Azure vs AWS: Which Cloud Platform is Better?

 

Cloud Computing is a powerful platform that has changed the way businesses work nowadays. With everything going digital, there is a need for businesses to move to the cloud. There are a lot of options available, and enterprises need to select the best one for their needs. Azure and AWS are the two most prominent names in Cloud Computing. By comparing Azure vs AWS, businesses can determine the right fit for their unique needs and objectives.

If you are interested in learning about the differences between Azure vs AWS, then this blog is for you!

Table of Contents  

1) What is Azure? 

2) What is AWS?

3) Azure vs AWS: Which is better?

4) Azure vs AWS: Certifications 

5) Azure vs AWS: Advantages

6) Azure vs. AWS: Disadvantages

7) AWS vs Azure: Which is better?

What is Azure? 

Azure or Microsoft Azure is a cloud platform offered by Microsoft. It offers a variety of services like storage, networking solutions, developer tools, etc. Azure offers services in three different categories –  Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (Iaas). It hosts web applications with the help of Microsoft’s data centers.


 

What is AWS? 

AWS or Amazon Web Services is a cloud platform offered by Amazon. It is the most comprehensive cloud platform used in the world and offers over 200 services that are hosted in data centers around the globe. AWS also offers the same categories of services as Azure such as Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (Iaas). AWS comes with more features and services than any other cloud-based platform.  

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Azure vs AWS: Which is better?

Now that we know what Azure and AWS are, we can say that they seem pretty similar. While it might seem so on the surface, they are actually quite different. Let’s look at some of the key differences between Azure and AWS:

Documentation and simplicity of use

AWS provides interfaces supported by many services that can cater to every requirement type of the user. Added to these services are valuable descriptions that explain how all this works to make the user's life easy and comfy. With Azure, the details concerning the account are centralized, so the administrative part is really much improved. Its users can face problems with the accessibility of documentation present on Azure and also have a hard time understanding it, therefore stopping the learning curve for new users. Nonetheless, both are evolving to cater to the changing needs of users in the ever-evolving cloud computing environment.
 

Azure	AWS
Users who have been working on Windows find it easy to use Azure.	AWS offers so many configurations that it takes some time to understand them all.
Azure makes it easy to create a hybrid environment by integrating Windows Servers on-premises with a cloud.	AWS is flexible and offers room for customization supporting third-party integrations.

 

Licensing and license mobility

AWS offers the most flexible licensing model that meets all the user's needs through a wide range of features and services. Conversely, Azure focuses primarily on Windows Administrators, providing ease of integration and convenience in Windows-based environments. Azure also boasts a broad selection of SaaS options, giving customers a vast pool of cloud-based applications to choose from. Each platform has its distinct advantages.

AWS users benefit from a comprehensive and flexible feature set. Meanwhile, if a user seeks a Windows-based environment with easy integration and extensive SaaS options, Azure is the preferred choice.

Networking and content delivery

AWS allows the establishment of secure and isolated networks in the cloud with Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs), enabling precise control over the network environment. In contrast, Azure facilitates both intra- and inter-network communication through virtual networks and VPN gateways, providing a flexible and scalable solution for securely connecting on-premises and cloud resources. While AWS's VPCs offer robust control over network configurations, Azure's virtual networks and VPN gateways ensure seamless integration between on-premises and cloud environments, meeting diverse networking needs and preferences in the cloud computing landscape.

Logging and monitoring

AWS employs CloudWatch, a comprehensive monitoring and logging service, to track performance metrics and monitor resource usage in real-time. On the other hand, Azure's ML Studio utilizes ML-Flow to efficiently capture and track data, facilitating the management of machine learning experiments and workflows in a collaborative environment.

Open-source development

AWS caters to the needs of open-source developers by providing strong support for Linux and integrating various open-source applications, creating an open and supportive environment for open-source development. Conversely, Azure is gradually adopting open-source development practices, demonstrating a commitment to evolving alongside the open-source community and expanding its service offerings to meet their needs.

Processes for deploying applications

AWS encompasses a variety of services from Elastic Beanstalk to Lambda and container services, offering diverse options for application hosting. In contrast, Azure provides deployment flexibility through Cloud Services, Container Services, Functions, Batch, and App Services, catering to different application hosting needs. Both platforms deliver flexibility and scalability in their deployment options, allowing users to choose the method that best suits their specific requirements and preferences.

Cloud market growth

According to Canalys, in Q1 of 2022, AWS controlled 32% of the entire market. Meanwhile, Microsoft Azure took 2nd place with a 23% market share. This is followed by Google Cloud, which has a 10% market share. These cloud vendors together account for 65% of total spending. Even though AWS is leading the market share, it is facing pressure from the economic shifts around the world and the increasing popularity of multi-cloud strategy.

Azure vs AWS: Job opportunities 

According to LinkedIn, there are a lot more jobs available for AWS (300K+) than for Azure (200K+).  

It’s fair to assume that AWS provides better job opportunities. This could also be owing to the fact that AWS was introduced long before Azure and has had much more time in the market.  

Azure vs AWS: Certifications 

Both Azure and AWS offer various certifications according to an individual’s experience and professional domain. Here’s a list of certifications offered- 

Azure Certifications

Azure offers certification for people who want to learn about cloud technology including applications, solutions, and data centers.

1) Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals

2) Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator Associate

3) Microsoft Certified Azure Developer Associate

4) Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect Expert

5) Microsoft Certified Azure AI Engineer Associate

6) Microsoft Certified Azure Data Scientist Associate

7) Microsoft Certified Azure Security Engineer Associate

8) Microsoft Certified Azure DevOps Engineer Expert

9) Microsoft Certified: Microsoft Azure IoT Developer Specialty

10) Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 for Sales Functional Consultant Associate

11) Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 for Customer Service Functional Consultant Associate

12) Microsoft 365 Certified Fundamentals

13) Microsoft 365 Certified: Messaging Administrator Associate

14) Microsoft 365 Certified: Teamwork Administrator Associate

15) Microsoft 365 Certified: Security Administrator Associate

16) Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator

17) Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator

Interested in earning these certifications? Join our Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ900 Course today!

AWS Certifications

AWS offers 11 certifications depending on one’s experience and professional domain.

1) AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

2) AWS Certified Developer – Associate

3) AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate

4) AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

5) AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional

6) AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

7) AWS Certified Data Analytics – Specialty

8) AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty

9) AWS Certified Security – Specialty

10) AWS Certified Database – Specialty

11) AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty

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Azure vs AWS: Advantages  

Let’s explore the advantages of Azure and AWS. 

Advantages of Azure 

In this section, we will explore the benefits of Azure:

1) Scalability

Every business deals with varying needs and requirements over time. Azure’s public cloud platform allows companies to scale their processing capacity and storage according to their requirements.  

2) Sustainability

Azure comes with built-in tools to help visualize data that can help companies make better, more informed decisions. Azure also offers real-time dashboards that enable businesses to keep track of data flow, response time, and a lot more. The analytics tools offered can also help companies segment their customers based on behaviour data.  

3) Availability

Azure has its data centers spread across 55 regions around the world, and the cloud service platform is offered in 140 countries. Azure guarantees 99.95% availability. 

4) Cost-efficient

Azure comes with a pay-as-you-go subscription model, so users only have to pay for the resources they use. Azure helps cut IT costs because the infrastructure cost is born by Microsoft at its data centres. 

5) Hybrid

Azure offers hybrid cloud functionalities. Customers can easily move between on-premises and the public cloud. They can also utilize hybrid connections like Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), caches, etc. 

6) Security and recovery

Azure come with compliance certifications that can help keep sensitive data secure. Multi-factor authentication and disaster recovery options are also available for business needs.  

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Advantages of AWS 

Now that, we have understood the advantages of Azure, let’s learn about the advantages of AWS.

1) Innovative 

Amazon Web Services has been known to partake in innovation every step of the way. That’s how it has been able to offer over 200 services on the platform.  

2) Easy-to-use

Amazon has always been customer-centric, and this is reflected in AWS as well. The platform is easy to use, and customers can easily control and change their data as and when required. All necessary documentation and tutorials are available to customers as soon as they register on the platform.  

3) Cost-effective

AWS provides a cost-effective solution to businesses, by letting them use the services offered as they require them. Installing and managing on-premises infrastructure can cut a huge hole in a company’s budget and taking it to the cloud can help cut costs. 

4) Security

AWS comes with various compliance certifications and follows international security regulations. 

5) Scalability

AWS lets customers scale up or down according to their business requirements. It offers tools like auto-scaling, elastic load balancing, etc., which are available whenever needed. 

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Azure vs AWS: Disadvantages  

Here are the disadvantages of Azure and AWS. 

Disadvantages of Azure 

1) Needs management

Azure's IaaS needs to be managed and maintained by someone who is highly skilled at things like server monitoring and patching. 

2) Expertise

While Azure offers the pay-as-you-use model, it’s important for administrators to make sure that all required components are working. This requires the need for an Azure expert.  

Disadvantages of AWS 

1) Limited resources

There are restrictions imposed on resources by default, which differ according to region. AWS only allows a specific number of instances per region. If you want more resources, you will have to ask for permission.

2) Security limitation

AWS puts security as one of its topmost concerns and that’s why it doesn’t let customers alter certain features. Security Groups can only have up to 100 permissions, with a maximum of 500 permissions per instance.  

Conclusion

Now, We have provided an overview of the differences between Azure and AWS. We started with the question: which is better? The truth is there cannot be a definite answer to this question. Different businesses have different needs, and they can choose the better cloud platform according to their needs. What’s even better is that with the introduction of multicloud strategies, companies can choose the best features from both Azure and AWS to implement.

Azure and AWS will keep launching new products and integrations, along with introducing new pricing models to keep up with the changing market. For now, you can refer to this blog to help you make a more informed decision.

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