A successful application modernization strategy starts with the business need in mind, and then focuses on technologies. As the journey to the cloud gathers pace, organizations have been looking for ways to accelerate cloud adoption and for a prescriptive approach to application modernization. Amazon Web Services (AWS) approaches application modernization by dividing the modernization roadmap into discrete increments that focus on three phases: assess, modernize, and manage. 

Modernizing your applications helps you reduce costs, gain efficiencies, and make the most of your existing investments. It involves a multi-dimensional approach to adopt and use new technology, to deliver portfolio, application, and infrastructure value faster, and to position your organization to scale at an optimal price. After you optimize your applications, you must operate in that new, modernized model without disruption to simplify your business operations, architecture, and overall engineering practices.