{
  "id": "azure-dns-vs-amazon-route-53",
  "ids": [
    "azure-dns",
    "amazon-route-53"
  ],
  "title": "Azure DNS vs Amazon Route 53: DNS zones, private names and delegation",
  "heading": "Azure DNS vs Amazon Route 53",
  "kicker": "Software architecture comparison",
  "deck": "Route 53 includes routing and health-check capabilities that may require additional design decisions in an Azure DNS architecture. Compare the intended DNS and routing scope rather than assuming a copied address record reproduces failover behaviour.",
  "description": "Compare Azure DNS vs Amazon Route 53 for DNS zones, private names and delegation.",
  "answerHeading": "Which option fits the requirement?",
  "answer": "Route 53 includes routing and health-check capabilities that may require additional design decisions in an Azure DNS architecture. Compare the intended DNS and routing scope rather than assuming a copied address record reproduces failover behaviour.",
  "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 Azure DNS vs Amazon Route 53.",
  "type": "workflow-buying",
  "sharedBuyingNeed": "Evaluate alternative approaches to DNS zones, private names and delegation.",
  "rows": [
    [
      "Provider context",
      "Microsoft Azure",
      "AWS"
    ],
    [
      "Public DNS",
      "Managed DNS zones and records",
      "Hosted zones and records"
    ],
    [
      "Private DNS context",
      "Azure private DNS requirements are a separate configuration decision",
      "Private hosted zones for AWS networks"
    ],
    [
      "Administration",
      "Azure roles and DNS APIs",
      "AWS IAM and Route 53 APIs"
    ],
    [
      "Routing review",
      "Selected Azure DNS and related routing service design",
      "Selected routing policies and health checks"
    ],
    [
      "Migration unit",
      "Zone records and delegation",
      "Hosted-zone records and delegation"
    ],
    [
      "Cost components",
      "Hosted zones, queries and required related services",
      "Hosted zones, queries and selected routing features"
    ]
  ],
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Zone records",
      "question": "Can the team compare all source and destination records?",
      "left": "With Azure DNS, compare all source and destination records.",
      "right": "With Amazon Route 53, compare all source and destination records.",
      "note": "No required web, mail or verification records are missing."
    },
    {
      "name": "Authoritative answers",
      "question": "Can the team query the new authoritative service before delegation?",
      "left": "With Azure DNS, query the new authoritative service before delegation.",
      "right": "With Amazon Route 53, query the new authoritative service before delegation.",
      "note": "Answers match the approved zone data."
    },
    {
      "name": "Private names",
      "question": "Can the team resolve a test private name from the intended network?",
      "left": "With Azure DNS, resolve a test private name from the intended network.",
      "right": "With Amazon Route 53, resolve a test private name from the intended network.",
      "note": "The name is visible only in the intended network context."
    },
    {
      "name": "Delegation plan",
      "question": "Can the team review registrar delegation and DNSSEC changes?",
      "left": "With Azure DNS, review registrar delegation and DNSSEC changes.",
      "right": "With Amazon Route 53, review registrar delegation and DNSSEC changes.",
      "note": "The change and rollback have an accountable owner."
    }
  ],
  "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": [
      [
        "Zone records",
        "Compare all source and destination records.",
        "No required web, mail or verification records are missing."
      ],
      [
        "Authoritative answers",
        "Query the new authoritative service before delegation.",
        "Answers match the approved zone data."
      ],
      [
        "Private names",
        "Resolve a test private name from the intended network.",
        "The name is visible only in the intended network context."
      ],
      [
        "Delegation plan",
        "Review registrar delegation and DNSSEC changes.",
        "The change and rollback have an accountable owner."
      ]
    ]
  },
  "sections": [
    {
      "id": "scope-and-architecture",
      "title": "Scope and architecture",
      "paragraphs": [
        "Route 53 includes routing and health-check capabilities that may require additional design decisions in an Azure DNS architecture. Compare the intended DNS and routing scope rather than assuming a copied address record reproduces failover behaviour.",
        "Changing authoritative DNS does not move the website or email service. Preserve the complete zone and distinguish public DNS, private DNS and provider-specific routing features before changing delegation."
      ],
      "links": [
        {
          "url": "https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/products/dns",
          "label": "Azure DNS product information"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://aws.amazon.com/route53/",
          "label": "Amazon Route 53 product information"
        }
      ],
      "navLabel": "Architecture"
    },
    {
      "id": "cost-and-migration",
      "title": "Cost and migration planning",
      "paragraphs": [
        "For Azure DNS, include hosted zones, queries and required related services. For Amazon Route 53, include hosted zones, queries and selected routing features. Use the same workload and resilience assumptions, then confirm current vendor terms for the selected configuration.",
        "Compare exported records, query the new authoritative service directly and prepare a registrar rollback plan. Include mail, verification, DNSSEC and provider-specific routing requirements rather than checking only the website's address."
      ],
      "navLabel": "Costs & migration"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [
    {
      "question": "How should we choose between Azure DNS and Amazon Route 53?",
      "answer": "Route 53 includes routing and health-check capabilities that may require additional design decisions in an Azure DNS architecture. Compare the intended DNS and routing scope rather than assuming a copied address record reproduces failover behaviour."
    },
    {
      "question": "Which costs belong in the comparison?",
      "answer": "For Azure DNS, include hosted zones, queries and required related services. For Amazon Route 53, include hosted zones, queries and selected routing features. 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": "Compare exported records, query the new authoritative service directly and prepare a registrar rollback plan. Include mail, verification, DNSSEC and provider-specific routing requirements rather than checking only the website's address."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "url": "https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/products/dns",
      "facts": "Official product scope, deployment and integration context used for DNS zones, private names and delegation."
    },
    {
      "url": "https://aws.amazon.com/route53/",
      "facts": "Official product scope, deployment and integration context used for DNS zones, private names and delegation."
    }
  ],
  "relatedLinks": [
    {
      "path": "/categories/cloud-devops/",
      "title": "Cloud Devops software"
    },
    {
      "path": "/guides/cloud-cost-checklist/",
      "title": "Cloud workload and cost checklist"
    }
  ]
}