AWS Introduces AI-Powered Workload Modernization Service
Amazon Web Services Inc. has announced the general availability of Transform, a new service that accelerates the migration and modernization of enterprise workloads using agentic artificial intelligence. Initially previewed at AWS re:Invent 2024 as Amazon Q Developer transformation capabilities, Transform targets legacy VMware, mainframe, and .NET workloads.
AWS claims that Transform can reduce project timelines by an average of fourfold compared to manual transformation and up to 80-fold in the case of VMware migration. The service leverages specialized AI agents to automate migration tasks, which have traditionally held enterprises back from transitioning more workloads to the cloud.
AI-Driven Modernization Capabilities
AWS Transform supports three primary workloads: Windows-based .NET applications, mainframe applications, and VMware environments. For .NET applications, the service facilitates migration from Windows to Linux, potentially reducing operating costs by up to 40% by eliminating Windows Server licensing fees.
The AI agents guide users through analysis, planning, and automated code transformation, including unit test execution and Linux-readiness validation. For mainframe workloads, AWS Transform decomposes monolithic Cobol applications into manageable components, using graph neural networks to analyze dependencies, generate technical documentation, and refactor code into Java and PostgreSQL.
Streamlining VMware Migration
For VMware environments, AWS Transform automates application discovery, dependency mapping, migration planning, and network configuration conversion to replicate on-premises VMware setups into AWS EC2 instances. The service can reduce traditional network configuration tasks from two weeks to one hour and migration wave planning from weeks to minutes.
Technical Approach
AWS Transform employs a multi-agent, multi-model approach, using AWS Bedrock-powered foundational models and graph neural networks. Each agent is responsible for specific tasks such as analysis, planning, and reasoning. The service is currently free to encourage customer migration to AWS and integrates with the company’s Migration Acceleration Program and Experience-Based Acceleration programs.
As enterprises continue to modernize their workloads, services like AWS Transform are poised to play a crucial role in their cloud journey.
