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--- title: Discovery methods in Azure Migrate description: Azure Migrate offers modes for discovering resources ms.topic: concept-article author: habibaum ms.author: v-uhabiba ms.manager: molir ms.service: azure-migrate ms.date: 10/21/2025 ms.custom: engagement-fy24 --- # Discovery methods in Azure Migrate This article explains the different discovery methods in Azure Migrate and gives guidance to choose the most suitable approach based on your requirements. ## Prerequisites Before you begin, ensure you create an Azure Migrate project by following the steps in [Quickstart: Create an Azure Migrate project using portal](quickstart-create-project.md). ## Appliance-based discovery The appliance-based discovery method involves deploying a virtual appliance that scans your environment to collect metadata about resources. This approach is ideal for scenarios where detailed, automated, and continuous discovery are required. ### Key features - Continuous collection of configuration and performance data. - Supports discovering workloads such as SQL databases, webapps, PostgreSQL and MySQL. - Discover software inventory and enable dependency analysis. ### Guidance to choose the right appliance **VMware environments**: For VMware-based infrastructures, we recommend to [deploy VMware stack of Azure Migrate appliance](tutorial-discover-vmware.md). This appliance also supports agentless migrations. **Hyper-V environments**: For Hyper-V environments, we recommend to [deploy Hyper-V stack of Azure Migrate appliance](tutorial-discover-hyper-v.md). Also, download the [Hyper-V replication provider](tutorial-migrate-hyper-v.md) to migrate Hyper-V servers. **Physical & public Cloud servers**: To discover and assess physical servers and servers running in any public cloud, we recommend setting up a [physical stack of appliance](tutorial-discover-physical.md). To migrate physical servers, install a secondary [replication appliance](tutorial-migrate-physical-virtual-machines.md). ## Supported workloads for appliance-based discovery Ensure that software inventory is enabled before initiating workload discovery. Azure Migrate supports the following workloads with appliance-based discovery: - Discovery of SQL Server instances and databases. - Discovery of ASP.NET web apps. - Discovery of MySQL database instances. - Discovery of PostgreSQL instances and databases. ## Import-based discovery Import-based discovery is a simpler and faster alternative, relying on manual upload of inventory data in a structured format. ### Key features - Manual data entry via CSV file uploads. - Add output inventory from CMDB tools to CSV templates. - Supports VMware inventory exported from RVTools XLSX file. - Build a quick business case using the servers discovered via import. ## Arc-based discovery (Preview) If you have already Arc-enabled your servers and SQL Server instances, Arc-based discovery provides a simple alternative that doesn't require any additional on-premises deployments. To use Arc-based discovery, you must [create a new Azure Migrate project from Arc Center](quickstart-evaluate-readiness-savings-for-arc-resources.md). ### Key features - Azure Migrate integrates natively with Azure Arc and requires no additional on-premises deployments to get started. - Scope Arc resources by subscription into the project. - Azure Migrate automatically generates default business case and assessments, typically within an hour. - Collect additional information (utilization history) using the Azure Migrate Collector VM extension. Learn more about [Arc-based discovery (Preview)](concepts-arc-resource-discovery.md). ## Next steps - Learn more about [Appliance requirements](migrate-appliance.md). - Learn more about creating a [business case using import](tutorial-discover-import.md). - Learn more about [Arc-based discovery for migration](concepts-arc-resource-discovery.md).