Cloud Duel: Comparing AWS vs. GCP

Romana Shevchenko

Staff Writer

In recent years, cloud computing has turned from a novelty into a default option for many companies worldwide. Offering numerous benefits to its users, cloud services only continue to solidify their status on the market becoming an ongoing trend, with no signs of slowing down any time soon.

As businesses continue to embrace cloud solutions, the question is no longer whether to deploy in the cloud, but rather which cloud service to choose. While there are many cloud vendors on the market, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) remain two of the major players in the industry (we’ll set Azure aside for the purposes of this post). These two titans have their strengths and weaknesses and have been battling for global dominance.

To help you choose (and possibly ignite a flame war), we reached out to our experts, Stepan Slyshov, a certified AWS architect, and Anatolii Kaliuzhnyi, a certified GCP architect, and asked them to shed some light on this intense debate.

Could you provide an overview of Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP)?

Stepan: Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the biggest and most comprehensive provider of cloud computing services in the world. Holding the world’s largest public cloud market share, it offers nearly 250 various services designed to meet the needs of millions of individuals, government organizations, and companies, ranging from startups to large enterprises.

Anatolii: Well, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is also a household name in the tech industry. Initially, it provided mostly compute-based and database-related services, but, over the course of time, it has evolved into a full-scale cloud platform with a global network infrastructure and a vast range of cloud services.

Currently, GCP is a robust competitor in the cloud computing space incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as AI, Big Data, Map, or Language-to-Speech capabilities.

Can you highlight the key services each platform offers and explain their significance?

Anatolii: GCP offers a diverse portfolio of cloud services that meet various needs from hosting and running apps to processing large volumes of data and creating machine learning solutions. Some of the core cloud computing services include:

Compute Engine: virtual machines (VMs) for building and deploying various applications. Users can select from multiple machine types and operating systems.
Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE): managed Kubernetes service for container orchestration that seamlessly integrates with other services in GCP, such as LoadBalancing or DNS.
Networking Services: a suite of services like Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), Cloud Connectivity, Cloud DNS and others that help to build and manage complex, mature network architectures.
Serverless Solutions: straightforward serverless services such as Cloud Functions and AppEngine for developing scalable applications without worrying about infrastructure provisioning.
Cloud PubSub: a scalable messaging service that enables independent applications to communicate asynchronously, which is ideal for event-driven systems and real-time analytics.
Databases: Managed relational databases (like Cloud SQL) and different non-SQL solutions (like Firestore, Cloud Bigtable, or Memorystore) that offer scalability, flexibility, high availability, and ease of use for a variety of different use cases and workloads.

In addition, GCP boasts a good deal of specialized high-tech services covering Machine Learning, Maps, Voice Engines, Big Data and Data Flow, IoT, Translation, and many others.

Stepan: AWS also provides an extensive set of services covering computing and hosting, databases, storage, analytics, and even machine learning (ML). As the full list of services is really long, here I’ll mention only those that are most commonly used:

Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2): a plain and straightforward compute VM with hundreds of options for CPU/RAM/GPU configuration.
Simple Storage Service (S3): global object storage with theoretically limitless space and durable archives, deep integration with other services, and flexible storage classes.
AWS Lambda: literally the heart of serverless computing with tens of integrated services (for access, security, permissions, network, etc.), various dedicated work tools, and multiple customization options for different environments.
Relational Database Service (RDS): managed databases that remove a lot of maintenance overhead and provide multiple engine options (including paid licensed ones).
Virtual Private Cloud (VPC): the leading networking service, which provides granular control of external and internal connections on multiple levels, as well as many specific services that extend and simplify networking concepts like NAT, routers, peering, VPN, private connections to on-prem, and firewalls.

What are the top three strengths of both platforms?

Stepan: AWS has a lot of benefits, but if I were to choose my top three, I’d highlight the following:

An exhaustive list of services.
The platform offers a comprehensive suite of mature services that cater to even the most bizarre and unusual business goals. Plus, a lot of these services come with a managed mode option.
Really low barrier to entry and ease of use.
Since AWS is the most widely used cloud services provider, its users enjoy a wealth of resources such as documentation, guides, video tutorials, examples, and tooltips. In addition, the platform has a really intuitive and user-friendly interface, which makes it accessible even to users who do not possess advanced technical skills and expertise.
Centralized billing.
AWS enables users to set up a consolidated billing structure, which is a great advantage if you have multiple accounts and projects. It also offers additional services such as Budgets (which will send you notifications when the spending approaches or exceeds the defined limit) and Cost Explorer (a powerful tool for visualizing spending patterns and identifying cost-saving opportunities).

Anatolii: Narrowing down to only three benefits is not an easy task. But in my opinion, there are three key advantages that stand out above the rest:

Excellent Kubernetes Integration.
GCP provides a robust integration of Kubernetes with other services out of the box. It simplifies the deployment and management of containerized applications and microservices on the cloud, enabling you to use a broad ecosystem of Kubernetes-compatible tools.
Simple IAM (Identity and Access Management) structure.
GCP’s IAM system is widely recognized for its straightforward and granular approach to managing access control and visibility for your cloud resources. This simplicity allows organizations to streamline compliance processes and security while minimizing the complexity of managing access control permissions.
Strong Infrastructure as Code (IaC) capabilities.
The cloud provider enables users to define and provide their cloud infrastructure as code, making it easier to maintain consistency, manage resources at scale, and automate deployments.

What about the challenges AWS and GCP pose for their users?

Anatolii: Every platform has its own set of challenges, and GCP is no exception. So, in my list of top three challenges, I’ll include the following points:

Rapid changes in API. Like any other cloud provider, GCP continuously evolves, which evidently results in frequent update releases and changes to APIs. While it is a huge plus as the platform introduces new features and improvements, it can be a bit challenging for users to keep up with these updates and adapt the infrastructure configurations.
Occasionally outdated or poor documentation. In some cases, the GCP’s documentation may lack clarity or lag behind new features and updates in services, making users spend more time finding accurate guidance or troubleshooting issues.
Slow fixes of known issues. There’s hardly any technology without issues and bugs. As GCP is a complex cloud platform with numerous services, issue resolutions may take more time than usual. This slow fixing of issues can be frustrating and impact user experience.

Stepan: I agree that there’s no platform without challenges. I believe that the most common challenges associated with AWS are:

Maintenance Costs.
While many consider the cloud to be a more cost-effective option than on-premise solutions, this is sometimes deceiving. The actual cost can vary greatly depending on factors like your location, the specific services you require, and the amount of support you need.
Paid Support.
If you face some technical issues, need troubleshooting operational problems, or require professional guidance, you will have to subscribe to one of the paid AWS Support plans to receive qualified help.
Resource limitations.
AWS resource and usage limits differ depending on the region, that’s why some access and configuration options may be unavailable due to AWS’s strict security protocols.

How do AWS and GCP compare in terms of security features?

Stepan: AWS puts a lot of emphasis on security, offering numerous tools that help users keep their data safe and secure. The central concept in AWS’s security approach is, of course, the Shared Responsibility model, which distributes the security responsibilities between AWS and its customers. While AWS takes care of physical hardware, actual data center facilities, and networking, customers handle security in the cloud, which covers configurations related to actual services like firewalls, public endpoints, IAM and IAM policies, data encryption, secret rotation, etc.

Additionally, the cloud provider also offers traditional security-oriented services such as monitoring and logging tools like CloudWatch, API logging and audit in CloudTrail, IAM permission management with SSO (SAML and OAuth), AD and MFA integration, inventory management, automatic encryption for AWS-managed workloads, and multi-level firewalls.

Anatolii: GCP provides a multi-layered approach to security to ensure the protection of users’ data, applications, and infrastructure. Its IAM system provides fine-grained control over access permissions and operates at different levels, including organization, folder, project, and resource. It is role-based and hierarchical, so a user can have multiple roles with varying levels of access to GCP services.

The cloud provider also has an embedded Web Application Firewall (WAF) called Cloud Armor. It can be configured to filter traffic based on various criteria such as IP addresses, HTTP headers, and more. The service serves as an additional security layer protecting web applications against common threats like DDoS attacks, cross-site scripting (XSS), and SQL injection.

Additionally, GCP offers tools to secure containerized applications. The embedded container image scanner automatically checks Docker images for vulnerabilities, providing the ability to identify and address security issues in containerized applications before deployment.

Last but not least, Cloud Firewall enables users to define firewall rules that control the traffic flow, ensuring the security of network communication and preventing unauthorized access.

Anatolii: GCP is like a Swiss army knife, it’s a universal solution that can be tailored to various use cases and needs, from basic cloud infrastructure to complex applications and services. Its simple structure, intuitive and straightforward interface, and competitive pricing make it an attractive starting point for beginners who are new to the cloud as well as for organizations that want to start small and grow gradually. One of my projects started its journey in the cloud world utilizing only basic services, like GKE and networking. Yet, it was very successful because of the reasonable price for services and simple setup, especially when compared to other options in the market.

Despite being a great option for small businesses and beginners, GCP is also a compelling solution for enterprise-level needs. With its scalability, versatility of services, and extensive global presence, it works great for large-scale projects with substantial existing infrastructure and complex migration plans involving global presence in different regions. Moreover, the provider offers advanced tools for data analytics and machine learning enabling enterprises to stay innovative and drive digital transformation.

Stepan: Well, cloud services are always a better choice in terms of costs, reliability and scalability. Of course, the choice of cloud services provider will hugely depend on your needs. As AWS enjoys the largest market share in the industry, it is obviously the best option out there. The platform offers a diverse service portfolio covering services for various purposes even those you never thought you’d need. Therefore, it’s a great option if you need a vast array of services for different use cases.

It is also a great solution for complicated migrations. I worked on a project that involved transferring a group of databases to the cloud to eliminate outdated racks with virtual machines in the office. Half of these databases were Microsoft SQL Servers, which are not supported out-of-the-box by many providers. In addition to having completed this Herculean task successfully, we were able to merge numerous MySQL databases into one Aurora instance with auto-scaling capabilities, which was a relatively new feature at the time.

How do AWS and GCP support DevOps practices and what are some of their key DevOps tools?

Stepan: AWS provides certifications that are specifically tailored towards DevOps, which is considered one of the two distinguished professional roles. In addition, it has heaps of DevOps tools and services, which makes it a great choice for customers who want to implement DevOps practices into their workflows. In fact, it comes with its own alternative to pretty much every tool you can think of - AWS CodeCommit, CodeBuild, CodeDeploy, CloudFormation, OpsWorks, Config, and Systems Manager. There are also specialized tools for frameworks such as AWS Amplify and SAM, which feature built-in declarative CI/CD and git integration.

Anatolii: GCP also offers certifications focused on DevOps practices and cloud operations. It is compatible with the GitOps approach and immensely IaC-friendly as I’ve already mentioned before. It offers a robust official Terraform provider that covers nearly everything needed to handle 99% of cases. This enables you to define and version your infrastructure and resources in a clear and reproducible way, automate deployments, and increase collaboration. These capabilities make GCP an ideal fit for enterprises aiming to adopt a modern DevOps approach.

What advice would you give to organizations considering migrating to the cloud and trying to decide between AWS and GCP?

Anatolii: Compared to other cloud providers, GCP is affordable and easy to use. It offers a basic suite of services that work seamlessly out of the box, so there’s no need to overcomplicate things and create complex setups for small and mid-size presence. Plus, most of the security measures are already embedded into GCP’s services and infrastructure allowing you to meet security requirements without the need for additional extensive configurations.

Of course, like any platform, GCP has its pros and cons. But overall, it is a very balanced cloud provider that supports and empowers DevOps approaches. It has a reasonable price for its services and reliable support in case of any issues. If you’re looking for a cloud provider that is both affordable, simple and robust, GCP is definitely worth considering.

Stepan: Migrating to AWS isn’t that difficult if you apply the right approach. Here are my four tips for the companies that are planning the AWS migration:

Start with a clear strategy.
First, decide if you transfer all your infrastructure at once or just certain parts. If the second option is what sounds right for you, decide which infrastructure parts you want to migrate. AWS offers many resources and tools to support your migration journey including guides on how to apply the 7R strategy, so leverage these to your advantage.
Adopt IaC from the onset.
The Infrastructure as Code approach (IaC) is an excellent strategy that allows you to manage and provision your infrastructure through code. Using this approach from the start, you will reduce operational complexity and save yourself a lot of time.
Start with a small PoC to test the migration pattern.
Developing a proof of concept will help you to see whether your migration plan works, as well as identify and reduce possible risks, especially in complex scenarios.
Prioritize Security and Compliance.
Data security can be crucial, especially when it comes to healthcare- or government-related projects. So be sure to check if the services you plan to use meet the necessary compliance standards and regulations.

So, which one is better?

You didn’t think we’d make it that easy, did you? All things considered, it doesn’t look like we have a definite winner in this battle. Being two major cloud service providers in the world nowadays, AWS and GCP are basically on a similar footing, each providing a wide range of services, strong security offerings, and numerous advantages over on-premise solutions. And that’s what makes the choice between those two so difficult. Choosing the cloud provider is definitely not a decision to be taken lightly as it can influence your course of action years ahead. If you’re considering migration, do not make it about selecting an inherently “better” or “the best” cloud provider, but rather about choosing the best-suited one that caters to your unique needs, goals and use cases. Therefore, make sure you’ve done extensive research, analyzed current requirements, and set future priorities before making a final move.