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You can migrate an Ubuntu server from Azure to AWS, but do not assume an Azure image will boot unchanged on EC2. Azure-customized Ubuntu images may use Canonical’s linux-azure kernel, while Canonical’s documented import workflow recommends installing the AWS-oriented linux-aws kernel after the imported VM launches. The kernel swap is one compatibility step—not a guarantee of a successful migration. Validate the image, boot mode, drivers, and workload on a test copy before production cutover.
Why the kernel matters when moving Ubuntu from Azure to AWS
Canonical says Ubuntu images for Azure include platform customizations, which can include the linux-azure kernel, configuration files, and packages for Azure features. Canonical’s AWS offerings use AWS-customized images; its documentation says the linux-aws kernel used in most offerings enables AWS-specific features. Canonical: identify the kernel installed on Azure · Canonical: identify the kernel installed on AWS
That difference creates a real adaptation issue, but it does not establish that every Azure VM will fail on AWS or that installing one package fixes every import. AWS cautions that VMs using custom Linux kernels might not migrate successfully. Kernel modules, firmware and disk-image requirements, and cloud-specific configuration can also affect whether an instance boots and operates correctly. AWS VM Import/Export prerequisites
Choose between importing the VM and rebuilding it
| Approach | What it involves | Key considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Import the existing VM | Prepare and import the VM image, launch it on EC2, then adapt and validate the running system. Canonical documents a workflow that installs linux-aws after launch. |
Preserves more of the source installation, including its Azure-specific configuration and possible kernel or module dependencies. Confirm AWS import requirements and test the resulting AMI and instance. |
| Rebuild from an AWS Ubuntu image | Start with an Ubuntu image intended for AWS and reinstall or redeploy the workload and required data. | Can avoid carrying source-image customizations, but requires workload reconstruction. The official sources do not establish which approach is faster or safer for a particular server. |
AWS recommends importing VMs as Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) rather than importing them directly as instances. Before committing to an import, check the current VM Import/Export prerequisites for the Ubuntu release, CPU architecture, image format, and other requirements that apply to your image and chosen workflow. AWS’s documentation says VM Import/Export ends support for i386 imports and exports starting April 1, 2026; consult the current requirements page because service support can change.
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Inventory the Azure server before preparing an image
Record the source system’s actual configuration rather than assuming it matches a generic Ubuntu VM. At minimum, capture:
- Ubuntu release and point release, and CPU architecture.
- BIOS or UEFI boot mode, disk layout, and the image format you intend to import.
- The installed kernel package and currently running kernel.
- External or third-party kernel modules and any services that depend on them.
- Azure agents, provisioning, and configuration that may need removal, replacement, or reconfiguration on AWS.
These details determine whether the image meets AWS import requirements and whether the workload depends on the Azure kernel or platform configuration. The exact Ubuntu release, architecture, and boot setup vary by server, so check each source VM individually.
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Prepare and validate the imported EC2 instance
1. Confirm import eligibility and create a test image
Use AWS’s current VM Import/Export requirements to check supported operating systems, image formats, and other prerequisites. Canonical documents an image-import workflow for moving a local Ubuntu VM to AWS, but it does not guarantee compatibility for every Azure image or workload. Keep the first import separate from production and treat it as a test.
2. Check boot, storage, and network compatibility
Before relying on the instance, verify it boots with the expected firmware and can access its storage and network interfaces. AWS specifically warns about custom-kernel compatibility and discusses NVMe and ENA drivers as preparation for running imported Linux VMs on EC2 Nitro systems. Determine whether your target instance type needs those drivers and whether they are present and usable; do not assume the kernel package alone supplies every required component. AWS: VM Import/Export prerequisites and Linux considerations
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3. Install the AWS kernel after the imported VM is reachable
Canonical’s documented imported-VM workflow recommends updating package metadata, installing the AWS kernel package, and restarting:
- Run
sudo apt update && sudo apt install linux-aws. - Restart the instance so it can boot with the installed kernel.
- After reboot, confirm the expected kernel is running and check that storage, networking, monitoring, and application services work.
The first two actions follow Canonical’s published workflow; the post-reboot checks are operational validation in light of AWS’s stated kernel and driver compatibility risks. Installing linux-aws does not by itself prove that external modules, boot configuration, or application dependencies are compatible. Canonical: import a local VM to AWS
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4. Prepare a reusable image if you will clone instances
For a reusable production image, Canonical’s import instructions also include AWS-specific tools and a cloud-init cleanup step: sudo cloud-init clean --machine-id. The cleanup allows cloned instances to initialize their identity and detect the cloud environment. Follow Canonical’s complete command sequence for the applicable Ubuntu release, and validate the image before using it as a template.
5. Roll out cautiously
Test a canary or copy of the server before scaling out. Canonical notes that its kernel-variant migration example is not intended for scale and that pre-existing instances may need manual intervention for incompatibilities. A successful boot on one test instance is a useful gate, not proof that every server or workload in a fleet will behave identically. Canonical: kernel variants in public clouds
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What the kernel change does—and does not—settle
Canonical’s instructions establish that installing linux-aws and restarting is part of its documented imported-VM workflow. They do not establish a universal success rate, performance effect, or guarantee that a particular Azure server will import and run without changes. The practical outcome depends on the exact Ubuntu release and architecture, the image and boot configuration, kernel modules, EC2 hardware drivers, and Azure-specific setup. Verify those against the target environment before cutover; there is no published migration-failure percentage in the cited official guidance.
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