Azure vs. Google Cloud is a never-ending debate for business owners planning to migrate data to the cloud. Cloud computing is rising, and leveraging it for the highest has become a priority for all-sized enterprises. However, benefitting from cloud computing eventually boils down to which cloud provider is best for your enterprise.
Both cloud computing platforms help enterprises with improved scalability, security, and cost savings. However, these are not alone. The top three contenders in the cloud service provider market include AWS, GCP offered by Google, and Microsoft Azure. This is because the three cloud giants hold the maximum share of the cloud market, and their adoption is growing faster.
However, in this guide, we’ll discuss the significant differences between Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. Understanding the differences between the two will help you choose the right cloud computing platform.
Microsoft Azure Vs. Google Cloud: Services
Microsoft and Google are major cloud providers and globally recognized leaders in technology. In the 2019 report, Gartner announced Microsoft and Google as worldwide leaders for cloud IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). The “Ability to Execute” as well as “Completeness of Vision” superiority of Azure and Google Cloud helped them achieve the top position within the IaaS space.
Even though both platforms are good, let us reveal who wins the war for cloud supremacy in terms of services. Below we have compared Azure with Google Cloud Platform based on compute and storage services to help enterprises understand which cloud platforms to choose.
Storage Services
| Services | GCP Storage | Microsoft Azure Storage |
| Object Storage | Google Cloud Storage | Azure Blob Storage |
| Cold Storage | Google Cloud Storage Nearline | Azure Archive Blob Storage |
| File Storage | ZFS/Avere | Azure File Storage |
| Virtual Server Disks | Google Compute Engine Persistent Disks | Managed Disks |
Compute Services
| Services | GCP Compute | Azure Compute |
| PaaS | Google App Engine | App Service and Cloud Services |
| Containers | Google Kubernetes Engine | Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) |
| IaaS | Google Compute Engine | Azure Virtual Machine Type |
| Serverless Functions | Google Cloud Functions | Azure Functions |
Database Services
| Services | GCP | Azure |
| RDBMS | Google Cloud SQL | SQL Database |
| NoSQL: Indexed | Google Cloud Datastore | Azure Cosmos DB |
| NoSQL: Key–Value | Google Cloud Datastore, Google Cloud Bigtable | Table Storage |
Networking Services
| Services | GCP | Azure VMs |
| Virtual Network | Virtual Private Cloud | Azure Virtual Networks (VNets) |
| DNS | Google Cloud DNS | Azure DNS |
| Peering | Google Cloud Interconnect | ExpressRoute |
| Elastic Load Balancer | Google Cloud Load Balancing | Azure Load Balancer |
Verdict: If we choose the best cloud storage and computing service provider, Azure definitely has the upper hand with more robust features.
Learn about the differences between the three different cloud services – Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure – in our AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Cloud Platform article.
Google Cloud Vs. Azure: Pricing Comparison
Cloud pricing is the primary factor that can help you decide which cloud infrastructure to choose amongst many cloud services and Resource Manager Tools.
- Azure Smallest Instance: Azure provides the basic instance of the public cloud, including 8 GB of RAM and 2 virtual CPUs at US$70 per month.
- GCP Smallest Instance: Compared to AWS and Azure, GCP is 25% cheaper. Google Cloud offers 8 GB of RAM and 2 virtual CPUs at the cost of around US$52 per month.
- Azure Largest Instance: Azure also provides the largest instance, where you’ll have to pay around US$6.79 per hour for 3.89 TB of RAM and 128 virtual CPUs.
- GCP Largest Instance: Google Cloud is much cheaper than Azure, costing around US$5.32 per hour for 3.75 TB of RAM and 160 virtual CPUs.
Verdict: In both cases, GCP is the clear winner in comparison to AWS and Azure. If you want to choose cost-effective tools like cloud service and resource providers with the best pricing model, you can go ahead with GCP. Remember, like AWS, Azure keeps its cost a little high, but multiple other advantages justify the high pricing structure.
Which Is The Best Cloud Platform
The choice between Azure and Google Cloud Platform should be based on several factors, including pricing, services, scalability, long-term value, and more. Below we have mentioned some pros and cons of both platforms that will help cloud users choose the best cloud computing services.
Microsoft Azure: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Discounts for cloud users on service contracts
- Easy to integrate with on-premise and open-source systems, including MS tools
Cons
- High maintenance and expertise are needed to use Azure offerings
Google Cloud: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Offers specialized services, such as big data, Machine Learning, analytics, and more.
- Equipped with considerable scaling features and load-balancing capabilities
Cons
- No traditional relationship with organizational customers
- Offers fewer services compared to other cloud technologies
Verdict: Large enterprises looking for feature-rich cloud technology with affordable cloud spend should use Azure. Robust security, a wide range of features, high scalability, etc., makes Azure future-proof enterprise cloud for businesses. Meanwhile, startups wanting a cost-effective solution can choose a GCP pricing structure.
Choose The Best Cloud Management Platform
When it comes to choosing a reliable cloud platform, the three cloud providers that come at the top are AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure. Which cloud service platform to choose will depend on the business requirements, budget, and the wide range of services the cloud provider offers.
However, if you are confused about which cloud service has the upper hand over another, consider choosing Azure. Unlike AWS and Azure, Google’s cloud GCP offers fewer services and is still trying to gain more market share. To get a customized solution about which enterprise platform is best for cloud adoption: Azure vs. Google Cloud, contact Inferenz experts today.
