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In today's technology landscape, IT professionals often find themselves navigating a sea of options when it comes to cloud solutions. For a systems engineer or devops, transversal skills on the three main cloud service providers – Amazon AWS, Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure – have become almost a necessity.
Why Have Soft Skills?
Having a specialization in just one cloud provider might seem, at first glance, to be a way to deepen your knowledge and become an expert in a specific domain. However, this focus can also create limitations. For example, a lack of cross-functional knowledge makes it difficult to migrate services or applications from one cloud provider to another, thus limiting operational flexibility. If a supplier introduces a price increase or changes its specifications, the absence of a plan B can become a significant problem.
Furthermore, the world of cloud computing is becoming increasingly complex and interconnected. Companies are starting to recognize the benefits of a multi-cloud approach, which allows them to leverage the best of each platform. A multi-cloud approach not only offers greater resilience through redundancy, but also the opportunity to use specific services that may be more performant or cost-effective on one platform than another. For example, while AWS may offer advanced machine learning services, Azure may have the upper hand when it comes to integration with Microsoft products like Office 365.
Knowing the various offerings of the three largest cloud providers also allows for greater business agility. IT teams can quickly adapt to changes, whether driven by cost, performance or functionality considerations. This flexibility can be especially valuable in high-variability scenarios, such as national marketing campaigns or short-term development projects.
The Cheat Sheet: Comparison of AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure
To help professionals navigate this ecosystem, we have created a cheat sheet that compares the products of the three cloud service providers in the same way as a “Rosetta stone”. Starting from a technology you are familiar with, you can find the equivalent of the other two suppliers.
| Service Category | AWS | Google Cloud Platform | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computing | EC2, Lambda | Compute Engine, Cloud Functions | Virtual Machines, Azure Functions |
| Storage | S3, Glacier | Google Cloud Storage, Coldline | Azure Blob Storage, Cool Blob Storage |
| relational database | RDS, Aurora DB | CloudSQL | Azure SQL Database |
| NoSQL database | DynamoDB | Firestore, Bigtable | Cosmos DB |
| Machine Learning | SageMaker | AI Platform | Azure Machine Learning |
| Data Warehouse | Redshift | BigQuery | Azure Synapse Analytics |
| Monitoring & Logging | CloudWatch | Stackdriver | Azure Monitor |
| IoT | IoT Core | Cloud IoT Core | Azure IoT Hub |
| Messaging | SES, SQS, SNS | Cloud Pub/Sub, SendGrid | Azure Service Bus, Notification Hubs |
| Data Analytics | Kinesis, Athena | Dataflow, Data Prep | Azure Stream Analytics |
| DevOps & Code Deployment | Cloud Formation | Cloud Deployment Manager | Azure Resource Manager |
| Networking | Mail order | Virtual Private Cloud | Azure Virtual Network |
| Identity Management | IAM, Cognito | Identity Platform, Cloud Identity | Azure Active Directory |
| Containers & Orchestration | ECS, EKS, Fargate | GKE, Cloud Run, App Engine | AKS, Azure Container Instances, App Service |
| CDN | CloudFront | Cloud CDN | Azure CDN |
| Business Analytics | QuickSight | Looker, Data Studio | Power BI |
| DNS | Route 53 | Cloud DNS | Azure DNS |
| Application Hosting | Elastic Beanstalk | App Engine | Azure App Service |
| Media Services | AWS Elemental | Cloud Video Intelligence | Azure Media Services |
This cheat sheet should serve as a starting point for comparing cloud services from the three major vendors.
It is important to note that the table provided may not be completely exhaustive or up to date. Cloud providers like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are known for their rapid evolution, launching new products, services, and features on a regular basis. In this dynamic context, it is always a good practice to consult official documentation and the latest news from suppliers to stay updated. The table is intended as a starting point for those looking for an overview of the most common services, but is not a substitute for more in-depth and up-to-date research.
Conclusion
We explored a wide range of services offered by the three major cloud providers: AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. However, we understand that choosing the right mix of services for your specific needs can be a challenge.
If you are facing difficulties or need expert advice on cloud solutions and system integrations, please do not hesitate to contact us. We're here to guide you through the complexities of the cloud world, helping you make informed decisions that benefit your business.
