Official MAP context
AWS defines the Assess phase on the MAP program page. Funding amounts and eligibility are in AWS partner guides — see our MAP funding guide for links to official sources.
The Problem: MAP Assess Needs Application Context
The AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP) follows a three-phase methodology:
- Assess
- Mobilize
- Migrate and Modernize
The Assess phase requires a realistic migration business case. AWS evaluates readiness across business, process, people, platform, operations, and security — plus a TCO model.
A complete portfolio view includes:
- Application inventory and dependencies
- Technical debt analysis
- Migration complexity scoring
- Business value prioritization
Most organizations stop at infrastructure. They export CMDB data. They run discovery tools. They count servers.
This creates a gap. MAP scope and wave planning depend on accurate application context. Infrastructure-only views lead to:
- Underestimated timelines
- Budget overruns
- Failed migration waves
The Observation: Most Assessments Miss Application Logic
Infrastructure-only assessments capture:
- Server count
- Operating systems
- Storage capacity
- Network topology
They miss what matters:
- Application boundaries
- Code complexity
- Data flows
- Business criticality
- Interdependencies
A server running Tomcat tells you nothing about:
- What applications it hosts
- How many code repositories
- Database dependencies
- API connections
- Batch job schedules
Assess-phase decisions require application-level intelligence. Without it, migration waves are guesswork.
The Recommendation: Tidal Accelerator for Portfolio Analysis
Tidal Accelerator delivers application-centric discovery for MAP Assess deliverables:
- Application boundary detection: Maps code to runtime to business function
- Static analysis: Scans repositories for complexity, frameworks, dependencies
- Dependency mapping: Identifies upstream and downstream relationships
- Business context: Links technical assets to business capabilities
Three-Line Rule
MAP Assess requires a realistic business case
Most tools capture infrastructure only
Application logic determines migration complexity
How Tidal Accelerator Works
- Discovery: Connects to source code repositories, CI/CD pipelines, and runtime environments
- Analysis: Builds application topology from code to infrastructure
- Scoring: Ranks applications by migration complexity and business value
- Reporting: Exports MAP-ready documentation with effort estimates
Integration with MAP Assess and AWS Transform
Tidal Accelerator output feeds MAP Assess deliverables and downstream AWS Transform workflows:
- Application inventory and prioritized workloads for Transform jobs
- Dependency maps for wave planning
- Complexity scores for effort estimation
- Risk registers for the Mobilize phase
Tidal owns portfolio analysis and prioritization. AWS Transform owns TCO modeling and agentic migration or modernization execution.
For new migration projects, use AWS Transform rather than AWS Migration Hub, which stopped accepting new customers on November 7, 2025.
The Cost: Tidal Under ISV Tooling; MAP Funding via AWS
Tidal Accelerator is available at no cost to qualified customers and partners under the AWS ISV Tooling Program, when eligibility requirements are met.
Confirm scope and qualification with your MAP-qualified partner. Tidal’s typical scope thresholds (applications or servers in scope) are part of ISV Tooling qualification — not AWS MAP rules.
What You Get
Zero-cost ISV Tooling access may include:
- Full Tidal Accelerator platform license
- Application discovery and analysis
- MAP Assess-ready portfolio reports
- Export of prioritized workloads for AWS Transform
MAP Funding
AWS MAP partner cash and service credits are defined by AWS program guides, not by Tidal. See our MAP funding guide for links to official AWS sources.
The Risk: Projects Stall Without Application-Level Analysis
Why Projects Stall
Discovery identifies hundreds of servers. Migration planning assumes one server equals one workload.
Reality:
- One server hosts many applications
- Applications share databases and hardcoded dependencies
- Some workloads lack source code or documented owners
Migration waves break. Dependencies surface mid-migration. Rollbacks occur.
Three-Line Rule
Infrastructure discovery counts servers
Application analysis reveals actual workloads
Server-count planning misses dependency complexity
Positioning: Modernize as You Migrate
MAP Assess identifies modernization opportunities. Tidal Accelerator helps classify:
- Refactor candidates: High business value, high technical debt
- Replatform candidates: Quick wins with managed services
- Rehost candidates: Low complexity, datacenter exit priority
- Retain candidates: Low value, high refactoring cost
Pair portfolio prioritization with AWS Transform execution for modernization workloads (VMware, .NET, mainframe, and custom code).
Assessment Deliverables
Tidal Accelerator produces MAP Assess portfolio documentation:
1. Application Inventory
- Complete application catalog with owners
- Technology stack identification
- Business capability mapping
2. Dependency Matrix
- Application-to-application dependencies
- Application-to-infrastructure dependencies
- Data flow mapping
3. Migration Complexity Score
- Technical complexity rating
- Business criticality rating
- Risk-adjusted effort estimate
4. Wave Recommendations
- Grouped migration waves
- Dependency-based sequencing
- Risk mitigation per wave
5. TCO Inputs
- Current-state baseline data for partner-led TCO modeling
- Application groupings aligned with AWS Transform assessment inputs
Getting Started
Step 1: Verify MAP qualification
Contact your AWS account team or MAP-qualified partner. Read the AWS MAP program page first.
Step 2: Scope the portfolio
Define application boundaries, source system access, and timeline.
Step 3: Run discovery
Tidal Accelerator connects to source code repositories, CMDB systems, hypervisor environments, and container orchestrators.
Step 4: Generate reports and hand off to Transform
Export MAP Assess documentation and prioritized workloads for AWS Transform TCO and execution planning.
Timeline
Typical MAP Assess portfolio analysis: two to four weeks, depending on estate size and data access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our customer support team.
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MAP (Migration Acceleration Program) is AWS’s end-to-end migration and modernization program with partner-delivered services and AWS investment. AMA (Application Modernization Assessment) is a funded modernization assessment motion. See the AWS MAP program page for MAP and your partner for AMA eligibility. Tidal Accelerator supports both.
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Yes. AWS Transform handles infrastructure TCO, instance recommendations, and agentic execution. Tidal Accelerator handles application boundaries, dependencies, and prioritization. Together they support a complete MAP Assess deliverable.
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Qualified MAP engagements may access Tidal through the AWS ISV Tooling Program at no cost to the customer. Confirm eligibility and scope with your MAP-qualified partner — Tidal does not define AWS funding amounts or ISV Tooling rules on this page.
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Discovery runs continuously once connected. Initial portfolio analysis often completes in days, depending on repository access and estate size. Source code analysis timelines vary by codebase.
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Yes. Tidal Accelerator exports prioritized applications, dependency maps, and 6R recommendations that inform AWS Transform assessment and execution jobs. For MAP credit tracking on migrated workloads, use MAP 2.0 tagging — see the AWS Transform MAP launch guide.
Zero cost for qualified MAP customers and partners. Confirm eligibility with your MAP-qualified partner.
Related Resources
- AWS MAP Funding Guide — Links to official AWS MAP funding and tagging docs
- Application Modernization Assessment — Zero-cost modernization assessment
- AWS Application Modernization — Complete modernization guide
- Tidal Accelerator — Discovery and assessment platform
- AWS Migration Acceleration Program — Official AWS program page
- AWS Transform — AWS migration and modernization execution