Comparing Azure and AWS: Which Cloud Platform is Right for Your Business?

Midway through the 2000s, cloud computing gained traction thanks to the leadership of companies like Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Cloud computing has been more and more popular over time, and in the previous ten years, it has grown exponentially and become more adaptable. In actuality, the amount spent on cloud infrastructure worldwide reached US$247.1 billion in 2022 and is predicted to increase by a further 23% in 2023.

Modern security, affordable prices, and simple setup options are just a few of the services offered by the many service providers in the cloud computing market today. Because of this, an increasing number of businesses are moving their infrastructure to cloud platforms in order to profit from the numerous commercial advantages that come with its adoption.

We thoroughly examine both AWS and Azure in this blog post to assist you in selecting the one that best suits your requirements. 

What is the Amazon Cloud?

2006 saw the initial public release of Amazon Web Services (AWS), which at the time was the industry's first cloud provider and included features like Simple Queue Service (SQS), EC2 compute machines, and S3 bucket storage.  

Presently holding a 33% market share and projected to generate up to US$80 billion in revenue annually by 2022, AWS is the leading provider of cloud services.  Among the popular AWS services are:

• Block Storage

• Clusters for Computers

• Containerization 

• Databases and Data Lakes 

• Machine Learning

Notably, several well-known companies, like Netflix, Facebook, Twitch, and LinkedIn, have faith in AWS.

What is Azure?

Launched in 2010, Azure is Microsoft's answer to AWS' cloud computing service. The company views Azure as an online extension of the Windows operating system. But thanks to AWS's success, Microsoft saw the market's potential for cloud computing and focused all of its attention on creating pertinent services.

Azure provides more than 200 cloud services globally, addressing issues for the manufacturing, healthcare, finance, and government sectors, to mention a few. With more than 200 data centers and 60+ regions—more than any other provider—Azure's global architecture now offers the best latency and coverage.

Azure joined the market later than AWS, but it has now caught up, increasing its market share from 10% to 20% between 2017 and 2020. With a 23% market share as of right now, Azure powers over 70% of all organizations and 95% of Fortune 500 businesses.

A comparison of AWS and Azure side-by-side:

High-quality services with contemporary features like serverless environments and cutting-edge security protocols are provided by both AWS and Azure. The two platforms are so similar that it is difficult to find any meaningful differences between them. However, several differences between both should be taken into account while comparing AWS and Azure.

Amazon Web Services (AWS):

Market leader in the industry with a 33% share

provides improved interaction with external technologies, such as Oracle

provides a unique savings plan, on-demand and reserved services, and a dynamic pricing strategy.

The EC2 Instances can be configured manually or using a predefined image.

Azure:

expanding its market share quickly and becoming a preferred option for big businesses.

connections that work better with Windows and SQL Server, two Microsoft technologies.

has more affordable prices than Azure Aws Consultant and offers dynamic pricing. Offers existing Microsoft Custom Web Development Services in addition, and charges by the minute to save money.

just virtual machines built on virtual hard discs that are preconfigured.

Migrations:

For users who want to move their configuration to a cloud environment, migration ease is essential. Fortunately, you can get assistance with the process from both AWS and Azure's migration assessment services.

The AWS Migration Readiness evaluation, on the one hand, tells you whether your system is prepared for the cloud migration process and offers an overview of your IT architecture. It gives you an idea of where your company stands regarding cloud adoption, points out areas of weakness from the standpoint of migration, and offers solutions to address those issues.

The Azure Migration Report functions similarly. It generates a migration plan and provides you with an assessment of your servers' preparedness for an Azure move. It also identifies potential problems that could be impeding the migration process and provides solutions. Furthermore, the whole Cost of Ownership (TCO) tool projects the whole cost of migration, encompassing expenses for servers and storage.

Costing:

Because each service has a unique cost that varies across regions and service levels, it is unfair to compare the price structures of AWS and Azure. But first, we look at the costs of a Linux virtual machine (VM) with a 4-core CPU and 16GB of RAM to establish a baseline.

The price of this virtual machine (VM), known as B4ms, starts at $0.166 per hour on the Azure pricing page and drops to $0.1118 per hour with a savings plan. According to the AWS pricing calculator, the machine with the same name, t4g.xlarge, is $0.1344 per hour.

In this simple comparison, the Azure option is more affordable. Microsoft, who asserts that AWS is up to five times more expensive than Azure in this thorough analysis, supports the conclusion.

Azure also has an advantage because it provides specific discounts to users who currently use Microsoft services, such as Office 365 and Windows.

Certifications:

These two titans of the industry provide a plethora of certificates that are earned through exam passing. In the software sector, people with certifications in either Azure or Amazon are highly respected and well-known.

There are twelve certifications offered by AWS, covering subjects like machine learning, security, and cloud solutions architecture. The cost of certification exams varies, with basic-level exams costing $100 and specialty exams costing $300.

Because Microsoft owns a variety of products, its certifications cover a wide range of topics. Many Azure cloud services, such as DevOps, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and other Microsoft technologies including Office, PowerBI, and SQL Server, offer certification paths for professionals.

Additionally, Azure certification costs vary per region. Exam fees can range from $80 in certain countries to $165 in the United States. The choice to make payments in local currency is available in certain areas, such as India.

Which is better: Azure vs. Amazon?

In the end, what matters most is what satisfies your business needs, however, there are a few other small considerations that may influence your choice. In essence, AWS is a more established participant in the cloud computing market with vetted offerings. This argument by itself can seal the deal and force you to choose AWS.

It's crucial to remember, though, that Microsoft has a far longer history in the software industry overall and is becoming more and more popular in the cloud computing sector. Azure will also be a better fit for you if you currently use Microsoft services, such as Office365, because of its simple integrations and exclusive savings.

In summary

Since both AWS and Azure provide top-notch services that support effective growth and innovation for companies of all sizes, the discussion between them has been going on for a while.

With a 33% market share at the moment, AWS leads the cloud computing space, but Azure isn't far behind. Azure is the go-to choice for several top businesses and has amassed over 23% of the market despite its late entry.