How do I install the AWS Cloud Migration Strategies skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add mchittineni/aws-cloud-migration-strategies in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is AWS Cloud Migration Strategies safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with AWS Cloud Migration Strategies?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is AWS Cloud Migration Strategies free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published AWS Cloud Migration Strategies?

mchittineni (@mchittineni) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

AWS Cloud Migration Strategies by mchittineni

Name: AWS Cloud Migration Strategies
Author: mchittineni

AWS Cloud Migration Strategies

AWS migration planning: the 6Rs framework (rehost, replatform, refactor, repurchase, retain, retire), discovery and wave planning, MGN server migration, DMS data cutover with CDC, and rollback criteria. Use when planning a datacenter exit or lease expiry, deciding whether a legacy monolith should be rehosted or refactored, or moving a large Oracle, SQL Server or Postgres database with minimal downtime.

mchittineni Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

AWS Cloud Migration: The 6Rs Framework & Migration Automation

When to Use This Skill

Triggers — load this skill when:

A workload portfolio must be assessed and assigned migration strategies
Migration waves, dependencies, and cutover windows need planning
Data must move with minimal downtime (DMS/MGN) and a rollback path

Route elsewhere when:

Post-migration cost governance -> finops-framework-inform-optimize-operate
Target-state Kubernetes design -> aws-eks-enterprise-patterns
Schema change mechanics -> database-devops-lifecycle

1. The 6Rs Migration Decision Tree

                      [Workload Assessment]
                                |
        +-----------------------+-----------------------+
        |                                               |
  [Low Change / Fast]                         [Modernize / Optimize]
        |                                               |
   +----+----+                                     +----+----+
   |         |                                     |         |
Rehost   Replatform                            Refactor  Repurchase
(Lift &   (Managed DB /                         (Serverless / (SaaS replacement)
 Shift)   Containers)                           Microservices)

2. Zero-Downtime Data Migration with AWS DMS (Terraform)

resource "aws_dms_replication_instance" "dms_instance" {
  replication_instance_id    = "dms-migration-instance"
  replication_instance_class = "dms.r5.xlarge"
  allocated_storage          = 100
  multi_az                   = true
  vpc_security_group_ids     = [aws_security_group.dms_sg.id]
  replication_subnet_group_id = aws_dms_replication_subnet_group.dms_subnet_group.id
}

resource "aws_dms_replication_task" "continuous_cdc" {
  replication_task_id      = "mysql-to-aurora-cdc"
  migration_type           = "full-load-and-cdc" # Initial load + continuous replication
  replication_instance_arn = aws_dms_replication_instance.dms_instance.replication_instance_arn
  source_endpoint_arn      = aws_dms_endpoint.onprem_mysql.endpoint_arn
  target_endpoint_arn      = aws_dms_endpoint.aws_aurora.endpoint_arn
  table_mappings           = jsonencode({
    rules = [{
      "rule-type" = "selection",
      "rule-id"   = "1",
      "rule-name" = "replicate-all",
      "object-locator" = { "schema-name" = "%", "table-name" = "%" },
      "rule-action"    = "include"
    }]
  })
}

3. Best Practices & Anti-Patterns

Do: Perform continuous CDC (Change Data Capture) replication to achieve near-zero downtime during the final DNS cutover.
Don't: Never migrate workloads without prior discovery dependency mapping (AWS Application Discovery Service).

---name: aws-cloud-migration-strategiesdescription: AWS migration planning: the 6Rs framework (rehost, replatform, refactor, repurchase, retain, retire), discovery and wave planning, MGN server migration, DMS data cutover with CDC, and rollback criteria. Use when planning a datacenter exit or lease expiry, deciding whether a legacy monolith should be rehosted or refactored, or moving a large Oracle, SQL Server or Postgres database with minimal downtime.---# AWS Cloud Migration: The 6Rs Framework & Migration Automation## When to Use This Skill**Triggers — load this skill when:**- A workload portfolio must be assessed and assigned migration strategies- Migration waves, dependencies, and cutover windows need planning- Data must move with minimal downtime (DMS/MGN) and a rollback path**Route elsewhere when:**- Post-migration cost governance -> `finops-framework-inform-optimize-operate`- Target-state Kubernetes design -> `aws-eks-enterprise-patterns`- Schema change mechanics -> `database-devops-lifecycle`## 1. The 6Rs Migration Decision Tree```text [Workload Assessment] | +-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | [Low Change / Fast] [Modernize / Optimize] | | +----+----+ +----+----+ | | | |Rehost Replatform Refactor Repurchase(Lift & (Managed DB / (Serverless / (SaaS replacement) Shift) Containers) Microservices)```---## 2. Zero-Downtime Data Migration with AWS DMS (Terraform)```hclresource "aws_dms_replication_instance" "dms_instance" { replication_instance_id = "dms-migration-instance" replication_instance_class = "dms.r5.xlarge" allocated_storage = 100 multi_az = true vpc_security_group_ids = [aws_security_group.dms_sg.id] replication_subnet_group_id = aws_dms_replication_subnet_group.dms_subnet_group.id}resource "aws_dms_replication_task" "continuous_cdc" { replication_task_id = "mysql-to-aurora-cdc" migration_type = "full-load-and-cdc" # Initial load + continuous replication replication_instance_arn = aws_dms_replication_instance.dms_instance.replication_instance_arn source_endpoint_arn = aws_dms_endpoint.onprem_mysql.endpoint_arn target_endpoint_arn = aws_dms_endpoint.aws_aurora.endpoint_arn table_mappings = jsonencode({ rules = [{ "rule-type" = "selection", "rule-id" = "1", "rule-name" = "replicate-all", "object-locator" = { "schema-name" = "%", "table-name" = "%" }, "rule-action" = "include" }] })}```---## 3. Best Practices & Anti-Patterns- **Do**: Perform continuous CDC (Change Data Capture) replication to achieve near-zero downtime during the final DNS cutover.- **Don't**: Never migrate workloads without prior discovery dependency mapping (AWS Application Discovery Service).

Frequently asked questions