Accelerating SQL Server Modernization with AWS Transform

Why SQL Server Modernization Is Hard

Modernizing SQL Server–backed Windows applications is rarely just a database migration; it is a full-stack problem across UI, application, and data layers. Teams typically face:

• Tightly coupled stacks – Legacy ASP.NET Web Forms or MVC apps often embed SQL logic in code, config, or stored procedures, making it hard to untangle dependencies and plan waves of migration.
• Heterogeneous versions and tech debt – Estates frequently span SQL Server 2008 R2–2022 and multiple Entity Framework versions, increasing risk and slowing down analysis.
• Manual assessment and planning – Building dependency maps, wave plans, and executive reports usually takes weeks or months and remains error-prone.
• Complex schema and code conversions – Moving from SQL Server to PostgreSQL (schema, data, stored procedures, ORM mappings, application code) demands niche expertise that is often in short supply.
• Fragmented tooling – Teams juggle multiple tools for assessment, schema conversion, data migration, code refactoring, and deployment, making it hard to orchestrate end-to-end modernization at scale.

AWS Transform for full-stack Windows modernization

AWS Transform is an agentic AI–powered service that delivers full-stack Windows modernization, including SQL Server to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible Edition, in coordinated “waves.” It analyzes dependencies across presentation, application, and database tiers and then orchestrates transformations for each wave through a centralized experience.

Key database-focused capabilities include:

• Discovery of SQL Server databases on Amazon EC2 and Amazon RDS, plus their dependent .NET applications and repositories.
• Automated SQL Server schema conversion to PostgreSQL, including tables, indexes, constraints, and many stored procedures, with conversion reports for review.
• Integration with AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) for optional data migration as part of each wave.

How AWS Transform Accelerates SQL Modernization

AWS Transform can accelerate full-stack Windows modernization, including SQL Server, by automating assessment, planning, conversion, and deployment tasks. For SQL Server heavy customers, it turns a manually-driven project into an orchestrated pipeline.

Core accelerators for SQL Server workloads:

• Wave-based planning – After connecting to source control and SQL Server instances, AWS Transform discovers databases, links them to dependent .NET repos, and generates a wave-based transformation plan with a SQL Modernization Assessment Report and complexity analysis.
• End-to-end wave execution – For each wave, AWS Transform converts SQL Server schema to PostgreSQL, optionally migrates data with AWS DMS, updates application code for PostgreSQL compatibility, and deploys the app to Amazon EC2 Linux or Amazon ECS for testing.
• Intelligent code refactoring – The service updates application code (e.g., data access logic, Entity Framework usage) to align with the converted PostgreSQL backend, reducing the manual burden on engineering teams.

Modernizing the Application and UI Layers

SQL Server modernization is tightly coupled to .NET and UI modernization, and AWS Transform addresses these layers together to avoid partial, “database-only” migrations. This is essential when modernizing three-tier Windows applications.

Notable capabilities:

• Porting .NET Framework apps – AWS Transform for .NET ports legacy .NET Framework 3.1+ applications to cross-platform .NET (including .NET 10 and .NET Standard for class libraries), making it easier to run on Linux-based infrastructure.
• ASP.NET Web Forms to Blazor – For apps using Web Forms, AWS Transform converts ASPX pages, ASCX controls, code-behind files, and related artifacts into server-side Blazor components on ASP.NET Core, enabling UI modernization alongside backend and database changes.
• MVC view modernization – Existing support for modernizing MVC Razor views to ASP.NET Core Razor views complements the database and API modernization pathway.

Operational Experience, Governance, and Getting Started

Beyond transformation itself, AWS Transform improves the modernization experience for architects, developers, and program managers. This makes it easier to govern and iterate large SQL Server modernization programs.

Helpful features for delivery teams:

• Editable transformation reports – Teams can adjust the automatically generated plan, including package replacement details, to reflect architectural decisions and organizational constraints.
• Real-time status and “next steps” – The service provides real-time transformation updates with estimated remaining time and generates a “next steps” markdown file outlining remaining tasks after each run.
• Cost and regional considerations – The Windows modernization features currently have no additional AWS Transform charge beyond the underlying AWS resources used.

For teams with large SQL Server and Windows footprint, AWS Transform offers an opinionated, AI-driven path to move from tightly coupled, Windows-only stacks to modern .NET, Linux, and Aurora PostgreSQL architectures with significantly reduced manual effort and risk.

Get started today - https://aws.amazon.com/transform/windows/