AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 Practice Question

The correct approach for the initial migration wave is to select applications that are low in complexity, have few dependencies, and are not business-critical. This strategy allows the migration team to gain experience, refine their processes and tools, and build confidence with early, low-risk successes. Migrating development or test environments first is a common best practice as it provides a safe sandbox for learning without impacting production operations. This 'crawl-walk-run' methodology establishes a solid foundation and momentum for subsequent, more complex waves.

Starting with the most business-critical applications is a high-risk strategy that is generally discouraged for initial waves. While these applications are important, any issues during the first migration could have a significant negative impact on the business and undermine confidence in the entire cloud program. Similarly, tackling the most technically complex applications first is also risky; it's better to build team capability on simpler migrations before addressing major technical challenges. Grouping applications solely by a shared database, without considering other factors like criticality and complexity, can unnecessarily increase the scope and risk of the first wave. The best practice is to start small and simple, applying lessons learned to progressively larger and more complex waves.