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There are countless factors to consider when vetting cloud providers. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it can be helpful to take a step back and look at each provider’s overall strategy and strengths. Do they align with yours?

Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure and Google Cloud each stand out from the pack in different areas. Let’s compare their biggest strengths and weaknesses.

AMAZON AWS PROS AND CONS

AWS Strengths	AWS Weaknesses
Most mature, enterprise-ready provider	Requires advanced technical expertise to implement
Broad collection of services and partner ecosystem	Lacks strong hybrid cloud support
Recommended for all use cases that run well in a virtualized environment	Extensive catalog of offerings can be overwhelming to navigate

Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers the most robust features and services, partner ecosystem and global footprint. It ranks highly across security, reliability, monitoring and policy features and platform configuration options. AWS is constantly adding new services and enhancing existing ones with new capabilities.

However, if a hybrid cloud strategy is important to your business, AWS may fall short compared to Azure.

Another caution with AWS is its scale. Smaller companies may find it difficult to navigate the extensive portfolio of services, and some see AWS as being a complex provider to manage.

Learn how to Advance Your Career with AWS Training in this free webinar.

MICROSOFT AZURE PROS AND CONS

Azure Strengths	Azure Weaknesses
Seamless integrations with other Microsoft products and services	Poor support for large-scale implementations
Improved support for Linux and open-source application stacks	Advanced technical expertise is required to implement Azure in a reliable, secure way
Ideal for hybrid cloud	Historical issues with infrastructure reliability
Recommended for all use cases that run well in a virtualized environment

If you already run a Microsoft-centric environment, Azure can be a natural fit. Azure integrates seamlessly with key on-premises systems like Windows Server, Active Directory and System Center. Microsoft also excels in its PaaS and hybrid cloud capabilities.

One disadvantage of Azure is the level of technical expertise required to configure and maintain it in an efficient, reliable and secure way. Azure configurations are known for being difficult and frustrating to implement.

Azure has also faced a series of outages over the years, causing reliability issues for virtual networks. Microsoft is constantly investing in reducing disruptive maintenance and improving its reliability.

Learn more about the Fundamentals of Microsoft Azure in this free eBook.

GOOGLE CLOUD PROS AND CONS

Google Cloud Strengths	Google Cloud Weaknesses
Great reputation in the open-source community	Rigid in contract negotiations
Deep investments in analytics and machine learning	Small partner ecosystem
Recommended for big data and analytics applications, ML projects and cloud-native applications	Limited range of services for larger companies

Google Cloud has established itself as a viable alternative to AWS and Azure with its reliable IaaS and PaaS capabilities and its deep investments in machine learning.

Google has a good track record with cloud-native startups and the open source community, but it has struggled to break into the enterprise market.

Google Cloud’s network of MSP and professional services partners is also limited. This small partner ecosystem amplifies the challenges and risks involved with adopting Google Cloud Platform.

No matter which cloud provider you choose, having the right cloud skills under your belt is essential. Configuring, implementing and maintaining an efficient cloud environment requires advanced technical expertise.

New Horizons offers the latest cloud training courses for AWS, Azure and Google Cloud. Whether you’re implementing cloud services for the first time or taking on new responsibilities as a seasoned cloud professional, New Horizons offers cloud training for every expertise level. Learn how to Design and Deliver Cloud-based Apps and Data in this free eBook.

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