{
  "id": "amazon-ec2-vs-azure-virtual-machines",
  "ids": [
    "amazon-ec2",
    "azure-virtual-machines"
  ],
  "title": "Amazon EC2 vs Azure Virtual Machines: virtual-machine configuration and operating costs",
  "heading": "Amazon EC2 vs Azure Virtual Machines",
  "kicker": "Software architecture comparison",
  "deck": "EC2 is the AWS integration choice; Azure Virtual Machines is the Azure integration choice. The useful decision is which environment supports the application's required machine configuration, permissions and operating process with the least additional integration work.",
  "description": "Compare Amazon EC2 vs Azure Virtual Machines for virtual-machine configuration and operating costs.",
  "answerHeading": "Which option fits the requirement?",
  "answer": "EC2 is the AWS integration choice; Azure Virtual Machines is the Azure integration choice. The useful decision is which environment supports the application's required machine configuration, permissions and operating process with the least additional integration work.",
  "checkedAt": "2026-10-25",
  "researchTag": "Deployment, compatibility and cost scope",
  "researchLimit": "Official product material reviewed. Acceptance checks are proposed exercises, not completed product trials, performance measurements or reliability guarantees.",
  "datasetDescription": "Seven technical differences and four proposed acceptance checks for Amazon EC2 vs Azure Virtual Machines.",
  "type": "workflow-buying",
  "sharedBuyingNeed": "Evaluate alternative approaches to virtual-machine configuration and operating costs.",
  "rows": [
    [
      "Cloud provider",
      "AWS",
      "Microsoft Azure"
    ],
    [
      "Compute resource",
      "EC2 instances",
      "Azure virtual machines"
    ],
    [
      "Reusable configuration",
      "Images and launch templates",
      "VM images and deployment configuration"
    ],
    [
      "Block storage context",
      "Amazon EBS",
      "Azure managed disks"
    ],
    [
      "Access administration",
      "AWS IAM",
      "Azure role-based access control"
    ],
    [
      "Private network",
      "Amazon VPC",
      "Azure Virtual Network"
    ],
    [
      "Cost components",
      "Instance runtime, EBS and data transfer",
      "VM runtime, managed disks and data transfer"
    ]
  ],
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Application image",
      "question": "Can the team boot the approved application image?",
      "left": "With Amazon EC2, boot the approved application image.",
      "right": "With Azure Virtual Machines, boot the approved application image.",
      "note": "The application starts with its required dependencies."
    },
    {
      "name": "Private connection",
      "question": "Can the team connect to a test dependency through the intended private network?",
      "left": "With Amazon EC2, connect to a test dependency through the intended private network.",
      "right": "With Azure Virtual Machines, connect to a test dependency through the intended private network.",
      "note": "Only the approved paths and identities can connect."
    },
    {
      "name": "Recovery",
      "question": "Can the team recreate the workload from retained configuration?",
      "left": "With Amazon EC2, recreate the workload from retained configuration.",
      "right": "With Azure Virtual Machines, recreate the workload from retained configuration.",
      "note": "The recovery procedure restores the required application state."
    },
    {
      "name": "Complete estimate",
      "question": "Can the team price identical runtime, disk and network assumptions?",
      "left": "With Amazon EC2, price identical runtime, disk and network assumptions.",
      "right": "With Azure Virtual Machines, price identical runtime, disk and network assumptions.",
      "note": "The estimate includes the complete configured resource scope."
    }
  ],
  "exampleTable": {
    "caption": "Proposed checks using authorised non-production resources. Record the actual account, region, version, configuration and observed outcome.",
    "headers": [
      "Requirement",
      "Proposed exercise",
      "Accept when"
    ],
    "rows": [
      [
        "Application image",
        "Boot the approved application image.",
        "The application starts with its required dependencies."
      ],
      [
        "Private connection",
        "Connect to a test dependency through the intended private network.",
        "Only the approved paths and identities can connect."
      ],
      [
        "Recovery",
        "Recreate the workload from retained configuration.",
        "The recovery procedure restores the required application state."
      ],
      [
        "Complete estimate",
        "Price identical runtime, disk and network assumptions.",
        "The estimate includes the complete configured resource scope."
      ]
    ]
  },
  "sections": [
    {
      "id": "scope-and-architecture",
      "title": "Scope and architecture",
      "paragraphs": [
        "EC2 is the AWS integration choice; Azure Virtual Machines is the Azure integration choice. The useful decision is which environment supports the application's required machine configuration, permissions and operating process with the least additional integration work.",
        "These are infrastructure services. The customer still owns the guest operating system, application configuration and the recovery procedure. Match CPU architecture, memory, disks and network access before comparing configurations."
      ],
      "links": [
        {
          "url": "https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/",
          "label": "Amazon EC2 product information"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/products/virtual-machines",
          "label": "Azure Virtual Machines product information"
        }
      ],
      "navLabel": "Architecture"
    },
    {
      "id": "cost-and-migration",
      "title": "Cost and migration planning",
      "paragraphs": [
        "For Amazon EC2, include instance runtime, EBS and data transfer. For Azure Virtual Machines, include vM runtime, managed disks and data transfer. Use the same workload and resilience assumptions, then confirm current vendor terms for the selected configuration.",
        "Rehearse image creation, startup configuration, credentials and application recovery. An image that boots is not sufficient evidence that the database connections, backup process and operational permissions will work after migration."
      ],
      "navLabel": "Costs & migration"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [
    {
      "question": "How should we choose between Amazon EC2 and Azure Virtual Machines?",
      "answer": "EC2 is the AWS integration choice; Azure Virtual Machines is the Azure integration choice. The useful decision is which environment supports the application's required machine configuration, permissions and operating process with the least additional integration work."
    },
    {
      "question": "Which costs belong in the comparison?",
      "answer": "For Amazon EC2, include instance runtime, EBS and data transfer. For Azure Virtual Machines, include vM runtime, managed disks and data transfer. Use the same workload and resilience assumptions, then confirm current vendor terms for the selected configuration."
    },
    {
      "question": "What should we validate before a production move?",
      "answer": "Rehearse image creation, startup configuration, credentials and application recovery. An image that boots is not sufficient evidence that the database connections, backup process and operational permissions will work after migration."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "url": "https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/",
      "facts": "Official product scope, deployment and integration context used for virtual-machine configuration and operating costs."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/products/virtual-machines",
      "facts": "Official product scope, deployment and integration context used for virtual-machine configuration and operating costs."
    }
  ],
  "relatedLinks": [
    {
      "path": "/categories/cloud-platforms/",
      "title": "Cloud Platforms software"
    },
    {
      "path": "/guides/cloud-cost-checklist/",
      "title": "Cloud workload and cost checklist"
    }
  ]
}