A data transfer request is received from an application program hosted at a first location in a computing environment for transferring a given data set to a second location in the computing environment. The data transfer request comprises information identifying one or more data types of the given data set and one or more preferences associated with the transfer of the given data set. The second location is notified of the data transfer request. The method causes deployment of one or more data-aware services to optimize the given data set prior to transfer to the second location, wherein optimizing the given data set is performed based on the one or more data types of the given data set and the one or more preferences associated with the transfer of the given data set. For example, the data-aware services at the first location may comprise data deduplication and/or data compression.