AWS, Cloud Computing

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Migrate Windows Server to AWS with AWS Replication Migration Installer

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Overview

Migrating on-premises Windows instances to the cloud is a common scenario for businesses looking to leverage the benefits of AWS, such as scalability, reliability, and ease of management.

AWS provides a powerful tool called the AWS Replication Migration Installer, simplifying the migration process by replicating your local Windows instances to Amazon EC2.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the steps to migrate your Windows instance to AWS using this handy tool.

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Introduction

This comprehensive guide outlines key steps, prerequisites, and best practices, ensuring a smooth transition to Amazon Web Services.
Discover how to seamlessly migrate your Windows Server from a different cloud platform to AWS using the AWS Replication Migration Installer.

Prerequisites

Before beginning the migration process, ensure you have the following prerequisites:

  • An AWS account with the necessary permissions to create and manage Amazon EC2 instances, AWS IAM roles, and other resources.
  • The AWS Replication Migration Installer was downloaded and installed on your local Windows server.
  • AWS CLI is installed and configured with your AWS credentials.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Prepare Your Environment

Before initiating the migration, make sure your local Windows instance meets the following requirements:

  • The instance is running Windows Server 2008 R2 or later.
  • The AWS Replication Migration Installer is installed on the source server.

Step 2: Launch the Replication Migration Installer

  • Open the AWS Replication Migration Installer on your Windows Server.
  • Sign in with your AWS account credentials.
  • Choose the appropriate Region where you want to replicate your instance.
  • Configure your instance settings, including the instance name, description, and replication server settings.

step2

Step 3: RDP Into the Windows Machine

Download the AWS Replication migration installer

https://aws-application-migration-service-us-east-1.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/latest/windows/AwsReplicationWindowsInstaller.exe

The Above link suits for the US-EAST-1

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/mgn/latest/ug/windows-agent.html

Go for the above link to select according to your region.

step3

Step 4: Install the Replication Agent installer in the PowerShell

Go to PowerShell and execute the below command.

step4

Step 5:  Execute the downloaded Installer

Use the Below command to run the Installer.

It will prompt for the AWS region, AWS access, and Secret key. Choose the right Disk otherwise, Enter to Replicate the entire Disk.

step5

Step 6: Check the AWS Migration Service in your AWS Account

step6

Step 7: Test and CutOver

Click any of the Sources in the AWS migration service source dashboard.

Check for the Actions and click.

You will get the Dropdown Menu.

Click the Test Instance. Once it’s done, Click the Launch Cutover Instances.

step7

Conclusion

Migrating your local Windows instance to AWS using the AWS Replication Migration Installer streamlines the migration process, reducing downtime and minimizing the risk of data loss. Following these steps, you can seamlessly replicate and launch your Windows instance in the AWS cloud, taking advantage of AWS’s scalability and reliability. As with any migration, thorough testing and validation are crucial to ensure a successful transition. With AWS tools like the AWS Replication Migration Installer, businesses can accelerate their journey to the cloud, unlocking the full potential of cloud computing.

Drop a query if you have any questions regarding AWS Replication Migration and we will get back to you quickly.

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About CloudThat

CloudThat is a leading provider of Cloud Training and Consulting services with a global presence in India, the USA, Asia, Europe, and Africa. Specializing in AWS, Microsoft Azure, GCP, VMware, Databricks, and more, the company serves mid-market and enterprise clients, offering comprehensive expertise in Cloud Migration, Data Platforms, DevOps, IoT, AI/ML, and more.

CloudThat is the first Indian Company to win the prestigious Microsoft Partner 2024 Award and is recognized as a top-tier partner with AWS and Microsoft, including the prestigious ‘Think Big’ partner award from AWS and the Microsoft Superstars FY 2023 award in Asia & India. Having trained 850k+ professionals in 600+ cloud certifications and completed 500+ consulting projects globally, CloudThat is an official AWS Advanced Consulting Partner, Microsoft Gold Partner, AWS Training PartnerAWS Migration PartnerAWS Data and Analytics PartnerAWS DevOps Competency PartnerAWS GenAI Competency PartnerAmazon QuickSight Service Delivery PartnerAmazon EKS Service Delivery Partner AWS Microsoft Workload PartnersAmazon EC2 Service Delivery PartnerAmazon ECS Service Delivery PartnerAWS Glue Service Delivery PartnerAmazon Redshift Service Delivery PartnerAWS Control Tower Service Delivery PartnerAWS WAF Service Delivery PartnerAmazon CloudFront Service Delivery PartnerAmazon OpenSearch Service Delivery PartnerAWS DMS Service Delivery PartnerAWS Systems Manager Service Delivery PartnerAmazon RDS Service Delivery PartnerAWS CloudFormation Service Delivery PartnerAWS ConfigAmazon EMR and many more.

FAQs

1. What is the AWS Replication Migration Installer, and why should I use it to migrate my Windows Server to AWS?

ANS: – AWS Replication Migration Installer is a tool provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) to simplify and automate migrating Windows servers to AWS. It enables efficient replication of your on-premises or other cloud platform Windows instances to Amazon EC2, allowing you to take advantage of AWS’s scalability, reliability, and diverse services.

2. Can I use AWS Replication Migration Installer to migrate any version of Windows Server?

ANS: – Yes, AWS Replication Migration Installer supports Windows Server 2008 R2 and later versions. You can use it to migrate a wide range of Windows Server instances.

3. What steps are involved in migrating a Windows Server from another cloud platform to AWS using AWS Replication Migration Installer?

ANS: – The migration process involves several key steps:

  • Prepare your local environment and ensure the source Windows Server meets the requirements.
  • Launch the AWS Replication Migration Installer and configure settings, including instance details and replication options.
  • Select the disks to replicate and set up replication settings.
  • Create an AWS IAM role for the replication process.
  • Initiate the replication process.
  • Launch an Amazon EC2 instance from the replicated AMI.

4. Do I need to update my DNS records during the cutover phase manually?

ANS: – Yes, as part of the cutover plan, you should update DNS records to point to the new AWS resources. This ensures that traffic is directed to the AWS environment after migration.

WRITTEN BY Karthik Kumar P V

Karthik Kumar Patro Voona is a Research Associate (Kubernetes) at CloudThat Technologies. He Holds Bachelor's degree in Information and Technology and has good programming knowledge of Python. He has experience in both AWS and Azure. He has a passion for Cloud-computing and DevOps. He has good working experience in Kubernetes and DevOps Tools like Terraform, Ansible, and Jenkins. He is a very good Team player, Adaptive and interested in exploring new technologies.

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