Microsoft Azure vs. Amazon Web Services

Microsoft Azure vs. Amazon Web Services

As digital transformation attracts more and more companies, the infrastructure-as-a-service market has seen a significant rise in popularity. One reason for this is that cloud services give businesses the ability to scale up or down (or even both!) to meet changing business demands. Cloud technology also reduces business expenses by minimizing hardware and software costs, which can pay for itself in just a few months.

The cloud computing industry is growing at a staggering rate and has become an incredibly disruptive force in the technology industry, offering many companies innovative solutions at a fraction of what they would normally pay. The number of companies utilizing the cloud for data storage and computation has risen sharply in recent years.

With cloud services like Amazon Web Services (AWS) Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and IBM Cloud, businesses can easily scale up or down to meet their needs without the hassle of paying for hardware or other associated costs when their usage isn’t as high as it used to be.

AWS vs. Azure: The Battle of the Cloud Platforms

Today, there’s no question that Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure are two of the biggest players in the cloud computing market. Their appeal has been in large part due to their focus on security, as well as transparency with regards to data ownership. Companies have come to trust both platforms, and their use continues to grow rapidly.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has dominated, while Microsoft Azure is now picking up the pace. One reason for this is that Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s current CEO, has mandated that the company be “cloud first.” His strategy of leveraging Microsoft’s strengths has given it an advantage over AWS as both companies vie for a dominant position in their sector.

As such, there is an ongoing battle between AWS and Azure. Yes, Amazon took the lead as an early mover in the cloud ecosystem, but Microsoft is beginning to make strides in its recent efforts to close the gap on AWS’ lead. Let’s take a look at each provider’s strengths and weaknesses to determine which platform will come out on top in this ongoing battle.

AWS vs. Azure: What’s the Difference?

The Amazon Web Services (AWS) platform was launched in 2002, and today it is the largest public cloud provider in the world, with a strong suite of infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) offerings. Azure was launched in 2010, offering both IaaS and platform-as-a-service (PaaS) services, including storage, databases, analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and networking.

Choosing between Azure and AWS is a complex decision that can depend on several different factors, such as the size of the company, workloads, or even the company’s location. For instance, if an enterprise needs a strong platform-as-a-service (PaaS) provider or Windows integration capabilities, Azure would be the ideal choice. If an enterprise needs infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) or a diverse set of tools, then AWS may be the better fit.

What is AWS?

AWS allows customers to use Amazon web services from anywhere on the internet. Customers use these services to host applications online, store data, or provide CDN service.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) allows users to deploy applications via the internet. Users can pay monthly fees for use of the service, or they can purchase server instances for running their applications. Applications are stored on the hard disk drives of the servers, which allow them to be accessed quickly by other computers using the internet. This service is perfect for people who wish to run their application online, as it does not require user intervention. However, if you want to scale up and down your applications according to demand, then it is cheaper to use dedicated hardware hosting instead.

AWS Service Features

With Amazon Web Services (AWS), a company can expand its computing power and data storage needs, as well as improve its infrastructure efficiency and performance. Amazon offers the following four classes of AWS products:

• Networking
• Database
• Content delivery and storage
• Compute

AWS: Pros and Cons

Amazon Web Services offers a tiered approach to hosting with its cloud platform, making it easy for customers to move up or down depending on the total amount of usage. AWS allows you to use their servers for your needs and then offers more options if you need a long-term data archive solution.

However, AWS has its drawbacks as well. With a vast number of products to choose from and an inconsistent customer support system, it can be difficult for consumers to make the right choice.

What is Microsoft Azure?

Azure is a cloud computing platform that lets developers build, deploy, and manage applications in the Microsoft architecture. With that said, Azure is a set of software products and services that enable virtually anyone—from large organizations to small businesses—to develop and run applications entirely in the cloud. This includes everything from database storage to web apps to mobile backends.

In its effort to better compete with AWS, Microsoft has made some strategic upgrades to Azure. Microsoft Azure is a public cloud hosting environment. At its core, Microsoft Azure offers IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) by offering access to virtual machines, storage space, and network resources. Azure also gives customers PaaS (Platform as a Service) by providing them with development tools and service management. Finally, SaaS (Software as a Service) comes into play when users get access to apps hosted in Azure.

Microsoft Azure Service Features

Microsoft’s Azure is a robust cloud-based service that lets developers build, deploy, and maintain their applications. It was built to help developers move their apps to the cloud. The four main categories of services are: 

• Performance: Ease of development and rapid deployment.
• Compute: Infrastructure as a Service.
• Networking: Easily secure your site with advanced networking capabilities.
• Data Management and Databases: Use SQL databases in a flexible, powerful way to store data.

Azure also has several authentication options available, such as Multi-Factor Authentication and Active Directory Federation Services, that further protect your Azure resources.

Microsoft Azure: Pros and Cons

Microsoft is one of the oldest and most trusted companies in the world, with over a billion users across all devices. Microsoft provides services for both consumers and businesses, including Windows, Office 365, and Azure. The popularity of Microsoft Azure has grown as opposed to Amazon Web Services (AWS). Microsoft Office 365 integrates well with the platform and has earned a reputation as a proven solution. However, many small businesses prefer AWS because it offers more features and lower prices.

However, it would be a mistake to ignore the wide range of customer service features that Azure offers. In addition to the ability to convert an existing Microsoft license from on-premises to the cloud, Azure is available in more markets than AWS. It’s also considered more start-up friendly and can be more cost-effective for businesses that rely on legacy Microsoft applications. For companies that rely on legacy Microsoft apps, Azure provides critical support.

One of the reasons that companies use Azure over other cloud providers is security. In addition to Microsoft’s two-factor authentication and encryption, businesses can make use of Microsoft’s global footprint to ensure that their data is secure wherever it may be stored. Azure offers additional security options to protect your data. Microsoft Defender for Cloud helps organizations identify and address security issues in real-time. It uses powerful AI technology to scan your environment to keep it protected from malicious threats.

Let Techsperts LLC Help You Leverage the Power of Microsoft Azure

Techsperts LLC is here to help you make the right choice. We are an IT consulting firm that specializes in using platforms like Microsoft Azure to streamline businesses and make them more efficient. Through our vast knowledge of the platform, we can help you design robust cloud-based solutions that save you time and money while increasing productivity.

Find out how Microsoft Azure could be the right platform for your business. Contact us today to schedule a consultation or give us a call at (201) 262-5066.