AWS vs Azure comparison – now that’s a topic you must have seen being discussed around the internet. But what exactly is that? Now that the world is steadily becoming digital, cloud platforms have lately been getting more recognition and much more usage. A Cloud platform is like an operating system, with features as exactly as the hardware of a server. However, it is rather available on the Internet. In a way, it provides a way to blend the software and hardware products to work together, which acts as a boon for all the companies and businesses out there.
With all this rising popularity about the cloud platforms in general, some cloud platforms have gotten more attention than the rest. And the two most popular are AWS and Azure, with the question of AWS vs azure which is better? frequently popping up these days. And therefore, we are here to give an unbiased and agreeable answer over that!
Amazon Web Services (AWS):
Amazon Web Services, or AWS, was launched by Amazon in the year 2002. It has been, since then, one of the most preferred cloud service providers globally. It is ideal for not only individuals but also companies and governments. There are more than 150 features and services, including storage access, analytics and machine learning, productivity tools, computing and cloud app integration, among others.
Microsoft Azure:
Just like AWS, Azure is also one of the topmost cloud computing services, that offer a variety of features for the users. It was launched in 2008 by Microsoft, with access to SaaS, i.e. software as a service, PaaS i.e. platform as a service, i.e. and IaaS i.e. infrastructure as a service. Its features range from predictive analysis, DevOps features, to blockchain technologies and comprehensive IoT integration.
AWS vs Azure comparison
If the question really arises of the comparison between them, AWS and Azure give each other a rather tough competition. While most of the features might be the same – given that they are both cloud platforms – they differ greatly in the way of their efficiency and utility.
| Details | AWS | Azure |
| Launched in | Web services in July 2002 Cloud computing in March 2006 | 2010 |
| Market Share (global market) | 31% | 11% |
| Availability Zones | 61 | 140 |
| Storage services | BucketsSimple Storage Service (S3)Elastic Block Storage (EBS)SDB, CloudFront | ContainersBlob Storage, Azure Drive, Table Storage |
| Databases Services | MySQL, Oracle, DynamoDB | MS SQL, SQL Sync |
| Cloud Type | Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) | Virtual Network |
| Connection type | Direct Connect | ExpressRoute |
| Pricing models | Free TrialPer HourNo change for stoppedPay for EBS volume | Free TrialPer Minute |
| Ecosystem | AWS features a software marketplace that has an extensive partner ecosystem. | As compared, Azure doesn’t feature a big ecosystem, except for a few Linux options. |
The first and foremost difference between AWS and Azure is its availability – while Azure is available in 140 zones, AWS is just there in 61. AWS provides features like detail monitoring, auto-scaling groups, zero setups and a mature cloud environment for processing big data; whereas, Azure is start-up friendly, costs pretty reasonable and provides high performance always. This difference in features has always made people prefer Azure more, because of its easy-to-use and approachable interface.
Azure also gives proper security options by providing permissions on the whole account as compared to AWS, which rather leans towards offering defined roles with permission control features. As for Azure vs AWS pricing, two models are similar, i.e. free trial and per minute. Apart from that AWS is a lot more flexible and offer a lot more pricing types, which is a win, especially for someone who is going to use cloud computing platforms for the very first time.
Conclusion
In the question of Microsoft Azure vs AWS, no one platform can come across as the clear winner. Why? Because even though AWS would probably be more trustworthy because of being the oldest in the game, some of its features might not be loved by every user. The same is with Azure – even if its features are more appealing, the fact that it is a recent platform might make organizations hesitate.
It is recommended to go for that platform that will be the most compatible with the business’s needs and preferences!
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