AWS to Azure services comparison
This article helps you understand how Microsoft Azure services compare to Amazon Web Services (AWS). Whether you are planning a multicloud solution with Azure and AWS or migrating to Azure, you can compare the IT capabilities of Azure and AWS services in all categories.
In the following tables, there are multiple Azure services listed for some AWS services. The Azure services are similar to one another, but depth and breadth of capabilities vary.
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Azure and AWS for multicloud solutions
As the leading public cloud platforms, Azure and AWS each offer businesses a broad and deep set of capabilities with global coverage. Yet many organizations choose to use both platforms together for greater choice and flexibility, as well as to spread their risk and dependencies with a multi-cloud approach. Consulting companies and software vendors might also build on and use both Azure and AWS, as these platforms represent most of the cloud market demand.
For an overview of Azure for AWS users, see Introduction to Azure for AWS professionals.
Marketplace
AreaAWS serviceAzure serviceDescriptionMarketplaceAWS MarketplaceAzure MarketplaceEasy-to-deploy and automatically configured third-party applications, including single virtual machine or multiple virtual machine solutions.
Compute
AreaAWS serviceAzure serviceDescriptionVirtual serversElastic Compute Cloud (EC2) InstancesAzure Virtual MachinesVirtual servers allow users to deploy, manage, and maintain OS and server software. Instance types provide combinations of CPU/RAM. Users pay for what they use with the flexibility to change sizes. Amazon LightsailAzure Virtual Machines & ImagesCollection of virtual machine templates to select from when building out your virtual machine.Container instancesEC2 Container Service (ECS)Azure Container ServiceAzure Container Instances is the fastest and simplest way to run a container in Azure, without having to provision any virtual machines or adopt a higher-level orchestration service. EC2 Container RegistryAzure Container RegistryAllows customers to store Docker formatted images. Used to create all types of container deployments on Azure.Microservices / container orchestratorsElastic Container Service for Kubernetes (EKS)Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)Deploy orchestrated containerized applications with Kubernetes. Simplify monitoring and cluster management through auto upgrades and a built-in operations console. Service FabricA compute service that orchestrates and manages the execution, lifetime, and resilience of complex, inter-related code components that can be either stateless or stateful. Service Fabric MeshFully managed service that enables developers to deploy microservices applications without managing virtual machines, storage, or networking. Azure Container Service (ACS)Quickly deploy a production-ready Kubernetes, DC/OS, or Docker Swarm clusterServerlessLambdaAzure Functions
Azure Event GridIntegrate systems and run backend processes in response to events or schedules without provisioning or managing servers. Lambda @ EdgeFunctions on Azure IoT EdgeRuns functions at the edge (directly on IoT devices) even with intermittent cloud connectivity.Backend process logic Web JobsProvides an easy way to run background processes in an application context.Batch computingAWS BatchAzure BatchRun large-scale parallel and high-performance computing applications efficiently in the cloud.ScalabilityAWS Auto ScalingVirtual Machine Scale Sets
Azure App Service Scale Capability (PAAS)
Azure AutoScalingLets you automatically change the number of instances providing a particular compute workload. You set defined metric and thresholds that determine if the platform adds or removes instances.
Storage
AreaAWS serviceAzure serviceDescriptionObject storageSimple Storage Services (S3)Azure Storage—Block Blob (for content logs, files) (Standard—Hot)Object storage service, for use cases including cloud applications, content distribution, backup, archiving, disaster recovery, and big data analytics.Virtual Server disk infrastructureElastic Block Store (EBS)Azure Storage Disk—Page Blobs (for VHDs or other random-write type data)
Azure Storage Disks—Premium StorageSSD storage optimized for I/O intensive read/write operations. For use as high-performance Azure virtual machine storage.Shared file storageElastic File SystemAzure Files (file share between VMs)Provides a simple interface to create and configure file systems quickly, and share common files. It’s shared file storage without the need for a supporting virtual machine and can be used with traditional protocols that access files over a network.Archiving—cool storageS3 Infrequent Access (IA)Azure Storage—Standard CoolCool storage is a lower cost tier for storing data that is infrequently accessed and long-lived.Archiving—cold storageS3 GlacierAzure Storage-Standard ArchiveArchive storage has the lowest storage cost and higher data retrieval costs compared to hot and cool storage.BackupNoneAzure BackupBackup and archival solutions allow files and folders to be backed up and recovered from the cloud, and provide off-site protection against data loss. There are two components of backup—the software service that orchestrates backup/retrieval and the underlying backup storage infrastructure.Hybrid storageStorage GatewayStorSimpleIntegrates on-premises IT environments with cloud storage. Automates data management and storage, plus supports disaster recovery.Bulk data transferAWS Import/Export DiskImport/ExportA data transport solution that uses secure disks and appliances to transfer large amounts of data. Also offers data protection during transit. AWS Import/Export Snowball
AWS Snowball Edge
AWS SnowmobileAzure Data BoxPetabyte- to Exabyte-scale data transport solution that uses secure data storage devices to transfer large amounts of data into and out of the AWS cloud, at lower cost than Internet-based transfers.Disaster recoveryNoneSite RecoveryAutomates protection and replication of virtual machines. Offers health monitoring, recovery plans, and recovery plan testing.
Networking and content delivery
AreaAWS serviceAzure serviceDescriptionCloud virtual networkingVirtual Private Cloud (VPC)Virtual NetworkProvides an isolated, private environment in the cloud. Users have control over their virtual networking environment, including selection of their own IP address range, the creation of subnets, and configuration of route tables and network gateways.Cross-premises connectivityAWS VPN GatewayAzure VPN GatewayAzure VPN Gateways connect Azure virtual networks to other Azure virtual networks, or customer on-premises networks (Site To Site). It also allows end users to connect to Azure services through VPN tunneling (Point To Site).Domain name system managementRoute 53Azure DNSManage your DNS records using the same credentials and billing and support contract as your other Azure services Route 53Traffic ManagerA service that hosts domain names, plus routes users to Internet applications, connects user requests to datacenters, manages traffic to apps, and improves app availability with automatic failover.Content delivery networkCloudFrontAzure Content Delivery NetworkA global content delivery network that delivers audio, video, applications, images, and other files.Dedicated networkDirect ConnectExpressRouteEstablishes a dedicated, private network connection from a location to the cloud provider (not over the Internet).Load balancingClassic Load Balancer
Network Load Balancer
Application Load BalancerLoad Balancer
Application GatewayAutomatically distributes incoming application traffic to add scale, handle failover, and route to a collection of resources.
Database
AreaAWS ServiceAzure ServiceDescriptionRelational databaseRDSSQL Database
Azure Database for MySQL
Azure Database for PostgreSQLRelational database-as-a-service (DBaaS) where the database resilience, scale, and maintenance are primarily handled by the platform.NoSQL—document storageDynamoDBAzure Cosmos DBA globally distributed, multi-model database that natively supports multiple data models: key-value, documents, graphs, and columnar.NoSQL—key/value storageDynamoDB and SimpleDBTable StorageA nonrelational data store for semi-structured data. Developers store and query data items via web services requests.CachingElastiCacheAzure Redis CacheAn in-memory–based, distributed caching service that provides a high-performance store typically used to offload nontransactional work from a database.Database migrationDatabase Migration Service (Preview)Azure Database Migration ServiceTypically is focused on the migration of database schema and data from one database format to a specific database technology in the cloud.
Analytics and big data
AreaAWS serviceAzure serviceDescriptionElastic data warehouseRedshiftSQL Data WarehouseA fully managed data warehouse that analyzes data using business intelligence tools. It can transact SQL queries across relational and nonrelational data.Big data processingElastic MapReduce (EMR)HDInsightSupports technologies that break up large data processing tasks into multiple jobs, and then combine the results to enable massive parallelism.Data orchestrationData PipelineData FactoryProcesses and moves data between different compute and storage services, as well as on-premises data sources at specified intervals. Users can create, schedule, orchestrate, and manage data pipelines. AWS GlueData Factory
Data CatalogCloud-based ETL/data integration service that orchestrates and automates the movement and transformation of data from various sources.AnalyticsKinesis AnalyticsStream Analytics
Data Lake Analytics
Data Lake StoreStorage and analysis platforms that create insights from large quantities of data, or data that originates from many sources.VisualizationQuickSight (Preview)PowerBIBusiness intelligence tools that build visualizations, perform ad hoc analysis, and develop business insights from data. NonePower BI EmbeddedAllows visualization and data analysis tools to be embedded in applications.SearchElasticsearch ServiceMarketplace—ElasticsearchA scalable search server based on Apache Lucene. CloudSearchAzure SearchDelivers full-text search and related search analytics and capabilities.Machine learningMachine LearningAzure Machine Learning Studio
Azure Machine Learning WorkbenchProduces an end-to-end workflow to create, process, refine, and publish predictive models that can be used to understand what might happen from complex data sets.Data discoveryNoneData CatalogProvides the ability to better register, enrich, discover, understand, and consume data sources. Amazon AthenaAzure Data Lake AnalyticsProvides a serverless interactive query service that uses standard SQL for analyzing databases.
Intelligence
AreaAWS serviceAzure serviceDescriptionConversational user interfaces virtual personal assistantAlexa Skills KitsCortana Intelligence Suite —Cortana IntegrationServices cover intelligence cognitive services, machine learning, analytics, information management, big data and dashboards and visualizations. Microsoft Bot Framework + Azure Bot ServiceBuilds and connects intelligent bots that interact with your users using text/SMS, Skype, Teams, Slack, Office 365 mail, Twitter, and other popular services.Speech recognitionAmazon LexBing Speech APIAPI capable of converting speech to text, understanding intent, and converting text back to speech for natural responsiveness. Language Understanding Intelligent Service (LUIS)Allows your applications to understand user commands contextually. Speaker Recognition APIGives your app the ability to recognize individual speakers. Custom Recognition Intelligent Service (CRIS)Fine-tunes speech recognition to eliminate barriers such as speaking style, background noise, and vocabulary.Text to SpeechAmazon PollyBing Speech APIEnables both Speech to Text, and Text into Speech capabilities.Visual recognitionAmazon RekognitionComputer Vision APIDistills actionable information from images, generates captions and identifies objects in images. Face APIDetects, identifies, analyzes, organizes, and tags faces in photos. Emotions APIRecognizes emotions in images. Video APIIntelligent video processing produces stable video output, detects motion, creates intelligent thumbnails, detects and tracks faces.
Internet of things (IoT)
AreaAWS serviceAzure serviceDescriptionInternet of ThingsAWS IoT Other Services (Kinesis, Machine Learning, EMR, Data Pipeline, SNS, QuickSight)Azure IoT Suite (IoT Hub, Machine Learning, Stream Analytics, Notification Hubs, PowerBI)Provides a preconfigured solution for monitoring, maintaining, and deploying common IoT scenarios. AWS IoTAzure IoT HubA cloud gateway for managing bidirectional communication with billions of IoT devices, securely and at scale.Edge compute for IoTAWS GreengrassAzure IoT EdgeManaged service that deploys cloud intelligence directly on IoT devices to run in on-prem scenarios.Streaming dataKinesis Firehose
Kinesis StreamsEvent HubsServices that allow the mass ingestion of small data inputs, typically from devices and sensors, to process and route the data.
Management and monitoring
AreaAWS serviceAzure serviceDescriptionCloud advisorTrusted AdvisorAzure AdvisorProvides analysis of cloud resource configuration and security so subscribers can ensure they’re making use of best practices and optimum configurations.Deployment orchestration (DevOps)OpsWorks (Chef-based)Azure AutomationConfigures and operates applications of all shapes and sizes, and provides templates to create and manage a collection of resources. CloudFormationAzure Resource Manager
VM extensions
Azure AutomationProvides a way for users to automate the manual, long-running, error-prone, and frequently repeated IT tasks.Management & monitoring (DevOps)CloudWatchAzure portal
Azure MonitorA unified console that simplifies building, deploying, and managing your cloud resources. CloudWatchAzure Application Insights + Azure MonitorAn extensible analytics service that helps you understand the performance and usage of your live web application. It's designed for developers, to help you continuously improve the performance and usability of your app. AWS X-RayAzure Application Insights + Azure MonitorAn extensible application performance management service for web developers on multiple platforms. You can use it to monitor your live web application, detect performance anomalies, and diagnose issues with your app. AWS Usage and Billing ReportAzure Billing APIServices to help generate, monitor, forecast, and share billing data for resource usage by time, organization, or product resources. AWS Management ConsoleAzure portalA unified management console that simplifies building, deploying, and operating your cloud resources.AdministrationAWS Application Discovery ServiceAzure Log Analytics in Operations Management SuiteProvides deeper insights into your application and workloads by collecting, correlating and visualizing all your machine data, such as event logs, network logs, performance data, and much more, from both on-premises and cloud assets. Amazon EC2 Systems ManagerMicrosoft Operations Management Suite—Automation and Control functionalitiesEnables continuous IT services and compliance through process automation and configuration management. You can transform complex and repetitive tasks with IT automation. AWS Personal Health DashboardAzure Resource HealthProvides detailed information about the health of resources as well as recommended actions for maintaining resource health. Third PartyAzure Storage ExplorerStandalone app from Microsoft that allows you to easily work with Azure Storage data on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.
Mobile services
AreaAWS serviceAzure serviceDescriptionPro app developmentMobile HubMobile Apps
Xamarin AppsProvides backend mobile services for rapid development of mobile solutions, identity management, data synchronization, and storage and notifications across devices. Mobile SDKMobile AppsProvides the technology to rapidly build cross-platform and native apps for mobile devices. CognitoMobile AppsProvides authentication capabilities for mobile applications.App testingAWS Device FarmXamarin Test Cloud (front end)Provides services to support testing mobile applications.AnalyticsMobile AnalyticsHockeyApp
Application InsightsSupports monitoring, and feedback collection for the debugging and analysis of a mobile application service quality.Enterprise mobility managementNoneIntuneProvides mobile device management, mobile application management, and PC management capabilities from the cloud.
Security, identity, and access
AreaAWS serviceAzure serviceDescriptionAuthentication and authorizationIdentity and Access Management (IAM)Azure Active Directory
Azure Active Directory PremiumAllows users to securely control access to services and resources while offering data security and protection. Create and manage users and groups, and use permissions to allow and deny access to resources. AWS OrganizationsAzure Subscription and Service Management + Azure RBACSecurity policy and role management for working with multiple accounts. Multi-Factor AuthenticationMulti-Factor AuthenticationHelps safeguard access to data and applications while meeting user demand for a simple sign-in process. It delivers strong authentication with a range of verification options, allowing users to choose the method they prefer.Information protectionNoneAzure Information ProtectionService to help control and secure email, documents, and sensitive data that you share outside your company walls.EncryptionServer-side encryption with Amazon S3 Key Management ServiceAzure Storage Service EncryptionHelps you protect and safeguard your data and meet your organizational security and compliance commitments. Key Management Service
CloudHSMKey VaultProvides security solution and works with other services by providing a way to manage, create, and control encryption keys stored in hardware security modules (HSM).FirewallWeb Application FirewallApplication Gateway Web Application Firewall (preview)A firewall that protects web applications from common web exploits. Users can define customizable web security rules.SecurityInspectorSecurity CenterAn automated security assessment service that improves the security and compliance of applications. Automatically assess applications for vulnerabilities or deviations from best practices. Certificate ManagerApp Service Certificates available on the PortalService that allows customers to create, manage and consume certificates seamlessly in the cloud. GuardDutyAzure AD, Operations Management Suite (OMS), Security CenterAzure offers built-in advanced threat detection functionality, which can be configured and customized to meet your requirements. For more information, see Azure advanced threat detection.Directory servicesAWS Directory Service + Windows Server Active Directory on AWSAzure Active Directory Domain Services + Windows Server Active Directory on Azure IaaSComprehensive identity and access management cloud solution that provides a robust set of capabilities to manage users and groups. It helps secure access to on-premises and cloud applications, including Microsoft online services like Office 365 and many non-Microsoft SaaS applications. CognitoAzure Active Directory B2CA highly available, global, identity management service for consumer-facing applications that scales to hundreds of millions of identities. AWS Directory ServiceWindows Server Active DirectoryServices for supporting Microsoft Active Directory in the cloud.ComplianceAWS ArtifactService Trust PlatformProvides access to audit reports, compliance guides, and trust documents from across cloud services.SecurityAWS ShieldAzure DDos Protection Service (Preview)Provides cloud services with protection from distributed denial of services (DDoS) attacks.
Developer tools
AreaAWS serviceAzure serviceDescriptionMedia transcodingElastic TranscoderMedia ServicesServices that offer broadcast-quality video streaming services, including various transcoding technologies.EmailSimple Email Service (SES)Marketplace—EmailServices for integrating email functionality into applications.MessagingSimple Queue Service (SQS)Azure Queue StorageProvides a managed message queueing service for communicating between decoupled application components.MessagingSimple Queue Service (SQS)Service Bus Queues, Topics, RelaysSupports a set of cloud-based, message-oriented middleware technologies including reliable message queuing and durable publish/subscribe messaging.WorkflowSimple Workflow Service (SWF)Logic AppsServerless technology for connecting apps, data and devices anywhere—on-premises or in the cloud for large ecosystems of SaaS and cloud based connectors.API managementAPI GatewayAPI ManagementA turnkey solution for publishing APIs to external and internal consumers. Elastic BeanstalkWeb Apps (App Service)
Cloud Services
API Apps (App Service)Managed hosting platforms providing easy to use services for deploying and scaling web applications and services. CodeDeploy
CodeCommit
CodePipelineVisual Studio Team ServicesDeveloper tools for scripting application deployment. AWS Developer ToolsAzure Developer ToolsCollection of tools for building, debugging, deploying, diagnosing, and managing multi-platform, scalable apps and services. Power AppsTechnology to rapidly build business solutions, connecting to existing services and data sources such as Excel, SharePoint, Dynamics 365, and more using a visual designer.App testingNoneAzure DevTest Labs (backend)Testing technology to build out heterogeneous solutions for testing cross-platform functionality to your dev/test environment. Integrates to a full DevOps Continuous Integration/Deployment with Visual Studio Online service and 3rd parties such as Jenkins, Chef, Puppet, CloudTest Lite, Octopus Deploy, and others.App customer payment serviceAmazon Flexible Payment Service and Amazon Dev PayNoneCloud service that provides developers a payment service for their cloud based applications.Game development (cloud-based tools)GameLiftNoneAWS managed service for hosting dedicated game servers. LumberyardNoneGame engine integrated with AWS and Twitch.DevOpsAWS CodeBuildVisual Studio Team ServicesFully managed build service that supports continuous integration and deployment.Backend process logicAWS Step FunctionsLogic AppsCloud technology to build distributed applications using out-of-the-box connectors to reduce integration challenges. Connect apps, data and devices on-premises or in the cloud.Programmatic accessCommand Line InterfaceAzure Command Line Interface (CLI)
Azure PowerShellBuilt on top of the native REST API across all cloud services, various programming language-specific wrappers provide easier ways to create solutions.Predefined templatesAWS Quick StartAzure Quickstart templatesCommunity-led templates for creating and deploying virtual machine–based solutions.
