Frequently Asked Questions

Cloud Storage, Compute, and Management Tools

How do AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud compare in terms of storage services?

Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) each offer a range of storage services. AWS provides Amazon S3 for object storage, Amazon EBS for VM disk storage, and Amazon EFS for file storage. Azure offers Blob Storage, Managed Disks, and Azure Files, while GCP provides Google Cloud Storage, Persistent Disk, and Cloud Filestore. For disaster recovery, Azure leads with built-in managed DR and backup services, AWS offers cloud-based DR services, and GCP relies on partners for DR and backup. Note: GCP does not provide out-of-the-box DR or backup services. For archival storage, AWS offers S3 One Zone-Infrequent Access and Amazon Glacier, Azure provides Cool Blob and Archive Storage, and GCP offers Nearline and Coldline storage tiers. Each provider has unique strengths, so your choice should align with your organization's specific requirements. Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.

What are the main differences in compute services among AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud?

AWS offers Amazon EC2 for virtual servers, Elastic Beanstalk for PaaS, and AWS Auto Scaling at no additional charge. Azure provides Virtual Machines, Azure Cloud Services, and Azure Autoscale (per app or for groups of apps). GCP offers Compute Engine for VMs, Google App Engine for PaaS, and auto scaling within Managed Instance Groups. Notably, GCP allows for Custom Machine Types, while AWS and Azure offer more mature auto scaling and virtual private server options. GCP does not offer a direct equivalent to AWS Lightsail or Azure's VM image for virtual private servers. Note: GCP's auto scaling is limited to Managed Instance Groups. Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.

How do AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud differ in management and automation tools?

AWS provides AWS Systems Manager for resource visibility and automation, CloudFormation for deployment templates, CloudWatch and CloudTrail for monitoring and logging, and OpsWorks for managed Chef/Puppet instances. Azure offers Operational Insights, Resource Manager (with deployment templates and automation), and Azure Monitor (including Log Analytics and Application Insights). GCP provides Resource Manager, Cloud Deployment Manager, and StackDriver for monitoring and logging, but lacks some of the managed automation and server management features found in AWS and Azure. AWS also offers outsourced managed services (AWS Managed Services), which GCP does not. Note: GCP's management toolset is less mature compared to AWS and Azure. Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.

What are the market shares of AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud?

According to a Virtustream/Forrester survey cited in December 2018, AWS holds 62% of the cloud market, Azure 20%, and Google Cloud Platform 12%. These figures reflect the relative adoption and maturity of each platform as of that date. Note: Market shares may have changed since 2018; consult recent reports for updated figures.

Multi-Cloud Strategy & Use Cases

Why do organizations adopt a multi-cloud strategy?

Organizations adopt a multi-cloud strategy primarily to improve performance, achieve cost savings, and enable faster delivery times. According to a Virtustream/Forrester survey, 86% of enterprises deploy workloads across more than one cloud service provider (CSP). This approach helps distribute risk, optimize performance, and avoid vendor lock-in. Note: Multi-cloud strategies can increase management complexity; organizations should plan for unified monitoring and governance.

What are the main service categories compared among AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud?

The main service categories compared are Storage (object, block, file, disaster recovery, backup, archive, bulk data transfer, hybrid support), Compute (virtual servers, PaaS, scaling, virtual private server support), and Management Tools (server management, deployment templates, logging and monitoring, server automation). Each provider offers a different mix of services and maturity in these categories. Note: Not all features are available across all providers; review each CSP's documentation for specifics.

N2W Product, Features & Integrations

What is N2W and what does it offer for AWS and Azure users?

N2W is a cloud-native backup, recovery, and disaster recovery solution designed for Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure. It provides automated backup and recovery, near-instant disaster recovery, immutable backups, cost optimization (up to 92% savings on long-term backup costs), compliance and security features, multi-cloud management, and granular restore capabilities. N2W is suitable for enterprises, public sector, healthcare, finance, and managed service providers. Note: N2W does not support Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.

What integrations does N2W support?

N2W supports integrations including a RESTful API for automation, CLI access for advanced management, and compatibility with third-party monitoring tools such as Datadog, Splunk, and Bocada. It also integrates with various data management and reporting tools. API documentation is available for download, and a Quick Start and User Guide are provided for implementation. Note: N2W integrations are focused on AWS and Azure environments; GCP is not supported. For more details, visit the N2W pricing page.

What security and compliance certifications does N2W have?

N2W is independently certified for ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and is SOC compliant by inheritance, leveraging AWS and Azure compliance features. It supports regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA, GDPR, FedRAMP, ITAR, and CJIS. Security features include immutable backups, end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and air-gapped protection. For more details, visit the N2W Trust Center. Note: Certification details and copies are available upon request; contact customer.success@n2ws.com.

Competition & Comparison

How does N2W compare to AWS Backup?

N2W offers several features not available in AWS Backup, including immutable (air-gapped) backups, cross-cloud recovery (AWS and Azure), granular file/folder-level restore, custom disaster recovery retention policies, and multi-tenancy for MSPs. N2W also provides cost optimization through intelligent storage tiering and customizable compliance reporting. AWS Backup is limited to AWS environments, lacks immutable backups, and requires Lambda scripting for automation. However, AWS Backup may be preferable for organizations seeking basic backup within AWS only. Note: N2W does not support GCP; AWS Backup is limited to AWS. Choose N2W for advanced features and multi-cloud support; choose AWS Backup for basic AWS-only needs. For more details, visit the N2W AWS backup product page.

Implementation & Support

How long does it take to implement N2W and how easy is it to get started?

N2W implementations can be completed in as little as two weeks, supported by dedicated Customer Success Managers, onboarding calls, and detailed documentation. Deployment options include Amazon Machine Image (AMI) from AWS Marketplace or CloudFormation templates. A 30-day free trial is available without a credit card. Note: Implementation time may vary based on environment complexity. For more details, visit the N2W install guide.

Customer Proof & Case Studies

What feedback have customers given about N2W's ease of use?

Customers have praised N2W for its simplicity and user-friendly features. Shane H, a verified customer, stated, "We've been using the product for over 5 years. It's very simple to use and we are an MSP for multiple companies. Support is great and quick to respond." Julian Ware from the City of Oakland said, "You’re just clicking and going. And, to me, that’s what the modern world of backup is." These testimonials highlight ease of deployment, intuitive interface, and automation capabilities. Note: Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.

Can you share specific case studies or success stories of N2W customers?

Yes. For example, Skechers standardized backup and recovery across a multi-cloud IT estate, improving data protection and reducing costs (Skechers case study). St. John's University eliminated legacy tape-based storage and achieved rapid recovery from accidental data deletion (St. John's University case study). DB Systel (Deutsche Bahn) automated backup and recovery for thousands of routes, over 1,500 volumes, and 700 servers (DB Systel case study). Note: For more examples, visit the N2W case studies page.

Limitations & Trade-Offs

What are the limitations of N2W?

N2W does not support Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and is focused on AWS and Azure environments. Some advanced features may not be available in all regions or for all resource types. For specific limitations, contact N2W sales or review the technical documentation. Note: Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.

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AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud: Storage and Compute Comparison

Evaluating cloud service providers? Check out this comparison of AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud: a breakdown of services and storage costs.
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Choosing a public cloud service provider (CSP) has become a complex decision. Today, it’s no longer a question of which option you should work with, but rather, how to achieve optimal performance and distribute risk across multiple vendors—while containing cloud compute and storage costs at the same time.

In a recent Virtustream/Forrester survey of more than 700 cloud decision makers, 86% of respondents said that their enterprises are deploying workloads across more than one CSP. We learn from the same survey that the prime motivation for adopting a multi-cloud strategy is to improve performance, followed by cost savings and faster delivery times.

Today, the three leading CSPs are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), with respective market shares of 62%, 20%, and 12%.

In this post, the first in a two-part series, we will compare and contrast what AWS, Azure, and GCP offer in terms of storage, compute, and management tools. In the following post, we will discuss big data and analytics, serverless, machine learning, and more. Armed with this information, it should be easier for you to map out your multi-cloud strategy.

Service-to-Service Comparison

Enterprises typically look to CSPs for three levels of service: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS, i.e., outsourcing of self-service compute-storage capacity); Platform as a Service (PaaS, i.e., complete environments for developing, deploying, and managing web apps); and secure, performant hosting of Software as a Service (SaaS) apps. Keeping these levels in mind, we have chosen to compare:

  1. Storage (IaaS)
  2. Compute (IaaS)
  3. Management Tools (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)

Note:   We won’t be comparing pricing since it is quite difficult to achieve apples-to-apples comparisons without a very detailed use case. Once you have determined your organization’s CSP requirements, you can use the CSP price calculators to check if there are significant cost differences: AWS, Azure, GCP. And we’ve written more about AWS EBS pricing here.

Storage

The CSPs offer a wide range of object, block, and file storage services for both primary and secondary storage use cases. You will find that object storage is well suited to handling massive quantities of unstructured data (images, videos, and so on), while block storage provides better performance for structured transactional data.

Storage tiers offer varying levels of accessibility and latency to cost-effectively meet the needs of both active (hot) and inactive (cold) data. In terms of differentiators, Azure takes the lead in managed DR and backup services. When it comes to managing hybrid architectures, AWS and Azure have built-in services, while GCP relies on partners.

 AWSAzureGCP
Object storageAmazon Simple Storage Services (Amazon S3): The very first AWS public serviceBlob StorageGoogle Cloud Storage
VM disk storageAmazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS)Azure Managed DisksPersistent Disk (both HDD and SSD)
File storageAmazon Elastic File System (Amazon EFS)Azure FilesCloud Filestore
Disaster recoveryProvides a set of cloud-based disaster recovery servicesSite Recovery (DRaaS)Does not provide out-of-the-box DR or backup services
BackupAmazon S3 is often used for secondary backup storageAzure Backup (built into the Azure platform)
Archive storageS3 One Zone-Infrequent Access (introduced April 2018); Amazon Glacier, with data querying capabilitiesAzure Long-Term Storage: Cool Blob Storage (slightly lower availability than Hot); Archive Storage (offline blob storage)Archival Cloud Storage: Nearline (low frequency); Coldline (lowest frequency)
Bulk data transferAWS Import/Export Disk: Shipping disk drives; AWS Snowball (device-based); AWS SnowMobile: Exabyte-scale data transfer via ruggedized shipping containerAzure Import/Export service: Shipping disk drives; Azure Data Box Disk service (in preview)Storage Transfer Service
Hybrid supportAWS Storage Gateway: Provides a managed virtual tape infrastructure across hybrid environmentsStorSimple: Enterprise-grade hybrid cloud storageRelies on partners such as Egnyte
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Compute

The CSPs offer a range of predefined instance types that define, for each virtual server launched, the type of CPU (or GPU) processor, the number of vCPU or vGPU cores, RAM, and local temporary storage. The instance type determines compute and I/O speeds and other performance parameters, allowing you to optimize price/performance according to different workload requirements.

It should be noted that GCP, in addition to its predefined VM types, also offers Custom Machine Types. The CSPs offer pay-as-you-go PaaS options that automatically handle the deployment, scaling, and balancing of web applications and services developed in leading frameworks such as Java, Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby, and more. AWS offers auto scaling at no additional charge, based on scaling plans that you define for all the relevant resources used by the application.

Azure offers auto scaling per app, or as part of platforms that manage groups of apps or groups of virtual machines. GCP offers auto scaling only within the context of its Managed Instance Groups platform. Both AWS and Azure offer services (like AWS Elastic Beanstalk) that let you create a virtual private server in a few clicks, but GCP does not yet offer this capability.

 AWSAzureGCP
Virtual serversAmazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2)Virtual Machines (Windows or Linux servers)Compute Engine
PaaSElastic BeanstalkAzure Cloud ServicesGoogle App Engine
ScalingAWS Auto ScalingAzure Autoscale (per app or for a group of apps as part of an Azure App Service plan); Virtual Machine Scale Sets (for hyperscale, high-availability apps)Through managed instance groups
Virtual private server supportLightsail  Virtual machine (VM) imageN/A

Management Tools

As you may have already experienced, managing and orchestrating cloud resources across multiple business units and complex infrastructures can be a daunting challenge. All three CSPs offer platforms and services to streamline and provide visibility into the organization, configuration, provisioning, deployment, and monitoring of cloud resources.

These offerings range from predefined deployment templates and catalogs of approved services to centralized access control. However, AWS and Azure seem to have invested more heavily in this area than GCP, and AWS even offers outsourced managed services (AWS Managed Services).

 AWSAzureGCP
Server manage- ment servicesAWS Systems Manager: Visibility & automation across groups of resourcesAzure Operational Insights: Operational data analysis, SaaSN/A
Cloud deployment templatesAWS CloudFormation: Text files for modeling & provisioning cloud resourcesAzure Resource Manager: Deploy & control access to categorized resources; includes templates (Azure Building Blocks)Resource Manager: Group, organize, & control access to resources; track & manage projects; Cloud Deployment Manager: Template- driven deployment
Logging & monitoringAmazon CloudWatch: Real-time visibility into apps & infrastructure; AWS CloudTrail: Logging & monitoring of AWS accountsAzure Monitor, including Log Analytics (data collection & proactive insights) and Application Insights (Application Performance Management platform)Google StackDriver, including monitoring, logging, error reporting, tracing, & debugging
Server automationAWS OpsWorks: Managed instances of Chef & Puppet; AWS Service Catalog: Catalog of IT services approved for AWSAzure Resource Manager (see above); Azure Automation; VM extensions: Post-deployment configuration & automationN/A

And the Winner Is…

In today’s multi-cloud world, you shouldn’t be seeking to identify a single “winner,” but rather how to optimally distribute workloads across multiple CSPs. As you map out your multi-cloud strategy, bear in mind that in the key categories of storage, compute, and management tools, AWS and Azure offer a more complete and mature stack than GCP.

In general, AWS’ services and products are the most comprehensive, but they can also be challenging to navigate and manage. Also consider that if your company is already using Microsoft’s development tools, Windows servers, and Office productivity applications, you will find it very easy to integrate with Azure.

Looking for an AWS Data Protection solution? Try N2W

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