Original reporting: ZDNet. Published April 2020.
What Is the AWS Migration Acceleration Program for Windows?
Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced the general availability of its Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) for Windows in April 2020. First previewed at AWS re:Invent 2019, MAP for Windows is a structured program designed to help organizations plan, execute, and optimize large-scale migrations and modernizations of Windows workloads running on AWS.
The program bundles prescriptive guidance, expert consulting support, purpose-built tools, training resources, and AWS service credits into a single offering. Its stated goals are to reduce both the risk and the total cost of migrating Windows environments to the cloud, and to help customers lower licensing expenses by adopting cloud-native and open-source technologies where appropriate.
The Three Phases of MAP for Windows
MAP for Windows follows a three-phase framework that takes customers from initial assessment through to active migration and modernization:
- Migration Readiness Assessment (MRA): An evaluation of the customer’s existing Windows environment, identifying readiness gaps, dependencies, and potential risks before any migration work begins.
- Mobilization Phase: A remediation stage focused on closing the gaps uncovered during the assessment. This phase establishes the migration foundation—landing zones, governance frameworks, and operational runbooks—needed to migrate safely at scale.
- Migrate/Modernize Phase: The active migration and, where applicable, modernization of Windows workloads. This phase is carried out with support from Amazon Partner Network (APN) members and the AWS Professional Services (ProServe) team.
Why AWS Launched MAP for Windows
The timing of MAP for Windows reflects a broader competitive dynamic in the enterprise cloud market. At re:Invent 2019, AWS CEO Andy Jassy publicly criticized Microsoft’s licensing practices, arguing that Microsoft was limiting how businesses can deploy Windows and SQL Server in the cloud using their existing on-premises licenses. Jassy’s comments were directed not at Azure specifically, but at Microsoft licensing policies that constrain customers’ cloud portability options.
MAP for Windows positions AWS as a destination for customers who want to escape restrictive licensing arrangements. By including service credits and guidance on adopting open-source alternatives, the program offers a financial incentive alongside the technical support.
AWS Windows Workload Market Position
In the blog post announcing general availability, AWS cited IDC research claiming that AWS hosts nearly twice as many Windows Server instances in the cloud as Microsoft Azure. This statistic was used to reinforce AWS’s argument that it is the de facto cloud for enterprise Windows workloads, not just for Linux or cloud-native applications.
Key Benefits at a Glance
- Prescriptive guidance: Documented migration patterns and best practices tailored to Windows Server and SQL Server workloads.
- Expert support: Access to AWS ProServe consultants and vetted APN partners with Windows migration competencies.
- Tooling: Integration with AWS migration tools such as AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) and AWS Database Migration Service (DMS).
- Training: Role-specific training resources for the teams executing the migration.
- Service credits: Financial incentives to offset migration costs and encourage adoption of AWS-native services.
- Licensing cost reduction: Pathways to reduce Windows and SQL Server licensing spend by moving to cloud-native or open-source equivalents where feasible.
Who Should Consider MAP for Windows?
MAP for Windows is aimed primarily at enterprise customers with significant Windows Server or SQL Server footprints on-premises who are planning a large-scale cloud migration. It is particularly relevant for organizations that:
- Are evaluating or already committed to AWS as their primary cloud provider.
- Want structured, low-risk migration methodology rather than ad-hoc lift-and-shift approaches.
- Are concerned about Microsoft licensing costs in the cloud and want to explore alternatives.
- Need access to vetted migration partners and professional services support.
Further Resources
For more information on MAP for Windows, visit the official AWS MAP for Windows page. Customers interested in enrolling should contact their AWS account team or an APN partner with the Windows migration competency.