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.

This article compares services that are roughly comparable. Not every AWS service or Azure service is listed, and not every matched service has exact feature-for-feature parity.

Azure and AWS for multicloud solutions

As the leading public cloud platforms, Azure and AWS each offer 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 multicloud 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.

AI and machine learning architectures

• Image classification on AzureLearn how to build image processing into your applications by using Azure services such as the Computer Vision API and Azure Functions.
• Scalable personalization on AzureUse machine learning to automate content-based personalization for customers.

Data warehouse architectures

• Modern Data Warehouse ArchitectureExplore a cloud data warehouse that uses big data. Modern data warehouse brings together all your data and scales easily as your data grows.
• Automated enterprise BIAutomate an extract, load, and transform (ELT) workflow in Azure using Azure Data Factory with Azure Synapse Analytics.

Time series architectures

• IoT analytics with Azure Data ExplorerIoT Telemetry Analytics with Azure Data Explorer demonstrates near real-time analytics over fast flowing, high volume, wide variety of streaming data from IoT devices.
• Azure Data Explorer interactive analyticsInteractive Analytics with Azure Data Explorer focuses on its integration with the rest of the data platform ecosystem.

Big data architectures

• Azure data platform end-to-endUse Azure services to ingest, process, store, serve, and visualize data from different sources.
• Campaign Optimization with Azure HDInsight Spark ClustersThis solution demonstrates how to build and deploy a machine learning model with Microsoft R Server on Azure HDInsight Spark clusters to recommend actions to maximize the purchase rate of leads targeted by a campaign. This solution enables efficient handling of big data on Spark with Microsoft R Server.
• Big data analytics with Azure Data ExplorerBig Data Analytics with Azure Data Explorer demonstrates Azure Data Explorer's abilities to cater to volume, velocity, and variety of data, the three V's of big data.

Analytics architectures

• Advanced Analytics ArchitectureGet near real-time data analytics on streaming services. This big data architecture allows you to combine any data at any scale with custom machine learning.
• Automated enterprise BIAutomate an extract, load, and transform (ELT) workflow in Azure using Azure Data Factory with Azure Synapse Analytics.
• Mass ingestion and analysis of news feeds on AzureCreate a pipeline for ingesting and analyzing text, images, sentiment, and other data from RSS news feeds using only Azure services, including Azure Cosmos DB and Azure Cognitive Services.

Compute

Virtual machines and servers

Virtual machines (VMs) and servers allow users to deploy, manage, and maintain OS and other software. Users pay for what they use, with the flexibility to change sizes.

Autoscaling

Autoscaling lets you automatically change the number of VM instances. You set defined metrics and thresholds that determine when to add or remove instances.

Batch processing

Batch processing runs large-scale parallel and high-performance computing applications efficiently in the cloud.

Storage

Several services provide different types of data storage for VM disks.

Containers and container orchestrators

Several AWS and Azure services provide containerized application deployment and orchestration.

Example container architectures

• Baseline architecture on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)Deploy a baseline infrastructure that deploys an AKS cluster with focus on security.
• Microservices architecture on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)Deploy a microservices architecture on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
• CI/CD pipeline for container-based workloadsBuild a DevOps pipeline for a Node.js web app with Jenkins, Azure Container Registry, Azure Kubernetes Service, Azure Cosmos DB, and Grafana.

View all the container architectures

Serverless computing

Serverless computing lets you integrate systems and run backend processes without provisioning or managing servers.

Example serverless architectures

• Social App for Mobile and Web with AuthenticationView a detailed, step-by-step diagram depicting the build process and implementation of the mobile client app architecture that offers social image sharing with a companion web app and authentication abilities, even while offline.
• HIPAA and HITRUST compliant health data AIManage HIPAA and HITRUST compliant health data and medical records with the highest level of built-in security.
• Cross Cloud Scaling ArchitectureLearn how to improve cross cloud scalability with solution architecture that includes Azure Stack. A step-by-step flowchart details instructions for implementation.

Database architectures

• Gaming using Azure Cosmos DBElastically scale your database to accommodate unpredictable bursts of traffic and deliver low-latency multi-player experiences on a global scale.

DevOps and application monitoring

DevOps architectures

• Container CI/CD using Jenkins and Kubernetes on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)Containers make it easy for you to continuously build and deploy applications. By orchestrating the deployment of those containers using Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), you can achieve replicable, manageable clusters of containers.
• Run a Jenkins server on AzureRecommended architecture that shows how to deploy and operate a scalable, enterprise-grade Jenkins server on Azure secured with single sign-on (SSO).

IoT architectures

• IoT Architecture ? Azure IoT SubsystemsLearn about our recommended IoT application architecture that supports hybrid cloud and edge computing. A flowchart details how the subsystems function within the IoT application.
• Azure IoT reference architectureRecommended architecture for IoT applications on Azure using PaaS (platform-as-a-service) components
• Process real-time vehicle data using IoTThis example builds a real-time data ingestion/processing pipeline to ingest and process messages from IoT devices into a big data analytic platform in Azure.

Messaging architectures

• Anomaly Detector ProcessLearn more about Anomaly Detector with a step-by-step flowchart that details the process. See how anomaly detection models are selected with time-series data.
• Scalable web applicationUse the proven practices in this reference architecture to improve scalability and performance in an Azure App Service web application..
• Enterprise integration using queues and eventsRecommended architecture for implementing an enterprise integration pattern with Azure Logic Apps, Azure API Management, Azure Service Bus, and Azure Event Grid.

Networking architectures

• Deploy highly available NVAsLearn how to deploy network virtual appliances for high availability in Azure. This article includes example architectures for ingress, egress, and both.
• Hub-spoke network topology in AzureLearn how to implement a hub-spoke topology in Azure, where the hub is a virtual network and the spokes are virtual networks that peer with the hub.
• Implement a secure hybrid networkSee a secure hybrid network that extends an on-premises network to Azure with a perimeter network between the on-premises network and an Azure virtual network.

Security architectures

• Real-time fraud detectionDetect fraudulent activity in real-time using Azure Event Hubs and Stream Analytics.
• Securely managed web applicationsLearn about deploying secure applications using the Azure App Service Environment, the Azure Application Gateway service, and Web Application Firewall.
• Threat indicators for cyber threat intelligence in Azure SentinelImport threat indicators, view logs, create rules to generate security alerts and incidents, and visualize threat intelligence data with Azure Sentinel.

Storage architectures

• HIPAA and HITRUST compliant health data AIManage HIPAA and HITRUST compliant health data and medical records with the highest level of built-in security.
• HPC Media RenderingOptimize the media rendering process with a step-by-step HPC solution architecture from Azure that combines Azure CycleCloud and HPC Cache.
• Medical Data Storage SolutionsStore healthcare data effectively and affordably with cloud-based solutions from Azure. Manage medical records with the highest level of built-in security.

Web architectures

• Architect scalable e-commerce web appThe e-commerce website includes simple order processing workflows with the help of Azure services. Using Azure Functions and Web Apps, developers can focus on building personalized experiences and let Azure take care of the infrastructure.
• Multi-region N-tier applicationDeploy an application on Azure virtual machines in multiple regions for high availability and resiliency.
• Serverless web applicationThis reference architecture shows a serverless web application, which serves static content from Azure Blob Storage and implements an API using Azure Functions.

Next steps

If you are new to Azure, review the interactive Microsoft Azure Fundamentals learning path.