Why Choose Azure Over AWS

The Titans of the Cloud Infrastructure Battle for Supremacy – Why Choose Azure Over AWS?

When it comes to the cloud, Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services tower over the competition. They are the Titans in this space, and although Google is starting to make a play to catch up, for now, the battle royal is between these two giants. So, with two heavy-weight options available in the marketplace, why choose Azure over AWS?

To be clear, Azure is the new kid on the block. Azure was introduced in 2010 – much later than the 2006 debut of AWS. However, despite the later release date, Azure has made up a lot of ground and has surpassed AWS in functionality.

In the battle for cloud platform supremacy, the major areas in which Azure flexes its muscle over AWS are:

• Regional Availability
• Consistent Hybrid Cloud
• Options for Developers

Let’s take these one at a time.

Regional Availability

Having the right data center in the right region for your projects or your clients is often vital to the success of your efforts. With 42 regions, Azure leads the market in delivering data center options globally. But Microsoft is not content with their current industry-leader status in this. To stay ahead of the competition, Microsoft has made global data center region expansion a high priority – ensuring that the data center you need will be located in the right region for your project.

Consistent Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud solution allows your company to make the most of your on-site, existing IT assets while taking advantage of the global impact you can make by leveraging Azure. This arrangement allows you to reduce risk, lower complexity, and drive down the overall cost.

Hybrid Consistency is especially useful when it comes to:

• Application portability
• Identity management
• Workload portability
• Security management
• Application development

Options for Developers

With Azure, developers can move quickly from the concept stage to finished product. The speed is due to the many baked-in features of Azure such as Infrastructure as a Service, Software as a Service, and Platform as a Service. These “as a Service” offerings allow developers to be more productive and cost-efficient. When efficiency goes up, ROI is increased as well.

But that’s not all.

Azure supports developers with even more.

• 100+ services
• Application delivery
• Agile development practices
• Management experiences
• Use of any development tool
• Use of any language
• Use of any app
• Use of any framework
• Open source project support
• Development intelligence – Blockchain as a Service, machine learning, cognitive APIs

And that’s just the beginning.

Here Are Seven Reasons We Would Choose Azure Over AWS.

Reason #1 – Cost Savings with the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement

Most enterprise-level companies are using Microsoft products and already have an Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft. As a result of entering into this agreement, the company receives discounts on bulk licensing and generally, a price break on Azure.

Reason #2 – Better Platform as a Service Options

When it comes to Infrastructure as a Service capacity for functions such as storage, networking, and virtual machines, AWS and Azure are comparable. But that equality falls apart when Azure and AWS are compared on the basis of their Platform as a Service offering. Azure is miles ahead in giving app developers what they want. From tools to environment and management options, Azure has PaaS figured out. Because Azure has spent so much time getting the PaaS right, they provide the developer with the flexibility to innovate while creating and deploying the cloud services they are developing.

Reason #3 – Compatible with .Net

One of the reasons that Azure stands above its AWS competition in the gladiatorial ring of cloud offerings is its compatibility with the programming language, .Net. Because older and new applications have been developed using .Net for their framework, .Net compatibility is essential. The .Net compatibility makes it possible – and efficient – for enterprise-level companies to migrate their .Net-based applications from on-site to Azure.

Reason #4 – A Learning Curve That Is Not Steep

No one wants to wade through endless documentation just to accomplish a simple task. Unfortunately, AWS in infamous for being complex and over-documented. The truth is, AWS is just not user-friendly. Azure, on the other hand, – despite the fact that it has more functionality than AWS – is more manageable because it uses technologies that are already in use and that people are already accustomed to using, such as virtual machines, Linux, Active Directory, and Windows. When it comes to tools, Azure does the same by leveraging useful, common tools like Eclipse, Github, Hadoop, Visual Studios, and XCode. Azure also incorporates the ability to utilize third-party apps, tools, and solutions. All the use of pre-existing technology makes Azure a more natural system to navigate.

Reason #5 – Hybrid Consistency

Although we have already mentioned this, it’s important to mention again because hybrid consistency is a key differentiator between AWS and Azure. You can hit the ground running if you choose Azure for your hybrid cloud requirements. If you choose AWS, you could be waiting for a while, and once AWS comes out with an offering, there will be the natural timeframe of “working out the bugs.”

Reason #6 – Security and Compliance

Azure protects your data, services, and applications based on Security Development Lifecycle, an industry-leading assurance protocol. Microsoft has been a leader in security for years. Microsoft was the first to meet ISO 27018.

In relation to compliance, Azure provides comprehensive coverage with more than seventy compliance offerings. Azure’s compliance credibility is bolstered by the fact that it is contractually committed to GDPR and that it’s development methodology was formed with privacy, compliance, and security in mind. In fact, Azure is the cloud option that is most trusted by US governmental agencies.

Reason #7 – An Environment That is Integrated

As we have already noted, Azure provides an environment that allows the user to utilize the language, framework, and third-party applications they are most familiar with or that their particular needs require. This integrated environment allows for the perfect space in which to create, test, and deploy cloud-based applications. The Platform as a Service that Azure provides is second to none in combining the devices, applications, partners, and data that an enterprise-class company needs and making them available locally and in the cloud.

Why should you choose Azure over AWS?

• Because the Intelice IT support professionals serving Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia recommend Azure.
• Because you will be guided through the Azure implementation and migration process by the Intelice team.
• Because Azure was built to work with the Microsoft products that your company already uses – such as Microsoft Office 365.
• Because Azure has security and compliance baked into its offerings.

Ready to get started with Azure? We’re here to answer all your questions! Contact Intelice now at (301) 664-6800 or Info@Intelice.com

Intelice is a managed IT support provider specializing in showing companies like yours why they should choose Azure over AWS. Intelice serves its client base around the world out of its three office locations in the DC Metro Area.