Microsoft Azure vs Oracle Cloud

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and Microsoft Azure are two major players in the cloud arena. Each one of these providers has areas in which they excel, so it may be challenging to decide which one is right for you. In this article, we’ll go through the differences between Oracle Cloud and MS Azure. Primarily, we’ll look at the cost of each, ease of deployment, and the number of services provided.

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What is Microsoft Azure? 

Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing service that provides several different SaaS, PaaS, and data storage solutions. It was created back in 2010 and has continued to expand ever since.

Related: Is the SC-400 Worth It?

What is Oracle Cloud?

Oracle Cloud was created more recently in 2016 but immediately made a big splash in the cloud world. Oracle Cloud allows users to leverage their existing Oracle ecosystem to facilitate their cloud migration. Like Azure, Oracle Cloud hosts a suite of tools and services to ensure your data is stored securely and is easily retrievable.

OCI Cost Vs. Azure Cost

For OCI and Azure, each platform has different ways to appraise its various services. So for the sake of simplicity, we’ll focus on how OCI prices VM and data storage, vs how Azure prices them.

Data Storage Pricing

Azure Database for MySQL is a robust solution to fit your data storage needs. Azure DB is a fully managed DBaaS with built-in capabilities such as high availability. As a caveat, all of the numbers below are rough estimates based on data provided on their website. This is just to give you an idea of what to expect in terms of cost for small workloads.

For the server itself, Azure charges $24.82 a month for a server with one vCore and 2 GiB of memory. Then, the cost is $49.64 a month for 2 vCore and 4GiB of memory. The storage is $0.10 per gigabyte for a month (For example, 10 GB of storage would cost 1 dollar a month.). So all in all, for 2 vCores,  4GiB of memory, and 50 GiB of storage is going to run about $55 a month. Remember though, this is just a rough estimate of a barebones server.

In comparison, OCI charges a minimum of $84.73 a month for 50 GB of MySQL storage, 2 virtual CPUs, and 16GB of Ram. However, you'll notice that you are getting quite a bit more memory here. This OCI model provides 16GB of memory, while the Azure comparison is providing 4GiB of memory. 

It’s safe to say these two cloud service providers are similarly matched in the data storage department. Now let’s take a look at how they price Virtual Machines.

VM Pricing

Virtual Machines are the backbone of any cloud computing service. Let’s start with Azure, and how they price VMs. VMs are virtual “computers” that are generated to perform work in the cloud. Their pay model is usually categorized as pay-as-you-go, reserve instance, spot instance, and contractual. 

For sake of simplicity, this article will just cover pay-as-you-go for both OCI and Azure. However, keep it in the back of your mind that a lot of money can be saved by reserving instances.

In general, OCI will have the lowest price in nearly every category. However, if you want to have a Windows OS on your VMs it will cost extra.

Microsoft Azure is going to cost more, but it may be the optimal solution for your organization. For instance, if you are already using a suite of software solutions that require a Windows OS, it may be advantageous to enter the Microsoft ecosystem. 

Azure Services vs. OCI Services

Microsoft Azure has around two hundred services, while OCI has around one hundred. The main reason for that is Azure has been in the industry a lot longer than Oracle, so its services have had time to mature.

However, one of the places where OCI really shines is in its database services. Many organizations are already using Oracle data solutions such as Exadata, so migrating to the Oracle Cloud would be a cinch.

One of the great things about Azure is how it seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Dynamics — the flagship CRM software used by Microsoft. Many organizations leverage Microsoft Dynamic to keep track of existing and prospective clients, making the switch to Azure easier than ever.

On the flip side, OCI services will benefit an organization that already has existing Oracle licenses. 

Final Thoughts

It is important to take into account several different factors when choosing a cloud solution. Make sure to actively engage the sales department of the cloud provider. They will provide information, optimal uses, and even discounts. At the end of the day, OCI and Azure are both excellent cloud solutions, but be prepared to do some research on which one is optimal for your particular situation.