Difference between Azure and AWS
Azure and AWS both have significant value in the market. Both the famous for providing cloud-based services, but now the question arises which one is better? Don’t worry; in this tutorial, we will discuss the differences between both the platforms but before, let’s cover their definition.
What is Amazon Web Service?
Amazon web services were launched in 2006 by Amazon for cloud-based services. AWS allows startups to large companies, individuals, and the government sector, including the military, to utilize its services based on a pay-as-you-go model. It provides three platform services, IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, which provide around 200 features. Day by day, the usage of AWS is increasing as it offers various technological features, including IoT, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, database storage and analytics.
Millions of customers opt for AWS due to its high-security standard, which helps various sectors feel secure to use. It allows developers to innovate new technologies by providing necessary infrastructure and IT support. The fame of AWS is increasing because of its scalability, faster performance, cost-effective effectiveness, reliability and security, which supports the users to develop innovations.
What is Azure?
Azure was launched in 2008 and developed by Microsoft to provide a cloud-based service. The cloud computing platform services include SaaS, PaaS, IaaS and Serverless. Azure is called Windows Azure, and Microsoft’s Azure is a public cloud platform system. The features of Azure include storage, helping to run complex applications as it contains an extensive networking system, handling databases, and providing virtual features. It supports the users by providing the necessary technologies and tools to develop and deploy the application. As a pay-as-you model, users should pay only for what they use.
Azure provides greater security and data backup features, which help users regain their data if data is lost. The features of Azure are unlimited, which is an excellent background for users to discover new ideas.
Difference between Azure and Amazon Web Services
Simple tabulation difference is listed below,
| Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure Cloud |
| Designed in the year 2004 | Designed in the year 2010 |
| 32.3% of the market share | 16.9% of the market share |
| Provides good Security named AWS Security Hub | Enables Privacy and Security named Azure Security Centre |
| Comprises 212 Services | Comprises of 200 Services |
| The pricing scheme is based on Charges per hour | The pricing scheme is based on Charges per minute. |
| Elastic Compute Cloud performs the computing operation | Virtual Machine performs the computing operation |
| Some of the clients include Netflix, Samsung, BMW etc | Some of the clients include Johnson Controls, Apple and Honeywell. |
Let’s examine the difference between Amazon web Services and Microsoft Azure Cloud.
- Computing Power
Amazon Web Services uses the computer to perform calculations and other tasks. The calculations are done by several nodes which use Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) for large-scale computing processes. It uses the software Docker or Kubernetes. The registry used is ECS and EC2 container.
Coming the concept of Azure uses virtual machines for performing computing processes for large-scale operations. The registry and software used are Docker Container.
- Storage Medium
Amazon uses a storage medium called S3, which is simple. The archive option is enabled in S3, which helps the user better by accessing frequently. Performance speed is faster than Azure Cloud.
Microsoft Azure uses Storage block bob for storage purposes, containing several blocks that hold multiple blobs. Storage cool and storage archive performs the data archive operation.
- Database Used
Usually, the cloud provides database service to the users using SQL language. The Relational Database Management in Amazon uses NoSql for Dynamo DB and Elastic cache for Caching purposes.
Microsoft Azure uses SQL, MySQL and PostgreSQL for the relational Database management system. For caching purposes, it uses Redis Cache and NoSql solutions.
- Application Deployment
Cloud computing provides the Platform As an infrastructure (PaaS) for users to develop and deploy applications on various servers. The various tools used in AWS for deploying an application include Elastic Beanstalk, Lambda, Batch and Container Service.
Azure tools include cloud services, Containers, batches and functions.
- Cost of Usage
Amazon and Azure cloud allows users to use the cloud computing service as a pay-as-you-go model. In AWS, the subscription is based on an hourly basis, whereas in Azure, the subscription is based on a minute basis. It depends upon the usage, where one can opt for azure for a short period of work, but it costs more than Amazon for larger scalability.
- Availability and Open Source
Both are familiar, and demand increases for cloud computing day by day. The number of availability zones for AWS includes 61 and for Azure cloud is available around 140 zones. Amazon cloud provides the user with an open-source option, whereas azure provides a less open-source community.
- Accessibility
In AWS, the machines can be accessed independently. While in Azure, machines are grouped and perform the task using their domain name and port. A hybrid cloud computing option is available in Azure, while Amazon cloud service is less prone to third-party or private cloud providers.
- Networking System
Networking in Cloud enables users to connect the network system with the data centre using different products. The networking system used in AWS is Virtual Private Cloud, which uses an Application Program Interface gateway, Elastic load balancing for load balance.
Azure uses Virtual Network for Networking, VPN gateway, load balancer and application gateway to load the balance.
Pros and Cons of Amazon Cloud Computing
Some of the pros of Amazon Cloud Computing Service include,
- Aws allows users to choose their programming language, operating system, and database based on their wishes.
- Licensing method is simple and provides greater support for Big data, analytics and DevOps.
- The users are allowed to determine their storage capacity
- Provides greater security and reliability of highly transferrable data.
- The data archive is available, and only a few data are lost during storage transfer.
Some of the cons are,
- Using Aws as the Hybrid option is a lower chance
- The Elastic Load Balancer used by AWS can’t handle multiple requests
- As AWS lacks customer support, it is better to have a technical support team for the consumers.
- The choices or offers provided by the AWS team are tough to understand for those who are unaware of the technology
- Choosing the right package is a little confusing as it provides multiple options.
Pros and Cons of Azure Cloud
Some of the pros of Azure Cloud are,
- Suitable to various environments include Linux and Windows
- Users have the option to create, deploy and maintain the applications
- Various languages, tools and frameworks are used, which are scalable.
- Provides greater support to the user
- Greater Scalability and consists of large data centres.
Azure cloud Cons are as follows,
- As Azure cloud is operated in 140 regions, the speed flow is not the same in all regions. It is slow in some regions.
- The consumer should have an appropriate technical team to use Microsoft Azure and handle the server and patching.
- High cost occurs if users transfer from one premise to another, the computing power is not the same; hence to transfer all components equally, an investment of a large sum is necessary.
Summary
Microsoft Azure and Amazon have their feature and functionalities. Both have pros and cons. A necessary solution should be found to reduce the cons of these cloud computing systems. Finally, choosing the appropriate cloud services lies in the developer’s or consumer’s choice, which meets their application requirement.
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