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Azure Blob Storage, with Azure Data Lake Storage vs. Azure Virtual Machines vs. Google Cloud Storage

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Azure Blob Storage

    Score8.7 out of 10
    N/AAzure Blob Storage is Microsoft Azure’s object storage service for storing and accessing large volumes of unstructured data. Organizations use it for application content, backups and archives, media, logs, data exports, machine learning datasets, high-performance computing workloads, and data-lake storage. NOTE: Azure Data Lake Storage, also known as Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, is not a separate service or account type. It is a set of big-data analytics capabilities within Azure Blob Storage…

    $0.01

    per GB/per month

    Azure Virtual Machines

    Score8.1 out of 10
    N/AVirtual Machines (VMs) are available on Microsoft Azure, providing what is built as a low-cost, per-second compute service, available via Windows or Linux.

    $0

    Per Hour

    Google Cloud Storage

    Score9.2 out of 10
    N/AGoogle Cloud Storage is unified object storage for developers and enterprises.N/A
    Pricing
    Azure Blob StorageAzure Virtual MachinesGoogle Cloud Storage
    Editions & Modules
    Block Blobs
    $0.0081
    per GB/per month
    Azure Data Lake Storage
    $0.0081
    per GB/per month
    Files
    $0.058
    per GB/per month
    Managed Discs
    $1.54
    per month
    3 Year Reserved - Burstable VMs - B1S
    $0.0038
    Per Hour
    Spot - General Purpose - Av2
    $0.005
    Per Hour
    1 Year Reserved - Burstable VMs - B1S
    $0.0059
    Per Hour
    Pay as You Go - Burstable VMs - B1S
    $0.0075
    Per Hour
    Spot - Compute Optimized - Fsv2
    $0.0104
    Per Hour
    Spot - General Purpose - Dv3
    $0.0125
    Per Hour
    Spot - Memory Optimized - Ev3
    $0.016
    Per Hour
    3 Year Reserved - Compute Optimized - Fsv2
    $0.0307
    Per Hour
    3 Year Reserved - General Purpose - Dv3
    $0.0369
    Per Hour
    3 Year Reserved - Memory Optimized - Ev3
    $0.0481
    Per Hour
    1 Year Reserved - Compute Optimized - Fsv2
    $0.05
    Per Hour
    1 Year Reserved - General Purpose - Dv3
    $0.0548
    Per Hour
    1 Year Reserved - Memory Optimized - Ev3
    $0.0753
    Per Hour
    Pay as You Go - Compute Optimized - Fsv2
    $0.0846
    Per Hour
    Pay as You Go - General Purpose - Dv3
    $0.096
    Per Hour
    Pay as You Go - Memory Optimized - Ev3
    $0.126
    Per Hour
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Azure Blob StorageAzure Virtual MachinesGoogle Cloud Storage
    Free Trial
    YesNoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details———
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Azure Blob StorageAzure Virtual MachinesGoogle Cloud Storage
    Considered Multiple Products
    Microsoft
    Chose Azure Blob Storage
    Azure Blob Storage was used only because we were already using it for other projects, and it has a good reputation for being a reliable cloud provider. It also has widespread regional availability and allows for data replication. It can also be easily accessed via the API or by …
    Incentivized
    Microsoft
    Chose Azure Virtual Machines
    Amazon EC2 provides a cost-friendly server hosting platform but the underlying infrastructure of Azure Virtual Machines is way more speedy and responsive than AWS. We have a 40:60 ratio of our servers deployed on Azure and Amazon and I can tell you how responsive and …
    Incentivized
    Chose Azure Virtual Machines
    Azure Virtual Machines is much easier to manage and is a user-friendly management console. Billing is much easier and more predictable to calculate and expect, the configuration is much easier to access and change, the cost is cheaper for Azure Virtual Machines than other …
    Incentivized
    Google
    Chose Google Cloud Storage
    We chose Google Cloud Storage for its superior integration with BigQuery and AI/ML tools. Unlike AWS S3’s complex tiering or Azure’s offline archive, Google Cloud Storage offers millisecond access even for archival classes. This simplified our architecture while providing the …
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    96%
    Would buy again
    24 Answers
    96%
    Would buy again
    25 Answers
    100%
    Would buy again
    18 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    96%
    Delivers good value for the price
    23 Answers
    92%
    Delivers good value for the price
    22 Answers
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    17 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    25 Answers
    96%
    Happy with the feature set
    25 Answers
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    18 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    20 Answers
    95%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    21 Answers
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    16 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    96%
    Implementation went as expected
    22 Answers
    96%
    Implementation went as expected
    25 Answers
    100%
    Implementation went as expected
    17 Answers
    Features
    Azure Blob StorageAzure Virtual MachinesGoogle Cloud Storage
    Server Virtualization
    Comparison of Server Virtualization features of Azure Blob Storage, with Azure Data Lake Storage and Azure Virtual Machines and Google Cloud Storage
    Feature
    Azure Blob Storage, with Azure Data Lake Storage
    -
    Ratings
    Azure Virtual Machines
    7.6
    25 Ratings
    6% below category average
    Google Cloud Storage
    -
    Ratings
    Virtual machine automated provisioning00 Ratings9.025 Ratings00 Ratings
    Management console00 Ratings4.523 Ratings00 Ratings
    Live virtual machine backup00 Ratings6.521 Ratings00 Ratings
    Live virtual machine migration00 Ratings9.017 Ratings00 Ratings
    Hypervisor-level security00 Ratings9.017 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Azure Blob StorageAzure Virtual MachinesGoogle Cloud Storage
    Small Businesses
    Google Cloud Storage
    Score9.2 out of 10
    Proxmox VE
    Score9.2 out of 10
    Azure Blob Storage
    Score8.7 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Everpure FlashBlade
    Score9.9 out of 10
    VMware vSOM (discontinued)
    Score10 out of 10
    Everpure FlashBlade
    Score9.9 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Google Cloud Storage
    Score9.2 out of 10
    IBM PowerVM
    Score9.7 out of 10
    Azure Blob Storage
    Score8.7 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Azure Blob StorageAzure Virtual MachinesGoogle Cloud Storage
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.1
    (25 ratings)
    9.4
    (25 ratings)
    9.0
    (37 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    Usability
    8.9
    (4 ratings)
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    9.0
    (14 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (9 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.0
    (3 ratings)
    6.0
    (2 ratings)
    7.8
    (13 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Azure Blob StorageAzure Virtual MachinesGoogle Cloud Storage
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Microsoft
    In Azure, it is the storage to use, and in my view, the Blob Storage offers more, or finer-grained configuration options, than S3. So my recommendation would be to check in detail what is offered. As the Blob Storage is more or less a Microsoft exclusive product, the "interoperability" is more limited than, for example, with S3. The S3 is more widely adopted, and if you cannot exclude a migration scenario from one cloud provider to another, additional effort is needed.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    If you want to host a dedicated Windows server on the cloud, and especially if you want to integrate it with your on premises Active Directory, Azure Virtual Machines should be your first choice. Obviously running Linux on Azure works very well too, but given Azure's pricing is not the cheapest, there are other providers out there that have a better cost-benefit ratio for Linux. That said, hosting Windows on Azure can be affordable (especially when compared to other providers) if you plan your licensing, topology, and application architecture correctly.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Google
    [Google Cloud Storage is] great for storing and playing large video files, and even sharing them securely with others, whether or not they are part of your organization. No need to download video files before watching, and can also be used to store any other kinds of files.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Microsoft
    • The data lake analytics tool is good and provides loads of computing power to speed up the processing time.
    • It provides unlimited storage for structured, semi-structured or unstructured data.
    • Cloud-based service and we can easily use it for ETL and ELT processes.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • When demand is high, we scale the service out, eg During a Football Match.
    • When a football match is over and the throughput of data from OPTA drops we save by the service scaling back in.
    • Our App Service Plans along with the Clean C# code are lightening fast giving a good customer experience.
    • When producing the TV Guide information and a program overruns its scheduled time, a client can instantly be updated to the new programming schedule as our change is instant and its in the right place for all the clients to download and adjust their television guides appropriately to send out to the public giving a 24x7 uptime service that is precise and accurate and resilient to outages due to failover zones around the world.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Google
    • Really great, easy to use interface helps us manage files easily. Storage is fast and inexpensive, so we don't have to spin up storage instances locally
    • Great set of command-line tools to manage data and storage options via scripts and apps, as well as an SDK means we can build GCS into our orchestration and operations tools
    • Robust integration with other Google cloud tools means that we don't have to think too hard about using GCS for a variety of storage tasks as we interact with other Google services.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Microsoft
    • study for the certifications also to have them as a reference for work when you have any questions about applying a configuration to the equipment.
    • The Internet interface is simple and easy to use. Capacity is good and it's good that HP continues to innovate with this technology
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • Pricing can be a concern if you are truly agnostic to which cloud you are building your particular solution in.
    • The UI, as is the case with any cloud provider, is crowded.
    • As with any cloud provider, it can be difficult to tune in exactly the right amount of servers for your needs...you might find yourself under/overprovisioning.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Google
    • Currently can't delete folders which means there are cluttered folders on my cloud.
    • Easier upload options would be nice. The ability to upload and store other file types with an easier interface.
    • Managing files and storage could be improved a little for easier access and editing.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    definitely it will be renewed. considering the ROI and uptime.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Google
    after all of the investment made in the tool and considering how many teams use it I think we would not be likely to move away from this tool. A lot of our information including historical is already here and we are happy with the capabilities of the tool currently
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Microsoft
    Blob storage is fairly simple, with several different options/settings that can be configured. The file explorer has enhanced its usability. Some areas could be improved, such as providing more details or stats on how many times a file has been accessed. It is an obvious choice if you're already using Azure/Entra.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    No VM console, weak management interface, changing CPU/memory is not straightforward. On the positive side, basic RDP functionality is good to have. As long as things are working, the ability to host Windows VMs is appreciated.
    Read full review
    Google
    Very easy to use. I love having my data backed up. I love that Google Cloud Storage provides me with the peace of mind that I no longer need to worry about my data being lost. I can now sleep better at night. Google Cloud Storage is very easy to use. Overall, you save time and have less stress by using Google Cloud Storage.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Performance
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Google
    For performance i give Google Cloud Storage 10 of 10 on performance because even though there are other softwares that do exactly the same thing as Google Drive, it still works exceptionally well. It is very fast, and and far as integration, the only software I have used with it that integrated was Google Docs, and of course it integrates perfectly.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Microsoft
    Microsoft has improved its customer service standpoint over the years. The ability to chat with an issue, get a callback, schedule a call or work with an architecture team(for free) is a huge plus. I can get mentorship and guidance on where to go with my environment without pushy sales tactics. This is very refreshing. Typically support can get me to where I need to be on the first contact, which is also nice.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    I give the overall support for Azure Virtual Machines a 7 because I think while the overall support do a great job there are still areas that it could improve on such as efficiency and speed. So while I only give it a 7 and it has some issues it is still better than the overall support at Amazon EC2 Auto Scaling.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Google
    We have never used official support from Google for our Google Cloud Storage, but there is plenty of documentation in place already. With a small amount of work, anybody should be able to get started. Once needs get more complicated, there is still documentation from Google, but also plenty of community support for common use cases around the internet.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Google
    overall I was not directly involved but hears the teams were satisfied with the implementation. the teams that used the tool did not encounter major issues, it was as expected with minor issues and bugs that were resolved later. The more significant learning curve was actually starting to use the tool
    Incentivized
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    Alternatives Considered
    Microsoft
    Azure Premium Blob offers better latency than competitors. It works best with the Azure ecosystem, and competitors lack it. Azure Blob even stands out in storage durability, providing up to 16 nines. It can have various use cases that can suit all the organisation's needs. The Azure Blob solution can also be deployed on-premises.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Azure Virtual Machines offer unparalleled flexibility in provisioning, managing and upgrading the VM instances, both manually and programmatically. AVM offer very granular billing options and enables high costs optimisations (while still being costly). The other competitors I mentioned are very good at offering dead-cheap VMs. But if you need anything beyond that, especially for big computing, you need Azure Virtual Machines.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Google
    We prefer Google Cloud Storage over Amazon Web Services because of the tools and code integration offered by Google Cloud Storage. We found the Google Cloud Storage toolset to be highly usable and give us the fine-grained control we need for managing digital assets. Ultimately, we chose Google Cloud Storage because we found the API and suitability for code integration with our Java codebase to be impeccable and because we had excellent direct support from the Google Cloud Storage team
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Microsoft
    • Data Migration projects from relational sources to Azure Data Lake Storage have given a great ROI, thanks to the less running costs, and High availability
    • Pretty easy to work with in terms of Managing and accessing Data in containerized fashion.
    • Further features like Archival of data which is accessed less frequently can significantly reduce cost
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • It's so easy to spin up new instances, that it becomes also to easy to have to many of them to manage. Many teams end up with a couple of hundreds of VMs after a short while, making the whole thing very hard to maneuver
    • Azure VMs are the next step for us to rely on Onprem servers, and leaving the management of the infrastructure to the professionals
    • The ease of use, is also important when our main focus is to deliver new applications and integrations fast, and not having to worry about infrastructure. We sell bottles, not CPUs
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Google
    • It has assisted greatly with our ability to share documents/information cross functionally. Especially within our advertising team, we store a large amount of information to assist new hires and refresh current employees.
    • Something that could improve is employees' understanding of how to best utilize Google Cloud Storage. This could improve by implementing a potential training video or tutorial.
    • Overall, Google Storage has been great. I have not used a similar storage product that had the same enterprise level capabilities.
    Incentivized
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