alerting runbooksMapping escalation paths and on-call rotationsLesson 8Network topology and connectivity: VLANs, subnets, routing, firewalls, NAT, load balancersLearn to document existing network topology, covering VLANs, subnets, routing, and security layers. See how this data guides AWS VPC design, connectivity choices, and strategies for security groups and NACLs in your setup.
Mapping VLANs, subnets, and IP address rangesDocumenting routing, VRFs, and default gatewaysCapturing firewall, NAT, and ACL configurationsIdentifying load balancers and VIP dependenciesRelating on-prem networks to AWS VPC designLesson 9Assumptions to state explicitly when gaps exist: sample load, unavailable metrics, maintenance windows, licensing constraintsUnderstand how to note and share assumptions when discovery information is incomplete. Record sample loads, absent metrics, maintenance periods, and licensing limits to handle risks and set proper expectations with stakeholders.
Identifying missing or unreliable data areasDefining traffic and load sampling assumptionsStating maintenance and outage window limitsCapturing licensing and support constraintsRecording risks and validation follow-upsLesson 10Scripts and manual techniques: PowerCLI, govc, vSphere API calls, Linux/Windows commands to collect configurationExplore scripts and hands-on methods to pull VMware and OS configurations when automated tools fall short. Employ PowerCLI, govc, vSphere APIs, and OS commands to compile dependable inventories and check automated results.
Using PowerCLI to export VM configurationLeveraging govc and vSphere REST APIsRunning Linux commands for system inventoryRunning Windows commands for system inventoryValidating manual data against tool outputsLesson 11Database specifics: engine, version, schema size, transaction rates, replication, maintenance windowsConcentrate on database discovery details across various engines and platforms. Note engine types, versions, schema sizes, transaction speeds, and replication setups to guide choices for AWS database services and migration plans.
Cataloguing database engines and versionsMeasuring schema size and growth trendsCapturing transaction and query rate metricsDocumenting replication and HA configurationsIdentifying maintenance and backup windowsLesson 12Usage and performance metrics: CPU/memory utilisation, latency, throughput, peak patterns, retention windowsFind out how to gather and analyse usage and performance data for VMware workloads. Utilise CPU, memory, I/O, and latency information to appropriately size AWS instances, plan storage performance, and identify peak and seasonal trends.
Identifying authoritative metric data sourcesCapturing CPU and memory utilisation baselinesMeasuring disk IOPS, throughput, and latencyAnalysing network throughput and connection countsDetecting peaks, seasonality, and retention needsLesson 13Third-party tool options overview: Cloudamize and Turbonomic use cases for TCO, sizing, and migration prioritisationLook at third-party discovery and optimisation tools like Cloudamize and Turbonomic. Understand their benefits for TCO evaluation, sizing, and prioritising migrations, and how to incorporate their outputs into AWS planning.
Cloudamize capabilities and data collectionTurbonomic workload optimisation featuresComparing sizing recommendations across toolsUsing tools for TCO and cost modellingExporting results into migration backlogsLesson 14Security and compliance artefacts: ACLs, firewall rules, encryption, logs, audit trails, identity storesLearn to catalogue security and compliance elements that impact migrations. Document ACLs, firewall rules, encryption, logging, and identity stores to build secure AWS landing zones and map controls appropriately.
Cataloguing firewall rules and security zonesDocumenting ACLs, security groups, and NACLsIdentifying encryption methods and key custodyReviewing logging, SIEM, and audit requirementsMapping identity stores and access modelsLesson 15Discovery methods and evidence sources: agentless queries, hypervisor APIs, SNMP, syslogs, perf counters, interviewsInvestigate discovery approaches and sources of evidence for VMware environments. Compare agentless scans, hypervisor APIs, SNMP, logs, and interviews, and learn to blend them into a reliable, verifiable discovery routine.
Using vCenter and hypervisor API integrationsLeveraging agentless OS and network scansCollecting SNMP, syslog, and perf counter dataCorrelating logs with configuration evidenceCombining automated discovery with interviews
