AWS SMS – Learn About Amazon Web Services: AWS Server Migration Service. Do you know what AWS SMS is? If not, then read this article to learn all about Amazon’s revolutionary cloud computing, server migration service, and more.
They offer revolutionary services like AWS SMS that are propelling them to those heights but before discussing them let’s have a brief recap of AWS.
Early Days of AWS
Amazon web services or more commonly known by its acronym AWS was launched in 2002. The intention of the invention and the launch was to revolutionize the e-commerce industry.
The idea was to provide a platform for third-party merchants to create their websites using this platform.
However, it didn’t take the bigwigs at Amazon long enough to realize that what they were aiming for was chump change compared to the bigger picture they could aim for.
Keeping this intention in mind, AWS was rebranded and relaunched in 2006 as a cloud computing platform.
What’s Next For AWS?
Now you could do a lot more with the platform, and over the years, they have kept on making additions to it, resulting in it now being used by corporations to even the government for their cloud computing needs.
Among all of these services, AWS SMS is a service we would like to focus on today.
What is AWS Server Migration Service (SMS)?
AWS SMS, or its full abbreviation Amazon Web Services Server Migration Service, is the best server migration service currently available for global operations.
It is your perfect solution to migrate your server from VMware to AWS.
It is an ideal migration service for large-scale migration providing seamless service to business organizations managing their data migration in the cloud computing world.
Also read- 2022 Best 51 AWS SNS, SMS, SQS Interview Questions
Benefits AWS Server Migration Service Serve You
Now that you know what AWS SMS is, the next topic we would like to highlight is the benefits AWS SMS serves you.
So without any further ado, the following are the benefits that have made AWS SMS the server migration service choice of the world.
1. User-Friendly Operation
According to us, the biggest benefit AWS SMS provides you is that it is a user-friendly operation.
You don’t have to be an Amazon web service expert or certified professional to be able to use it. If you have adequate knowledge of server migration, it will be convenient for you to pick up on its use.
2. Ability To Create a Custom Replication Schedule
The second benefit AWS SMS serves you, which has made them the server migration service globally, is that it provides you unrivaled control.
Using this service, you create a custom replication schedule that allows you to work as you please.
The overall scope of customization that AWS provides you is exceptionally convenient; hence, they are the leading choice nowadays for server migration.
3. Provides Super Sonic Speed Migration
The parent company of AWS, Amazon Corporation, made its name worldwide in the various sectors they serve because of the lightning speed they provide with its service.
Therefore, even their AWS SMS service is renowned for offering lightning speed to perform your operations.
4. Budget-Friendly Option
A standout advantage it provides you is that it is a free-of-cost service.
However, in the rare case, you are charged an additional amount, even if that is nominal, making them a budget-friendly option for large-scale server migration.
5. Eliminates Server Downtime
The final benefit we believe AWS SMS serves you is that using this service provides you with such an excellent and competent service that it assures your server downtime is eliminated.
Plus, in the rare case, they cannot guarantee that the downtime is minimized tenfold compared to other server migration services even in that scenario.
Drawbacks of AWS Server Migration Service (SMS)
AWS SMS is an amazing server migration service; however, it is not perfect, and we have only highlighted its benefits.
Highlighting its drawbacks is also our duty so that you can be duly educated on the topic. Although the drawbacks aren’t as severe as the benefits, they exist, and the following are:
1. Basic Knowledge of AWS Operation Is Required
To get the best use out of AWS SMS, we believe you need basic operation knowledge for Amazon web services.
Although it is a given in most situations, if they can improve it to not rely on it in the future, it can expand its market even more.
2. Additional Charges on AWS SMS Can Occur
Amazon Web Services SMS is marketed and is a free-of-cost service. However, an additional charge can be added to your bill if you are not vigilant in its monitoring.
This service does not charge for the actual migration but can do for the storage.
Thus, in a situation where you accidentally store it, you will be charged an additional charge, it would no longer be free.
3. Some Migration Can Suffer Problems
This server migration service does not have all elements built in, and as a consequence, some migration can suffer problems.
It is not a regular occurrence and can be noted down as a rarity, but it can happen; hence, it is a drawback.
4. AWS SMS Has Region-Based Restrictions
When using this service in various regions, there are region-based restrictions relating to images, text, etc.
5. You Have To Request a Support Team To Scale-Up up Storage Limit
The final drawback that we believe AWS SMS has is its limited storage limit due to the nature of pay per use policy.
If you want more then you need to contact their support team to increase it. In 2022, this option should be able to perform without talking to a support team.
Is AWS SMS Safe to Use?
- Amazon web services server migration service is the most secure server migrating and on a whole cloud computing service.
- The reason for this is that they are housed by the biggest company in the world, which has proven itself in multiple fields.
- The guarantee of AWS SMS being secured can even be provided because various governments even utilize them worldwide to house their data.
- Plus, you can relax using them for your business/corporation with not even a single recorded leak.
In Which Operating System Can I Use AWS SMS?
Amazon Web Services server migration service (AWS SMS) is compatible with almost all of the popular operating systems, with its complete list being the following:
| Windows Server 2003 | Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) |
| Windows Server 2008 | SUSE/SLES |
| Windows Server 2012 | CentOS |
| Windows Server 2016 | Ubuntu |
| Windows 7 | Oracle Linux |
| Windows 8 | Fedora |
| Windows 10 | Debian Linux |
Regions in Which You Have Access to AWS SMS?
You have access to AWS SMS in 24 regions which are the following:
| US East (N.Virginia) | Asia Pacific (Seoul) | Europe (London) |
| US East (Ohio) | Asia Pacific (Jakarta) | Europe (Milan) |
| US West (Northern California) | Asia Pacific (Singapore) | Europe (Paris) |
| US West (Oregon) | Asia Pacific (Sydney) | Europe (Stockholm) |
| Africa (Cape Town) | Asia Pacific Tokyo | Middle East (Bahrain) |
| Asia Pacific (Hong Kong) | Canada (Central) | South America (Sao Paulo) |
| Asia Pacific (Mumbai) | Europe (Frankfurt) | AWS Gov-Cloud (US East) |
| Asia Pacific (Osaka) | Europe (Ireland) | AWS Gov-Cloud (US West) |
AWS SMS vs cloudendure
| AWS SMS | Cloudendure |
| Service utilizes an Agentless mechanism to migrate the VM from on-premises to AWS using a snapshot based process and virtual appliances | Uses replication at the block level for migrating all kinds of external servers to AWS. |
| Being an Agentless service can migrate from VMware and Azure even from Hyper-V | They have agents which need to be installed on the server with root access to migrate it to AWS |
| Uses SMS Connector to pull the image from external source to cloud. | CloudEndure agent is used for server migration |
AWS Server Migration Service vs Application Migration Service
| AWS SMS | AWS MGN |
| Agentless migration service to migrate servers from on-premises to AWS | MGN utilizes Continuous, block-level replication and enables short-cutover windows measured in minutes |
| Can migrate VMs, VMware, and Hyper-V from on-premises | We can migrate any application that supports Linux and Windows OS |
AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) FAQ
The following are the most FAQs of AWS SMS.
Q: Pricing Of AWS SMS?
AWS SMS is free of cost service for migrating servers; however, you may have to pay a surcharge for every EPS snapshot of replication.
To avoid getting charged, you must delete the EPS snapshot of replication that you no longer require.
Q: How Long Can An AWS SMS Session Last?
An AWS SMS Migration service session can last up to 90 days from your end to AWS.
The session time is measured from when you start the procedure to when you command it to cancel it.
If the command to cancel is not provided, Amazon web services cancel the session from their end.
However, you can talk to AWS support to extend the session limit.
Q: How To Update AWS SMS?
Updates for AWS SMS are automatically sent, so as long as your system settings have the automatic updates option turned on, your AWS SMS will automatically be updated.
Q: Do I Get AWS SMS When I Pay For AWS Premium Support?
Yes, AWS SMS is included in the AWS premium support package, so you can use it when you pay for them.
Q: AWS SMS documentation?
We have tried our best to give you detailed documentation and comparison. For more, you can refer to the AWS documentation
Q: AWS SMS Api?
This service does not support API.
Q: AWS SMS Cloud Connector
AWS SMS uses the Cloud Connector to connect to the on-premises server and migrate that to AWS
Q: Where is AWS Server Migration Service physical server?
All the physical servers stay where they are. This service just migrates the servers which are hosted on-premises to virtual servers in the AWS environment.
Final Thoughts on AWS SMS
Server migration holds paramount value in cloud computing, and Amazon Web Services Server Migration Service or AWS Server Migration Service (SMS) is the golden standard.
Therefore, in this article, we have discussed what it is from where it started and its evolution to what it is today.
We have even discussed the benefits you gain by using AWS SMS and its drawbacks. Plus, we have even answered all of the possible FAQs you can have regarding Server migration service in general and AWS SMS.
So go through this article to learn all about it, and remember to let us know what you think about AWS SMS?
Do you think they are a useful service? Or are they overhyped? Let us know your opinion in the comments section.
You may also like to explore below AWS blogs.
Keep Clouding!!
I am an Amazon Web Services Professional, having more than 11 years of experience in AWS and other technologies. Extensively working in various AWS tools like S3, Lambda, API, Kinesis, Load Balancers, EKS, ECS, and many more. Working as a Solution Architect and Technology Lead for Architecting and implementing the same for different clients. He provides expert solutions around the world and especially in countries like the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Check out the complete profile on About us.
