AWS Transform MGN (formerly AWS Application Migration Service) vs Google Migrate to Containers

AWS Transform MGN automates rehosting physical, virtual, and cloud servers as native Amazon EC2 instances. It continuously replicates source-server data at the block level, converts servers for AWS, and coordinates cutover with minimal downtime. Teams can use an agentic AWS Transform workflow or manage migration steps in the MGN console, switching paths without losing progress. Sources include physical servers, VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, other on-premises infrastructure, public clouds, and migrations across AWS Regions, Availability Zones, or accounts. After launch, built-in or custom actions can configure disaster recovery, upgrade operating systems, convert licenses, or install CloudWatch Agent. Servers can be organized into applications and waves for launch, cutover, archival, and configuration operations. MGN supports x86 sources and replication volumes up to 16 TB; larger volumes are not supported. A 90-day free period covers 2,160 hours per source server when used continuously. AWS infrastructure for replication, testing, or cutover is charged separately, and continued replication is charged per hour after the free period.

Google Migrate to Containers is a free, self-hosted tool for moving applications from virtual machines or servers into containers without rewriting or re-architecting them. Its local CLI copies a source VM file system, analyzes it, creates a migration plan, and generates deployment artifacts. It can optionally move data files to persistent volumes. Sources include VMware and Compute Engine VMs, and destinations include Google Kubernetes Engine, GKE Autopilot clusters, and Cloud Run. Supported workloads include Linux applications, IBM WebSphere, JBoss, Apache, Tomcat, WordPress, and Windows IIS applications. Linux workloads can be handled locally in offline mode or on a local network without runtime internet downloads. A local machine needs Docker and several gigabytes of storage. Google recommends assessing workload fit first. The console UI, migctl, and processing-cluster CRDs were discontinued in May 2024; Google directs users to the local CLI. Migration has no charge, while other Google Cloud services cost separately.