What service simplifies the migration of various types of databases to AWS?

AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS) is specifically designed to facilitate the migration of databases to AWS. It allows users to easily move their existing databases to AWS services while minimizing downtime. This service supports both homogeneous migrations (e.g., from Oracle to Oracle) and heterogeneous migrations (e.g., from Oracle to Amazon Aurora). AWS DMS handles the complexity of database replication, schema conversion, and data loading, enabling seamless integration into AWS environments.

The service automatically manages the migration process, ensuring that data is securely and efficiently transferred. AWS DMS also provides continuous replication if desired, which is particularly beneficial for maintaining up-to-date data during the migration phase, further simplifying the entire process for the user.

In contrast, the other services listed have different primary functions. AWS Snowball is primarily used for transferring large amounts of data to and from AWS using physical storage devices. AWS Transfer Family provides fully managed support for transferring files directly into and out of AWS using protocols such as SFTP, FTP, and FTPS, meaning it’s not tailored for database migration. AWS DataSync focuses on automating the movement of data between on-premises storage and AWS storage services but does not specifically cater to database migration.