When a business migrates to the cloud or begins its development journey, the first question is: Which cloud provider is best for their business? Should they use AWS, Azure or GCP (google cloud platform) ? This decision depends on which platform will provide long-term ease of use and the best pricing for their needs. Let’s try to simplify which cloud provider best best for you
Cloud Computing Comparison: AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud
Key Aspects of Cloud Providers
| Aspect | AWS | Microsoft Azure | Google Cloud |
| Technology Handling | Leader in compute, storage, AI/ML, and serverless services. Extensive third-party support. | Strong in hybrid cloud, enterprise tools, and Microsoft integration. | Excellent for AI/ML, big data, and Kubernetes. |
| Compute Services | EC2, Lambda, ECS/EKS, Batch | Virtual Machines, Functions, Kubernetes Service (AKS) | Compute Engine, Cloud Functions, Kubernetes Engine (GKE) |
| Storage Options | S3, EBS, Glacier | Blob Storage, Managed Disks, Archive Storage | Cloud Storage, Persistent Disks, Nearline, Coldline |
| Networking | VPC, Direct Connect | Virtual Network, ExpressRoute | VPC, Cloud Interconnect |
| Database Services | RDS, DynamoDB, Redshift, Aurora | SQL Database, Cosmos DB, Synapse Analytics | Cloud SQL, Firestore, BigQuery, Spanner |
| AI/ML | SageMaker, Deep Learning AMIs | Azure AI, Machine Learning Studio | Vertex AI, TensorFlow (native support) |
| Ease of Use | Comprehensive but steep learning curve. | Easier for enterprises with existing Microsoft infrastructure. | Developer-friendly with intuitive tools. |
| Hybrid/On-Prem Support | AWS Outposts | Azure Arc, Stack | Anthos |
| Global Coverage | Largest number of regions and availability zones. | Extensive global footprint. | Moderate but growing coverage. |
Pricing Comparison (2025 Estimates for Key Resources)
| Resource | AWS (Average) | Azure (Average) | Google Cloud (Average) |
| Compute (per vCPU/hour) | $0.0125 – $0.15 | $0.014 – $0.20 | $0.009 – $0.12 |
| Storage (per GB/month) | $0.023 (S3) | $0.018 (Blob) | $0.02 (Cloud Storage) |
| Database (Managed SQL) | $0.1 – $0.12/hour | $0.08 – $0.15/hour | $0.07 – $0.11/hour |
| Serverless (per million requests) | $0.2 (Lambda) | $0.2 (Functions) | $0.4 (Cloud Functions) |
| Outbound Data Transfer (per GB) | $0.085 – $0.12 | $0.08 – $0.15 | $0.08 – $0.10 |
Best Cloud for Specific Use Cases
| Use Case | Best Cloud | Reason |
| Enterprise Integration | Azure | Tight integration with Microsoft tools like Office 365 and Active Directory. |
| AI/ML and Big Data | Google Cloud | Superior AI/ML tools (e.g., Vertex AI, TensorFlow) and data analytics with BigQuery. |
| Startup/Scalability | AWS | Broadest range of services and tools for startups to scale efficiently. |
| Hybrid Cloud | Azure | Advanced hybrid solutions with Azure Arc and Stack. |
| Serverless Applications | AWS | Mature serverless ecosystem (e.g., Lambda, API Gateway). |
| Kubernetes | Google Cloud | Native Kubernetes support with GKE (origin of Kubernetes). |
| Cost Efficiency | Google Cloud | Competitive pricing, especially for storage and compute. |
| Global Reach | AWS | Largest global presence and redundancy. |
Salary Comparison for Cloud Professionals (2025 Average)
| Role | AWS | Azure | Google Cloud |
| Cloud Engineer | $115,000 – $135,000 | $110,000 – $130,000 | $120,000 – $140,000 |
| Cloud Architect | $150,000 – $180,000 | $145,000 – $175,000 | $160,000 – $190,000 |
| DevOps Engineer | $115,000 – $140,000 | $110,000 – $135,000 | $120,000 – $145,000 |
| AI/ML Specialist | $130,000 – $160,000 | $125,000 – $155,000 | $135,000 – $165,000 |
| Database Administrator (DBA) | $100,000 – $120,000 | $95,000 – $115,000 | $105,000 – $125,000 |
Conclusion
Each cloud provider excels in specific areas and best from others , and the best choice depends on your applications, product needs, technical requirements, and budget. AWS leads in versatility, Azure is preferred for enterprises support of office 365 products , and Google Cloud shines in innovation and developer experience for ai/ml products.
Still Confused, unable to figure out which is best for you, don’t worry. Contact DevOptiv and Get a free consultation , share your requirements and get best solutions.
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Once a business chooses a cloud platform, they’ve only taken the first step. Here are some major and core aspects they should keep in mind:
Complexity of Cloud Management
Cloud Architecture
The first and most important step in cloud management is designing the architecture, which serves as the foundation for applications (e.g., software or SaaS products). It is a critical component, as deployment, scaling, and overall performance depend on the cloud’s architecture. In today’s era, microservice architecture is in demand, where every service runs in pods and containers to maintain scalability. If you don’t know about these Don’t worry about these buzzwords—DevOptiv is here to help you.
1. Resource Allocation: Once the architecture is set up, the next challenge is selecting the optimal size of resources for your application to ensure smooth operations while avoiding overcharges from the provider and smooth application performance. The goal is to pay only for what is actually required and reduce cost .
2. Security Policies: To maintain a secure cloud environment, implementing strong security policies is essential. IAM policies and multi-factor authentication (MFA) should be enforced. Policies must also be applied to resources, especially when one resource accesses another.
For instance, we once handled an incident where an anonymous user tried to delete all cloud resources but failed due to a syntax error in their security policy script. These types of threats can cause significant damage in the blink of an eye. Security policies must be enforced at all levels, including instances, auto-scaling groups, and individual resources.
3. Intricate Configurations: Once resources and users are in place, configuring resources correctly becomes critical. Configuration defines how your application behaves during traffic spikes, when to auto-scale, and when to scale down resources.
For example, some cloud engineers set the auto-scaling threshold to 90%, which can cause issues if traffic spikes suddenly. Instances take time to launch and attach to policies, so a threshold of around 60% is usually recommended to handle such situations effectively.
4. Changes in Cloud Technologies: Cloud providers frequently update their platforms to stay competitive and ahead of others in terms of services. As a result, some features become deprecated(out of support), requiring a switch to newer ones. These changes can be challenging for development teams, as they may be overlooked as “normal updates.” However, ignoring such updates can lead to data loss or application downtime, depending on the nature of the service affected.
5. Managing Cloud Platforms (Multi-Cloud or Hybrid Setups)
In some cases, a hybrid approach is adopted to cut costs. For instance, compute resources may be taken from one vendor while storage is obtained from another. Managing such setups can be complex, as compute resources must interact with databases from different vendors. Even when two different cloud platforms are used independently, managing operations can be challenging.
Cost Management
According to a survey, 78% of cloud users pay higher costs than necessary. Let’s explore the core factors affecting cloud expenses:
1. Compute Costs
- Continuously running virtual machines (VMs) without proper scaling.
- Over-provisioned VMs with excessive vCPUs or memory.
2. Storage Costs
- Storing infrequently accessed data in high-performance tiers, which are costly.
- Retaining unused storage volumes (e.g., orphaned EBS or persistent disks).
- Excessive data transfer fees, especially for multi-region operations.
3. Network and Data Transfer
- High outbound data transfer costs, either to the internet or across regions.
- Inefficient traffic routing across regions or availability zones. For global SaaS products, traffic routing plays a critical role in reducing application loading times and ensuring smooth user experiences.
4. Database and Analytics Services
- Underutilized database instances running 24/7.
- Frequent querying of large datasets without optimization.
- Over-provisioning managed databases instead of using auto-scaling.
5. Idle Resources
- Development environments left running outside working hours.
- Reserved but unused IP addresses or load balancers.
6. Serverless Applications
- Inefficient code in serverless functions leading to longer execution times.
- High invocation frequency without proper throttling.
7. Lack of Pricing Model Knowledge
- Cloud platforms offer many features to optimize costs. However, not leveraging reserved instances, savings plans, or spot instances can lead to higher expenses.
Mitigation Strategies
Monitoring and Alerts
- Implement cloud-native monitoring tools (e.g., AWS CloudWatch, Azure Monitor, Google Cloud Operations).
- Set budget alerts to monitor unexpected cost increases.
Optimize Networking Costs
- Use content delivery networks (CDNs) to reduce data egress costs. When we serve content from one main server, users repeatedly ping the server, which must handle all requests. CDNs create a local copy of the content, reducing costs.
- Minimize cross-region traffic by keeping resources in the same region where the audience accesses the application.
Serverless Best Practices
- Optimize serverless code to reduce execution times.
- Use throttling to limit function invocation rates.
Check Traffic Spikes: Sometimes, local script kiddies launch scanning or enumeration attacks, causing traffic spikes. This triggers the load balancer to launch new instances, unnecessarily increasing costs. In such cases, IP blocking, AWS WAF, and Security Hub can be used. However, attackers can change IPs and relaunch attacks, making manual intervention impractical. At DevOptiv, we address this issue through automation.
Use Reserved Instances
- Once we are confident about our usage, we can explore the option of reserved instances, as the cost of reserved instances is significantly less compared to frequently running EC2 and VMs.
Utilize Spot Instances
- For processes that are not running continuously, such as CI/CD pipelines, Terraform deployments, or background processes, spot instances can be used. These instances are much cheaper than standard compute VMs or EC2 instances.
Use Cold Storage
- For data that needs to be stored but is not frequently accessed, cold storage is the best option. The cost of hot storage, like EFS, EBS, and RDS, is very high compared to cold storage solutions such as AWS S3 Glacier and Azure Blob.
Implement Auto-Scaling and Serverless Architecture
- Auto-scaling is a very useful feature in high-traffic or high-compute environments, as it automatically launches new resources when needed. Load balancers distribute the load across these resources. High-configuration VMs are expensive compared to using multiple lower-compute resources that can handle the same load.
Auto-Parking for Non-Production Environments
- Cloud providers offer an auto-parking feature to automatically shut down instances and resources after office hours. For testing or staging environments, resources can be stopped or terminated and scheduled as needed.
Regular Monitoring and Cost Analysis
- Regularly monitor and audit the costs of different resources to understand how much each resource is contributing to overall expenses.
Leverage Cloud Optimization Tools
- Almost every cloud service provider offers multiple tools to optimize costs. For example:
- AWS: Trusted Advisor, CloudWatch, Anomaly Detector, and AWS Budgets.
- Azure: Azure Savings Plans.
Architecture Design
- Cloud resource usage and costs heavily depend on architecture design. A proper architecture can significantly reduce expenses.
Hybrid Approach
- A hybrid approach is one of the best ways to reduce costs. Use different cloud providers for compute and storage based on needs, as different providers offer varied pricing for resources.
Still confused about how to manage all of this? Don’t worry! At DevOptiv, we’re here to help. Share your requirements and get expert consultation: https://devoptiv.com/contact-us.
Security and Compliance
As businesses grow and generate significant revenue, they become attractive targets for hackers. Cloud security is not just a performance issue but a critical factor in preventing financial losses, reputational damage, and data theft. Here’s how DevOptiv ensures your cloud environment remains secure and compliant:
Ensuring Data Security
Protecting Critical Data: Data stored in the cloud is often the most sensitive asset for a business, including user information, financial records, and intellectual property. A single data breach can lead to severe consequences, such as loss of customer trust and significant recovery time—often exceeding a year—to regain market confidence.
To secure your cloud environment, it is vital to:
- Implement Robust Security Policies: Secure EFS, EBS, VPCs, and RDS instances with strict access controls.
- Set Up Alerts and Anomaly Detection: Use tools like AWS CloudWatch and anomaly detectors to monitor and respond to suspicious activities in real-time.
- Leverage Expert Solutions: At DevOptiv, we integrate advanced SOC services and recommend industry-best practices to safeguard your cloud assets.
Compliance and Regulations
Organizations handling sensitive public data—such as personal, healthcare, or financial data—must comply with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. These are non-negotiable mandates enforced by governments to protect public data. Non-compliance can result in hefty penalties and legal actions.
How DevOptiv Helps:
- We assist in achieving compliance with built-in cloud features tailored to your industry requirements.
- Our certified engineers handle audits and ensure all regulatory gaps are addressed efficiently, saving you time and money.
Addressing Identity and Access Management (IAM) Gaps
IAM is a cornerstone of cloud security. Poor access management increases the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches. To enhance security:
- Use in-built IAM features like user groups and role-based policies.
- Implement third-party Privileged Access Management (PAM) tools for better control.
- Regularly review and update access permissions to ensure integrity.
Disaster Recovery and Backup
A well-architected backup strategy is essential to minimize downtime and recover quickly in case of disasters. The famous meme about a server crash where both the primary server and the backup reside on the same machine is a lesson for all.
Best Practices:
- Implement a three-tier backup system to protect critical data.
- Store backups in separate physical and cloud locations for redundancy.
- Test disaster recovery plans periodically to ensure readiness.
Monitoring and Automation
Continuous Monitoring: Monitoring cloud resources is as important as developing features for your application. The trust and reliability of your platform depend on its security and performance.
- Use 24/7 monitoring tools to safeguard against potential threats.
- Automate scaling to handle traffic spikes efficiently.
- Set up event-driven automation for incident response, ensuring immediate notifications via email or phone in case of breaches.
Automation for Scalability: Event-driven automation simplifies tasks like scaling infrastructure up or down based on demand, allowing your business to maintain optimal performance without manual intervention.
Why Outsource to DevOptiv?
After reading the complexities above, you might wonder whether migrating to the cloud is worth it, especially without the necessary expertise. Here’s why outsourcing to DevOptiv is the best decision:
- Lack of In-House Expertise: Hiring certified professionals for every cloud task is costly and impractical. At DevOptiv, our team of cloud engineers, DevOps specialists, architects, and SOC experts can handle everything for you.
- Scaling Challenges: Rapid business growth demands scalable infrastructure. Instead of waiting weeks to hire and onboard resources, DevOptiv offers immediate solutions tailored to your needs.
- Cost Optimization: If your cloud expenses are spiraling out of control, our experts can identify inefficiencies and optimize costs without requiring full-time hires.
- Security and Compliance: Maintaining security and adhering to compliance standards require specialized knowledge. For one-time tasks or ongoing management, partnering with DevOptiv ensures peace of mind.
- Focus on Core Business: As a business owner, your time is better spent on marketing, recruitment, client meetings, and strategic planning. Let DevOptiv handle your cloud operations so you can focus on growth.
- 24/7 Monitoring: Hiring and managing staff for 24/7 cloud monitoring is costly and inefficient. With DevOptiv, you gain round-the-clock monitoring and support without the overhead of maintaining an in-house team.
Still unsure? DevOptiv’s certified cloud engineers are just one call away. Let us take care of your cloud challenges so you can focus on scaling your business seamlessly.
Benefits of Outsourcing Cloud Management
Extended Cloud Team: DevOptiv’s cloud engineers and DevOps specialists seamlessly integrate with your team to provide comprehensive support, ensuring smooth operations and efficient collaboration.
Extended Security Team: Our security team functions as an extension of your workforce, addressing tickets, resolving issues, and conducting regular meetings to maintain a secure user experience.
Cost Optimization: DevOptiv can reduce your cloud expenses by up to 40%. Let’s connect and start saving today!
Scalability: Easily scale your team up or down based on your requirements without the hassle of recruitment or onboarding.
Compliance Assurance: Our cybersecurity experts audit your AWS, Azure, or GCP accounts, implementing best practices to meet and exceed compliance requirements.
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👉To know more what can outsourced check our blog on outsourcing
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cloud platforms does DevOptiv support? DevOptiv supports almost every cloud provider, including AWS, Azure, GCP, and even in-house datacenters and network-accessible servers.
Are DevOptiv employees certified? Yes, our employees are 5-star AWS-certified professionals specializing in cloud and DevOps.
How can DevOptiv help a business? We offer services ranging from web application development to cloud management, managed IT services, VAPT, cybersecurity testing, digital marketing, and business development. Let’s bring growth to your business together.
Does DevOptiv provide DevSecOps support? Yes, we offer tailored DevSecOps and SecOps solutions, including AWS account outsourcing, DevOps support, and cybersecurity management to meet your specific needs.
What are the costs for tasks? Our costs depend on the scope and requirements of the task. However, we maintain transparent pricing as outlined in the initial contract, with no hidden fees. Trust and growth are our mission at DevOptiv.