Application Discovery Service
🧠 What Is AWS Application Discovery Service?¶
AWS Application Discovery Service (ADS) helps you collect data about your on-premises servers to plan and execute migrations to AWS.
It identifies server inventory, configuration, performance, and application dependencies, enabling informed migration planning.
✅ Ideal for large-scale migrations, especially data center to AWS scenarios.
🔍 Key Use Cases¶
| Use Case | Description |
|---|---|
| Cloud migration assessment | Discover workloads and dependencies before migration |
| Dependency mapping | Identify which apps talk to each other |
| Server performance analysis | Understand CPU, memory, disk, and network usage |
| Inventory generation | Build CMDB-like list of servers and workloads |
🧱 Components of ADS¶
| Component | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Discovery Agent | Lightweight agent installed on Linux/Windows VMs for deep info |
| Agentless Connector | VMware-only, collects via vCenter (no installation on VMs) |
| Discovery Data Collector | Gathers and uploads information to AWS |
| Migration Hub | Central dashboard to visualize and analyze collected data |
⚙️ Agent vs Agentless Comparison¶
| Feature | Agent-Based | Agentless (VMware) |
|---|---|---|
| OS support | Windows, Linux | VMware ESXi only |
| Depth of data | Deep (network, processes) | Shallow (CPU, RAM, IP, etc.) |
| Setup complexity | Requires agent install | Needs access to vCenter |
| Dependency mapping | ✅ Full | ❌ Not available |
| Real-time updates | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
📋 Data Collected¶
| Category | Sample Data Points |
|---|---|
| Host details | IP address, MAC, hostname, OS, version |
| Resource usage | CPU, memory, disk, network utilization |
| Running processes | List of processes and usage |
| Open ports | TCP/UDP connections |
| App dependencies | Who talks to whom (via ports/IP) |
| Installed software | List of packages |
🌐 Integration with AWS Migration Hub¶
Once collected, data appears in the AWS Migration Hub:
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Visualize dependencies
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Group servers into applications
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Plan migration waves
-
Export data to Migration Evaluator, SMS, DMS, etc.
🛠️ How to Use ADS (Agent-Based Example)¶
-
Enable ADS in your AWS account
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Download the agent from AWS console
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Install on each source server:
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The agent sends data securely to AWS
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View all collected info in Migration Hub
🔐 Security & Permissions¶
| Feature | Support |
|---|---|
| IAM Roles | Required for agent auth |
| Encryption | TLS for data in transit |
| VPC Endpoint | Optional, for private access |
| Data privacy | Data remains in region selected |
📦 Terraform Note¶
There is no native Terraform resource for ADS, since it’s mostly CLI/UI-driven and agent-based. However:
-
Use Terraform for downstream services (e.g., Migration Hub, EC2 targets)
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Automate agent install via EC2 user data or SSM
🧾 Pricing¶
| Item | Cost (as of 2024) |
|---|---|
| ADS | Free (no cost to use) |
| Storage of data | Covered under Migration Hub |
| Agent | No charge to install/use |
💡 You only pay for related AWS services (e.g., EC2, SMS, DMS) used after discovery.
✅ TL;DR Summary¶
| Feature | AWS Application Discovery Service |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Assess and plan cloud migrations |
| Input methods | Agent-based or VMware connector |
| Use cases | Inventory, performance, dependencies |
| Integration | AWS Migration Hub |
| Cost | ✅ Free |
| Terraform support | ❌ Not directly supported |