Cloud Networking Services: Google Cloud vs. Microsoft Azure

In essence, cloud networking supplies the connectivity to and between workloads and applications distributed across private, public and hybrid clouds, cloud-based services, edge networks and on-premises data centers. 

In today’s increasingly distributed global workforce, cloud networks are becoming central to enterprise needs. Designing, deploying and maintaining a cloud network for operational efficiency, security, performance, and maximum agility is crucial to enterprises using or deploying public cloud services. 

Cloud networking requires collaboration across NetOps, compute infrastructure, SecOps and DevOps teams, cloud architects and business stakeholders. The benefits of a competent cloud networking strategy include:

• Reduced risk for data and applications.
• Lower operational expenditure.
• Less time-to-market for service roll-out.
• Assurance of user experience.
• Streamlined lifecycle management.

In this guide, we will delve into all you need to know about the cloud networking services Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure. 

Also read: Cloud Networking Services Comparison: Citrix AD vs. Akamai

Google Cloud Overview

Google Cloud allows you to connect your global workforce, make smarter business decisions and quickly build applications and experiences. Google Cloud offers more than 100 products, including Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, Cloud SDK, Cloud SQL, Google Kubernetes Engine, BigQuery, Cloud CDN, Dataflow, Operations, Cloud Run and Anthos.

The cloud networking service is available in over 200 countries and territories, 146 network edge locations, 82 zones, and 26 cloud regions.   

Google Cloud features

Here are the main features of Google Cloud:

• With Google Cloud’s advanced analytics and machine learning (ML) capabilities, you can make smart business decisions. 
• Google Cloud’s commitment to multicloud, hybrid cloud, and open source enables you to avoid vendor lock-in and develop new applications and experiences rapidly.
• With integrated chat, email, document and video calling collaboration applications, you can easily connect with your team members. 
• Google Cloud offers more than 100 products.
• The service provider enables infrastructure modernization — you can run critical workloads like Windows, Oracle, SAP and VMware natively on Google Cloud.
• You can swiftly migrate and efficiently manage enterprise databases with security, high availability, reliability and fully managed data services. 
• Google Cloud enables application modernization. You can build new services that leverage containers, Kubernetes and other cloud-native capabilities.
• Advanced security services enable you to detect, investigate and respond to online threats and protect your business. 
• By extending your existing data with APIs, you can automate processes in a secure manner and create applications with ease. 

Microsoft Azure Overview

You can create secure, future-proof cloud solutions on Azure, be it multicloud, hybrid cloud, on-premises or at the edge. You can innovate securely and rapidly with open source on Azure, streamline chat, voice and video experiences and avail of artificial intelligence (AI) and ML capabilities.

Microsoft Azure offers more than 200 products across 22 categories, including AI and ML, analytics, blockchain, compute, containers, databases, developer tools, DevOps, identity, integration, Internet of Things (IoT), security and storage.   

Microsoft Azure features

Here are the principal features of Microsoft Azure:

• You can use your favorite languages and frameworks to build, deploy, and collaborate securely and seamlessly, in any environment, be it on-premises, at the edge, multicloud, or hybrid cloud.
• With Azure Communication Services and Microsoft Teams interoperability, you can enhance customer interactions across applications.
• You can detect and respond to online threats in double-quick time with advanced security services, including Azure Defender, Azure DDoS Protection, Azure Front Door, Azure Information Protection, Key Vault, Security Center and Web Application Firewall.
• You can build, train and deploy ML (Azure Machine Learning), detect content with speech and vision functions (Azure Cognitive Search) and add cognitive capabilities to applications with APIs (Azure Cognitive Services). Other AI and ML services include Azure Bot Services, Azure Databricks and Azure Kinect DK.
• With Azure Virtual Machines, you can deploy virtual machines (VMs) almost instantly. With Linux Virtual Machines on Azure, you can develop open-source, enterprise-grade applications. Other compute services include SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines, Windows Virtual Machines, Azure Functions and Azure App Service.
• With Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), you can easily build and scale applications with managed Kubernetes. Other container services include Azure Container Instances, Azure Red Hat OpenShift and Azure Spring Cloud.
• Multicloud and hybrid cloud offerings include Azure Arc, Azure Stack, Azure Sentinel, Azure ExpressRoute and Azure Active Directory (Azure AD).

Also read: Cloud Networking Services Comparison: Arista vs. Dell Cloud

Google Cloud vs. Microsoft Azure

We compared and contrasted the fundamental features of the cloud networking services: 

How to Choose Your Cloud Networking Service

It is clear to see from the above table that there is not much to separate both cloud networking solutions. Google Cloud is better suited to small businesses while Microsoft Azure is the preferred solution for mid-sized companies and enterprises. In terms of public cloud architecture flexibility, Microsoft Azure is a clear winner. 

Google Cloud offers better user management, ease of deployment, security and compliance, service and support and pricing flexibility. Google Cloud offers more than 100 products, including Google Workspace, Cloud Storage, Compute Engine. Cloud SDK, Cloud SQL, Cloud CDN and Google Kubernetes Engine. 

With a serverless, fully managed analytics platform that leverages ML capabilities, you can make informed business decisions. Google Cloud also offers infrastructure modernization, legacy application modernization, proven security solutions and a business application platform. 

With over 200 products across categories like AI and ML, analytics, containers, DevOps, management and governance, networking, security and storage, Microsoft Azure enables you to commence putting ideas into action. 

Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure are fantastic cloud networking services in their own right — opt for a solution that most accurately meets your enterprise needs.

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