Everything You Need to Know While Comparing Azure Security vs. AWS Security

Generally speaking, cloud-based data centers are more secure than those on-premises. Still, business owners are (understandably) concerned about how well public cloud services will protect data. Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are two of the most popular cloud platforms today. So, let’s compare Azure security vs. AWS security to help you decide.

“Choosing a secure public cloud provider is as crucial as picking the right foundation for a skyscraper. The wrong foundation can lead to the eventual collapse of a skyscraper and an insecure cloud provider can harm a business through data leaks and lost trust.” – Jacob Saunders, EVP, Atmosera

What Does AWS Security Look Like?

AWS uses a shared responsibility model. This means that they secure the physical hardware and software of the cloud infrastructure. Your role is to secure the data, applications, and configurations you deploy within that infrastructure.

Use Cases

1. Rapid Growth

For startups aiming for rapid growth, AWS provides flexible scaling options without compromising on security. AWS and Azure can both grow with you, but AWS offers slightly more flexibility due to its more agnostic nature. A rapidly growing business may still favor Azure in cases where they are certain that they will remain Microsoft-forward.

2. eCommerce Platforms

AWS is typically the ideal choice if you run an eCommerce platform. While both AWS and Azure offer excellent high-performance solutions for data security and network uptime, AWS is less dependent on the Microsoft suite. Therefore, it’s better for managing non-Microsoft eCommerce products like Shopify or Magento.

3. Hybrid Architectures

Businesses transitioning from on-premises to cloud might opt for AWS because of its extensive support for hybrid architectures.

What Does Azure Security Look Like?

Microsoft Azure also uses the shared responsibility model. However, it offers some different tools and features due to its connection with other Microsoft services. As a result, it’s a better option for Microsoft users. It generally feels more cohesive and tailored to those familiar with Microsoft’s suite of products.

Use Cases

1. Enterprise Integration

Azure provides a familiar and interconnected environment if you’re deeply integrated with Microsoft products. In this case, opting for Azure has less of a learning curve surrounding its security features. It also makes integration and configuration easier and faster.

2. Hybrid Solutions

If you’re looking for a consistent platform across on-premises and cloud, you might lean towards Azure. Azure has several built-in tools that are specifically designed to improve hybrid cloud environments. This includes:

• Azure Site Recovery to keep your data accessible during outages and ensure your local data can be restored from the cloud if issues arise.
• Azure Virtual Network to create a secure private connection from your on-site servers to the Azure cloud, using either virtual private networks (VPNs) or a dedicated WAN link.
• Azure ExpressRoute to establish private connections between Azure datacenters and their on-premises infrastructure, offering faster and more reliable connectivity than standard internet connections.
• Azure AD Connect to synchronize your on-premises directories and identities with Azure AD and ensure users have consistent credentials in both environments.
• Azure File Sync lets you centralize your organization’s file shares in Azure Files while retaining the familiarity and performance of an on-site file server.

3. Data-Intensive Applications

If your organization heavily relies on Microsoft’s database services (like SQL Server),  Azure is a more cohesive choice due to its built-in optimizations. It’s not just about storing data; Azure optimizes how you access and use that data. Its Mircosoft-native architecture ensures swift data retrieval within any Microsoft ecosystem.

AWS vs. Azure Security: Comparisons

Because they are similar platforms, AWS and Azure security features have some cross-over. This can be a bit confusing when you’re comparing the two. So, here are a few quick tables that briefly compare similar features in Azure and AWS.

AWS CloudWatch vs. Azure Monitor

	AWS CloudWatch	Azure Monitor
Monitoring	Monitors AWS resources	Monitors Azure resources
Alerts	Customizable CloudWatch Alarms	Customizable Azure Alerts
Metrics	Predefined and custom metrics	Predefined and custom metrics
Logs	CloudWatch Logs	Azure Log Analytics
Integration	Integrates with other AWS services	Integrates with other Azure services

AWS KMS vs. Azure Key Vault

	AWS Key Management Service (KMS)	Azure Key Vault
Key Management	Centralized management of cryptographic keys	Manages and safeguards cryptographic keys
Encryption	Supports symmetric and asymmetric keys	Supports symmetric and asymmetric keys
Access Control	Fine-grained access control	Fine-grained access control
Auditing	AWS CloudTrail	Azure Monitor
Integration	Integrates with AWS services	Integrates with Azure services

Azure Active Directory (AD) vs. AWS Identity & Access Management (IAM)

	Azure AD	AWS IAM
Identity Management	User and group management	User and role management
Authentication	Multi-factor authentication	Multi-factor authentication
Authorization	Role-based access control	Role-based access control
Integration	Integrates with Microsoft services	Integrates with AWS services
Directory Services	Yes	Only AWS Directory Services

Azure Advanced Threat Protection vs. AWS GuardDuty

	Advanced Threat Protection	AWS GuardDuty
Threat Detection	Detects advanced threats in real-time	Continuous monitors for malicious activity
Integration	Integrates with Microsoft services	Integrates with AWS services
Alerts	Security alerts	Security findings
Machine Learning (ML)	Uses ML for detection	Uses ML for detection

Azure Blob Storage Encryption vs. AWS S3 Encryption

	Azure Blob Storage	AWS S3
Encryption Type	Server-side and client-side	Server-side and client-side
Key Management	Azure Key Vault	AWS KMS
Integration	Integrates with Azure services	Integrates with AWS services
Access Control	Fine-grained access control	Fine-grained access control

Azure Virtual Network vs. AWS Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)

	Azure Virtual Network	AWS VPC
Isolation	Isolated cloud resources	Isolated section of the AWS Cloud
Subnetting	Supports subnets	Supports subnets
Security	Network Security Groups	Security Groups and Network ACLs
Connectivity	VPN Gateway	AWS VPN

Network Security Groups (NSGs) vs. Security Groups and Network ACLs

	NSGs	Security Groups & Network ACLs
Type	Stateful	Security Groups: Stateful Network ACLs: Stateless
Rules	Inbound and outbound	Inbound and outbound
Priority	Rule priority	Rule number
Associations	Multiple per NIC or subnet	Security Groups: Multiple per instance Network ACLs: One per subnet

Think The Security in Azure is Right For You?

If you’ve looked at these two major cloud providers and decided that Azure is your best bet, Atmosera is here to help. As distinguished as an Expert MSP you know you can rely on us to deliver top-tier managed Azure services in any industry.

Reach out today to get started and see how you can optimize your data security with Azure.