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Azure Cloud Versus AWS Cloud

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure are the most prominent players in the game when it comes to public cloud providers

Both companies offer similar services and pricing structures, but some critical differences between them make one better than the other for your organization’s needs.

This comparison will help you determine which cloud is right for you.

1. Azure Cloud Takes Top Marks For Hybrid Cloud Computing, AWS For Public Cloud

One of the most significant differences between Azure and AWS is their approach to hybrid cloud computing. Azure Cloud is a hybrid cloud platform that allows you to run your applications in the public or on-premises, while AWS can only be accessed via public clouds.

The second significant distinction between these two platforms is their pricing structure: Microsoft charges for many resources hourly, while Amazon charges for most resources monthly.

2. Microsoft Azure For IaaS, AWS For PaaS

Microsoft Azure is a good choice for infrastructure as a service (IaaS), while AWS is the better platform as a service (PaaS) option.

IaaS is best for developers since it doesn’t include many extra features and can be scaled easily. PaaS is better for operations teams who build and configure applications from scratch or use existing ones in their data centers.

3. Azure Cloud Offers Sole Enterprise And Business Solutions, While AWS Is Geared More Toward Developers And SMBs

AWS offers a service geared to developers and SMBs, whereas Azure is more enterprise-oriented. If you’re looking for a cloud solution for your business and not just an individual project, consider Azure over AWS.

However, it’s important to note that some aspects of Azure make it better suited for enterprise customers than AWS. While both platforms offer similar services like storage and databases, they also have unique features.

4. AWS Cloud Is Older, But Azure Has More Services

The AWS Cloud is older than Azure, but it still needs to make strides to catch up. While AWS started as a platform for virtual private servers (VPS) and storage in 2006, Microsoft announced its cloud services in 2010.

In the years since, Azure has been adding new services steadily and now has more functionality than its competitor.

Although both clouds offer access to many of the same products–for example, both have databases like MySQL or PostgreSQL–Azure has invested more heavily into enterprise features like Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS), disaster recovery options, security tools like Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (WDATP), and backup software.

5. AWS Pricing Can Be More Complicated Than Azure’s

AWS is a little more complicated. Pricing is based on a combination of capacity and usage, so you’ll need to know your average monthly bill before deciding if it makes sense. Amazon charges by the hour or second of compute time the instance runs—the longer it runs, the more money they make.

Azure pricing is more straightforward: You pay based on how much RAM or vCPUs are allocated to your server instances (called “cores”). If an Azure VM does not use all available cores at any given time, then only half-capacity charges apply for each core used (e.g., 8GB/16vCPU = 4 core hours * $0.06 USD/hour = $0.24 USD).

However, full-capacity charges apply when VMs are idle instead of being actively used by applications running inside them—this means there could be some unexpected costs depending on how much CPU power your application requires compared with what type(s) it’s currently using during its life cycle!

6. AWS Is More Developer-Friendly, While Azure Caters To Operations Teams

AWS is a cloud service for developers, while Azure caters to operations teams. AWS provides more services for developers, including tools that allow them to build applications and deploy them on the cloud.

While Azure offers some services (such as analytics), it focuses on providing an environment where IT professionals can manage the cloud infrastructure.

AWS allows more environment customization: You can choose which operating system (Linux or Windows), which database software you’d like to run in your environment, etc., whereas with Azure, these choices are made by Microsoft and must be followed by all users of its platform.

7. Support And Documentation Favor Aws Over Azure

There are two main types of support for any cloud service: in-product help and customer service. For AWS, there is a wealth of online documentation, video tutorials, and an entire forum dedicated to helping users learn how to use the platform.

You’ll find very little documentation or video content for Azure outside Microsoft’s training website and very few third-party websites or blogs dedicated to discussing Azure.

Both companies offer phone support during business hours (which can be hard to gauge if you live in multiple time zones). AWS has more staff members per capita than Azure, but both companies have decent response times when it comes down to it. The difference here is that since AWS has been around longer and has grown larger than Microsoft’s offering. They have more people familiar with using their products—this makes all the difference when it comes time for troubleshooting an issue!

8. The Future Is Bright For Both Players In The Cloud Wars

Both AWS and Azure are gathering strength every day. With their massive infrastructure, they can handle the demands of businesses, large and small. If you’re looking for a cloud provider, either one will be able to meet your needs quickly and both are innovating to ensure they stay competitive.

AWS continues its focus on machine learning with tools like SageMaker and DeepRacer. Meanwhile, Microsoft continues its push into security and compliance (in fact, this is where Azure excels compared to AWS).

The future looks bright for both players in the cloud wars due to their flexibility and innovation in addressing various industry needs across different business verticals.

9. Aws Still Has A More Significant Market Share; However, Azure Is Growing Ever Stronger.

Several factors contribute to this trend:

  1. AWS’s growth rate has slowed while Microsoft’s continues to increase.
  2. Amazon has no plans to expand its prices until 2021, whereas Microsoft recently introduced price cuts for some of its services and plans to keep the costs low.
  3. While Amazon offers fewer services than Azure (approximately 70 versus 1,600), Microsoft’s advantage lies in variety and consistency.

Summing Up

The cloud is a big topic; it can take a lot of work to get your head around. It’s important to consider all the options available before making a decision. If you’re looking for something more flexible or cheaper than AWS or Azure, there are other public clouds like Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and IBM Bluemix. Consider looking at private clouds if you want complete control over your infrastructure.


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