Have you heard about Microsoft Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud? All these public cloud services allow users to share resources with multiple users without compromising privacy, efficiency, and security. These platforms work in virtual mode and mostly rely on shared resources.
Since 2000, we’ve witnessed many changes, powered mainly by diverse technologies. Every day, there are new developments that leave us in awe. Comparing them all is hard to crack, as over 12 cloud service providers are in the market. These players frequently modify performance, speed, security, and other aspects.
So, which one is the best for business? This is quite confusing, right? We’ve sorted a way out of that. This detailed article will investigate and compare the top three public cloud service providers.
Amazon Web Service Public Cloud
Amazon AWS is the best and most comprehensive public platform offering 200 + services all across the globe. Millions of customers, including big companies, government agencies, start-ups, and individuals, trust it because of features like geo-redundancy, agility, fast speed, and innovative approach.
Whether it’s storage, computing, database, emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, internet of things, or machine learning, AWS is always ahead of other cloud public providers.
It’s possible to create almost anything on the platform with the same level of agility and speed. One major USP taking Amazon AWS ahead of others is its deep functionality and comprehensive database options.
Prominent Companies Using Amazon AWS Public Cloud Service
- Expedia
- Coca Cola
- Netflix
- Coinbase
- Intuit
- Airbnb
- Lyft
- Coursera
A business may choose a server that is purpose-built for various applications. Let’s say your primary purpose is to deal with audio, video, and other multimedia; you may choose an FFMPEG-enabled database from Amazon AWS.
Partners are everywhere globally, with millions of users and tens of thousands of support. AWS matches with requirements of every company size, industry, and budget. Banks, militaries, and other susceptible organizations can use it with complete security.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that this public cloud platform supports over 90 security standards and compliance certifications. Data remains encrypted, making it one of the safest private cloud platforms.
AWS is always ahead, thanks to the fast pace of innovation. In 2014, AWS started serverless computing space by launching AWS Lambda. A developer can run without managing the server in that case.
AWS built Amazon SageMaker, a machine learning service helping developers, scientists, and more to learn, use, and experience machine learning. AWS has been delivering services to over a million customers for the last 15 years, another milestone for the company.
Pros Of AWS
- Wide range of services from networking to robotics
- High grade of reliability and security
- Better computability as compared to Azure and GCP
- Availability of all programs from major software vendors
Cons Of AWS
- Enterprise support is not free
- The high number of services/options makes the task complex
- Limited options in the hybrid cloud are available
Microsoft Azure Public Cloud Platform
It is formally known as Windows Azure. Microsoft does not require a formal introduction among technical people. The company is known for its Windows operating system, PowerPoint, Outlook, MS Excel, and many other products.
The company launched Azure Public Cloud Service in 2010 as a computing, storage, analytics, and networking platform. Anyone can choose the service to scale up a new application or switch the existing application to the public cloud.
It has tools and support for all industry types, including open-source technologies. With high flexibility and preferred tools, Azure provides cloud computers in 4 different forms.
- Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
- Software as a service (SaaS)
- Platform as a service (PaaS)
Serverless
If you’re looking forward to using it for your business purposes, it’s good news. Azure charges on a pay-as-you-go basis. It means the user receives monthly bills for specified resources they use.
You require an Azure public cloud platform subscription to access any services. Once you have it, you may use it for virtual machine or database creation. You may also purchase Azure subscriptions from various authorized third-party companies.
Prominent Companies Using Microsoft Azure
- DAIMLER AG
- Renault
- Asos
- McKesson Group
- HSBC
- Starbucks
- 3M
- HP
- Mitsubishi Electric
Azure users get five customer support options: Basic, Developer, Standard, Professional Direct, and Premier. Based on your preference, you may choose any of the supports. Basic support is free, whereas other supports are chargeable.
Microsoft Azure’s usages range from running virtual machines to hosting infrastructure components. It is helpful for domain name system servers, third-party applications, internet information services, and more.
Other uses of Azure are hosting the database, backup, disaster recovery, and more. Azure public cloud platform comes with over 20 types of categories, and some prominent are as follows:-
- Compute:- Deploy VMs, remote application access, etc
- Mobile:- Develop a cloud-based mobile application, notification services, back-end tasks, application program interfaces
- Web:- Development & deployment of web applications, content delivery, API management, notification, and reporting.
- Storage:- Structured and unstructured data storage, archival storage.
- Analytics:- Real-time analytics, data lakes investigator, big data analytics, machine learning, BI, IoT, and data warehousing.
- Networking:- Dedicated connections, traffic management, diagnostics, load balancing, DDoS attack protection
And more like- Media & content delivery network, Integration, Identity service, DevOps, software development kit, blockchain, Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, Database hosting
Azure properly takes care of data security and regulatory compliance concerns. Microsoft’s online Trust Center helps tackle security, privacy, and compliance issues.
Azure is better than other public cloud service providers because it offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model. The company also offers discounts when the users agree to a long-term commitment.
Pros Of Microsoft Azure
- If you’re already using Microsoft services, Azure is a great addition.
- Packed with many services, including top-notch AI, machine learning, and analytics.
- The integration and migration process is smooth.
- Azure is cheaper than AWS and GCP if price matters to you.
- And it’s the king when it comes to supporting hybrid cloud strategies.
Cons Of Microsoft Azure
- Azure doesn’t quite match AWS regarding the number of service offerings.
- Azure has a significant enterprise inclination, so it’s not a favorite among small businesses.
Google Public Cloud Platform
Google Cloud platform is another famous public cloud service that provides access to computer resources housed in Google’s data centers all across the globe. It is new compared to Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services, but its infrastructure and strength are worth noticing.
This public cloud platform is a good choice for data management, web application development, video over the web, Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and more.
Prominent Companies Using Google Public Cloud Platform
- Spotify
- Toyota
- Unilever
- Nintendo
- Target
- Paypal
- UPS
The company provides two similar services called Google Cloud and Google Cloud Platform. The GC is for organizations willing to go digital, whereas GCP is a web-based application part of Google Cloud. So, GCP is a public cloud service.
Initially, it was launched as a product called App Engine in 2008. Finally, in 2011, Google made it the official public cloud for anyone to subscribe. The GCP proudly hosts UPS, Twitter, Etsy, eBay, Nintendo, 20th Century Fox, and others.
GCP offers five major services that are:-
- Networking
- Big Data
- Machine Learning
- Storage And Database
- Computing and Hosting
Currently, there are over 24 locations of its infrastructure in the world. A user can choose the location while deploying the applications on GCP based on their security, reliability, and performance needs.
Pros Of GCP
- Great with other Google services and products.
- Google’s global fiber network is something to appreciate.
- Superb support for containerized workloads.
Cons Of GCP
- Limited support for enterprises.
- It is a limited list of services as compared to AWS and Azure.
Key Points To Consider While Deciding Public Cloud Platforms
- Pricing models and additional costs
- Performance indicators like computer power, network latency, bandwidth, storage performance, and options (SSD, HDD).
- Data encryption, compliance certifications, and network security
- Global presence and data center locations.
- Auto-scaling capabilities.
- Compatibility with existing technologies and tools.
- Variety and depth of services (backup, storage, databases, machine learning)
- User interface and ease of management.
- Consideration of potential challenges in migrating away from the platform.
- Future roadmap and commitment to staying current with technology trends.
- Availability of disaster recovery options.
Final Words
As we got to know the top public cloud service provider, it’s time to give our verdicts. AWS is the clear leader in the segment, whereas GCP is growing very fast. Azure is holding solid ground.
The public cloud platform space is evolving daily, bringing many more players into the market. Other players like Alibaba Cloud, Dell Technologies/VMware, IBM, HP Cloud, Cisco, Oracle, and more are challenging the established players.
Remember, choosing a cloud platform is not about finding the “best” one but discovering the “right” one that fits your unique needs.
BDCC
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