Is Azure better for SQL/AD than AWS?

Hi guys,
So, I'm trying to figure out a solution to get out off Rackspace. I'd really like to put our Windows servers in Azure. It seems that everywhere I read, they have all of the exact main features.
I'm mainly wondering if the process of migrating/motioning the servers from Rackspace to another cloud provider would be easier on Azure or AWS?

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Chinook

Azure = MS product so my first answer would be yes. From what I've experienced in AWS much of it is geared toward web based servers versus actual networks.

Azure IS a great product and I can foresee a bright future for those who can architect both Azure and AWS.

philz1982

How are you deployed in Rackspace right now? If you have VHD's it could be as simple as migrating those into new VM's. What is your architecture, and what is the role your servers are filling?

Depending on the scenario this could be super simple or very complex. Feel free to PM me, I've done several migrations.

-Phil

philz1982

Chinook wrote: »

Azure = MS product so my first answer would be yes. From what I've experienced in AWS much of it is geared toward web based servers versus actual networks.

Azure IS a great product and I can foresee a bright future for those who can architect both Azure and AWS.

As for AWS, they have really built out their IaaS which is allowing them to compete in the network space. However, for a true Microsoft shop that is using SCOM, AD, and has built applications in .net Azure is the way to go. Quite frankly I find Google Cloud and AWS are built more for developers and Nix shops, not that that is a bad thing, just different use cases.

AWS and Azure are starting to emerge as the two top options if you are going to do a shift and lift of an entire enterprises to the cloud.

Claymoore

Having worked with both, Azure only makes sense to me for a pure .Net dev shop using Azure as PaaS. AWS is years ahead of where Microsoft Azure IaaS is, and MS isn't closing the gap. It's true that AWS has a Linux bent, but it does host 10x the number of Windows servers that Azure does. AWS has just released Dedicated Hosts which allow you to bring your on-prem server licenses to AWS, so you can now move your licenses from on-prem to AWS without Software Assurance.

The next question is whether you should use a hosted RDS instance or build your own SQL server. The answer will depend on your management, compliance, and development needs.

philz1982

Its more then just using a hosted RDS or building a SQL server.

The OP hasn't provided any details on the servers, other then they are Windows servers with SQL and AD, but its not clear how its being used. These could be Sharepoint clusters or could be Sql clusters or MS2012R2's. We don't know and that's just at the IaaS level.

Then moving into the PaaS, what kind of applications are running on the servers. This determines what kind of code changes may be needed if the OP wants to go down the PaaS path.

AWS has its pro's but for a true MS migration, using MS applications its much cleaner to sit on Azure. If these are windows servers running non windows applications then it could make sense to pivot to AWS.

This is all before we begin to talk about Authentication, Caching, Databases, ect.

OctalDump

philz1982 wrote: »

Its more then just using a hosted RDS or building a SQL server.

The OP hasn't provided any details on the servers, other then they are Windows servers with SQL and AD, but its not clear how its being used. These could be Sharepoint clusters or could be Sql clusters or MS2012R2's. We don't know and that's just at the IaaS level.

This was my initial thought. Without knowing the full context, it's hard to know the best answer. It does sound like "let's just move these VMs". I could be that the best long term option is a complete rethink of the application to take advantage of PaaS or SaaS. Some of the developments in NoSQL in cloud are quite exciting, and there is a lot of "old school" RDBMS systems that it would make sense to reimplement to take advantage of the relative strengths. It gets interesting when you start to look at lifecycles and continuous deployment. There's huge potential to embrace a paradigm shift here.

jibbajabba

And without knowing IO requirements they might not even be suitable for either. Although re-reading the OPs post could imply they are virtual already.

philz1982

That's how I read it, he has Windows Servers in Rackspace and wants to move them.