popular Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) providers, highlighting key features and pricing information:
| Feature/Provider | Amazon EC2 | Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines | Google Compute Engine | IBM Cloud Virtual Servers | Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Compute |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VM Instances | General Purpose, Compute Optimized, Memory Optimized, Storage Optimized, GPU Instances | General Purpose, Compute Optimized, Memory Optimized, Storage Optimized, GPU Instances | General Purpose, Compute Optimized, Memory Optimized, Storage Optimized, GPU Instances | General Purpose, Compute Optimized, Memory Optimized, Storage Optimized, GPU Instances | General Purpose, Compute Optimized, Memory Optimized, Storage Optimized, GPU Instances |
| Pricing Model | Pay-as-you-go, Reserved Instances, Spot Instances | Pay-as-you-go, Reserved Instances, Spot Instances | Pay-as-you-go, Committed Use Discounts | Pay-as-you-go, Subscription | Pay-as-you-go, Reserved Instances |
| Free Tier | 750 hours/month for 12 months | $200 credit for 30 days | $300 credit for 90 days | 30-day free trial | 30-day free trial |
| Operating Systems Supported | Windows, Linux, macOS (on Mac instances) | Windows, Linux | Windows, Linux | Windows, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Storage Options | EBS (Elastic Block Store), S3, EFS | Azure Disk Storage, Azure Blob Storage | Persistent Disks, Local SSDs | Block Storage, File Storage | Block Storage, Object Storage |
| Networking | VPC, Elastic Load Balancing, Route 53 | Virtual Network, Load Balancer, Traffic Manager | VPC, Load Balancer, Cloud CDN | VPC, Load Balancer, Cloud Internet Services | VCN (Virtual Cloud Network), Load Balancer |
| Scaling | Auto-scaling, Elastic Load Balancing | Virtual Machine Scale Sets, Load Balancer | Autoscaler, Load Balancer | Auto-scaling, Load Balancer | Auto-scaling, Load Balancer |
| Security Features | IAM, Security Groups, VPC, Encryption | Azure AD, Network Security Groups, Encryption | IAM, Firewall Rules, Encryption | IAM, Security Groups, Encryption | IAM, Security Lists, Encryption |
| Monitoring and Management | Amazon CloudWatch, CloudTrail | Azure Monitor, Azure Security Center | Google Cloud Monitoring, Logging | IBM Cloud Monitoring, Logging | Oracle Cloud Monitoring, Logging |
| Compliance Certifications | GDPR, HIPAA, SOC, ISO | GDPR, HIPAA, SOC, ISO | GDPR, HIPAA, SOC, ISO | GDPR, HIPAA, SOC, ISO | GDPR, HIPAA, SOC, ISO |
| Support Options | Basic, Developer, Business, Enterprise | Basic, Developer, Standard, Professional | Standard, Premium | Standard, Premium | Basic, Premier |
| Pricing Example | Starting at ~$0.0116 per hour for t3.micro instance | Starting at ~$0.012 per hour for B1s instance | Starting at ~$0.010 per hour for e2-micro instance | Starting at ~$0.015 per hour for 1 vCPU instance | Starting at ~$0.012 per hour for VM.Standard.E2.1.Micro instance |
Key Points:
- Amazon EC2: Offers a wide variety of instance types and storage options with flexible pricing models. Ideal for users needing broad AWS service integration.
- Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines: Provides a range of VM sizes and types with deep integration into Microsoft services. Good for users in the Microsoft ecosystem.
- Google Compute Engine: Known for competitive pricing and strong integration with Google Cloud services. Suitable for users leveraging Google Cloud’s ecosystem.
- IBM Cloud Virtual Servers: Offers flexible VM configurations and strong integration with IBM Cloud services. Ideal for users needing IBM’s cloud capabilities.
- Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Compute: Provides competitive pricing with strong performance and integration with Oracle services. Suitable for users needing advanced Oracle capabilities.
Note: Pricing can vary based on specific configurations, additional services, and geographic regions. Always consult the respective provider’s website for the most accurate and up-to-date pricing information.
