AWS Data Processing Modernization Program
AWS offers multiple programs, services, and partnerships to help organizations at every stage of their EMR migration — from initial assessment through execution and optimization. This chapter outlines the support resources available, including the AWS Data Processing Modernization Program, AWS Professional Services engagements, certified migration partners, and AWS Support plans.
Choosing the Right Support Model
The right engagement model depends on your migration's scale, complexity, timeline, and internal expertise. Use the following guide to determine where to start:
| Factor | Self-Service + AWS Support | AWS Partner | AWS Professional Services | Data Processing Modernization Program |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Migration size | < 10 jobs, single cluster | 10–100 jobs, 1–3 clusters | 50–500+ jobs, multiple clusters | Enterprise-scale, strategic initiative |
| Internal Hadoop/Spark expertise | Strong — team can self-execute | Moderate — need augmentation | Limited — need hands-on delivery | Varies — program provides full support |
| Timeline pressure | Flexible | 3–6 months target | Aggressive (< 6 months for large scope) | Phased over 6–18 months |
| Budget model | Pay-as-you-go AWS costs only | Fixed-price or T&M engagement | SOW-based engagement | MAP credits offset migration costs |
| Best for | Teams familiar with AWS who need guidance on EMR specifics | Organizations that need execution capacity and migration tooling | Complex environments with strict compliance, custom frameworks, or tight deadlines | Strategic migrations where cost justification and executive sponsorship drive the initiative |
Recommended starting point: If you're unsure, begin with a Data Processing Modernization assessment (free, no commitment). AWS will evaluate your environment and recommend the right combination of self-service, partner, and ProServe support based on your specific situation.
The AWS Data Processing Modernization Program helps organizations migrate their legacy data processing workloads—including on-premises Hadoop clusters (Cloudera, Hortonworks, MapR), commercial ETL tools (Informatica, Talend, Ab Initio), and workflow orchestration systems (Autosys, Control-M)—to fully managed, cloud-native AWS services such as Amazon EMR, AWS Glue, Amazon Athena, and Amazon MWAA.
The program provides a structured migration path with expert guidance, assessment tooling, and hands-on support to reduce risk and accelerate time-to-value.
Key Benefits
| 56% | 3.5× | 626% | 99% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year-one cost savings vs. on-premises Hadoop | Faster Spark workload performance | 5-year return on investment | Reduction in unplanned downtime |
Source: IDC study of organizations running Apache Spark and Hadoop on Amazon EMR
Migration Tracks
| Track | Migrate From | Migrate To |
|---|---|---|
| Big Data / Analytics | Cloudera, Hortonworks, MapR, on-premises Hadoop/Spark | Amazon EMR — managed Hadoop, Spark, Hive, Presto |
| ETL / Data Integration | Informatica, Talend, Ab Initio, SSIS, DataStage | AWS Glue — serverless data integration service |
| Workflow Orchestration | Autosys, Control-M, Oozie, Airflow (self-managed) | Amazon MWAA — managed Apache Airflow |
How the Program Works
The program follows a proven three-phase methodology:
| Phase 1: Assess | Phase 2: Mobilize | Phase 3: Migrate & Modernize |
|---|---|---|
| Workload discovery and profiling, TCO analysis, migration complexity scoring, and architecture recommendation. | Detailed migration plan, proof-of-concept migration, team enablement, and partner engagement. | Phased migration execution, performance optimization, cost right-sizing, and production cutover support. |
What You Get
Expert guidance — AWS Solutions Architects and specialist engineers work alongside your team throughout the migration
Assessment tooling — Automated workload profiling and TCO estimation to build a data-driven migration plan
Migration credits — Eligible customers may qualify for AWS credits through the Migration Acceleration Program (MAP)
Partner ecosystem — Access to AWS-certified migration partners with deep expertise in data platform migrations
Operational best practices — Production-ready architectures following AWS Well-Architected Framework principles
Ongoing optimization — Post-migration cost optimization including instance right-sizing, Graviton adoption, and auto-scaling
Migration Acceleration Program Credits
AWS offers Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) credits to help offset the costs of migrating your database and analytics workloads to AWS services like Amazon EMR. MAP provides service credits based on your anticipated Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) to reduce the financial burden of migration and modernization. For migrations under $500K ARR, all eligible database and analytics services qualify for an additional 10% incentive on top of standard MAP credits. For larger migrations ($500K–$10M ARR), customers can earn additional DB&A-specific credits by tagging their migrated workloads accordingly. To get started, contact your AWS Account Manager to determine your eligibility and initiate a MAP funding request.
Getting Started
To engage with the AWS Data Processing Modernization Program:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Contact your AWS Account Manager or reach out at aws.amazon.com/contact-us |
| 2 | Request a Data Processing Modernization assessment for your environment |
| 3 | AWS will conduct workload discovery and deliver a TCO analysis with a migration roadmap |
| 4 | Upon approval, begin phased migration with AWS and partner support |
For more information, visit aws.amazon.com/emr, aws.amazon.com/glue, or aws.amazon.com/managed-workflows-for-apache-airflow.