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AWS vs Azure vs GCP: Which Cloud Should You Learn?

PLUS: Important Updates from AWS re:Invent

Author

Lucy Wang
December 16, 2023

In Today’s Cloudbites:

🤔 AWS vs Azure vs GCP: Which Cloud Should You Learn?

📚 Resources to Start Learning Cloud

👀 PLUS: Important Updates from AWS re:Invent

Read time: 4 minutes

Hi friends, welcome back to Cloudbites. Today, I’ll be sharing some factors to consider when deciding which cloud to specialize in. I’ll also be diving into more updates from AWS re:Invent.

🤔 AWS vs Azure vs GCP: Which Cloud Should You Learn?

If you have decided to learn cloud, the next question you may have is… which one?

There are three major players in the cloud industry - Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

Here are 5 factors to consider when deciding which platform to specialize in:

  1. Establishment and Growth of Companies

    AWS launched in 2006 and is the most experienced player in the cloud market. It has the largest user base and has built a strong reputation over the years.

    Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud launched in 2010 and 2011, respectively. While these platforms started later, they have experienced exponential growth over the years. Azure in particular, is quickly catching up to AWS.

  2. Market Share

    Even though AWS dominates the industry, Azure came out on top, with a Q3 2023 total revenue of $24.3 billion.

    However, AWS was close behind with a total revenue of $23.1 billion, with Google Cloud standing at $8.4 billion.

  3. Availability Zones & Job Listings in your Area

    AWS was established first, giving it the most time to expand globally. However, Azure and Google Cloud remain closely behind.

    AWS has 102 availability zones with 15 more on the way. Azure covers 60+ regions worldwide and an additional 19 under development. GCP is currently available in 36 regions around the world.

    You can consider the market size of each cloud, and the number of relevant job listings within your area - as this may impact your ability to find a job.

  4. Services Offered & Key Tools

    With its 5 year head start, AWS has been able to expand to over 200 services. In contrast, Azure offers 100+ while GCP has approximately 60.

    Although AWS has a wide array of services, it also provides an extensive range of free resources and documentation for users.

    However, Azure and Google Cloud also have their unique selling points. One great example is TensorFlow, a popular, open-source software library created by the Google Brain team.

  5. Community & Support

    It’s also important to consider which company has the strongest community in your local area.

    For instance, AWS hosts a number of gatherings - from AWS re:Invent to local Summits. There are also local User Groups to give cloud enthusiasts the chance to meetup and discuss ideas.

    Google Cloud and Azure have similar events - like Google Cloud Community Meetups, Developer Groups and Cloud Study Jams.

📚 Resources to Start Learning Cloud

  1. [VIDEO] How to Learn AWS for FREE (Resources Included)

  2. [COURSE] AWS Skill Builder

  3. [PLATFORM] Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 Exam Prep Specialization

  4. [COURSE] Google Cloud Fundamentals: Core Infrastructure

  5. [COURSE] A Cloud Guru: Google Cloud Training

Wondering what the end-to-end process for getting a cloud role looks like? Check out my YouTube video on How to Learn Cloud & Actually Land a Job.

👀 [PLUS] Important Updates from AWS re:Invent

  1. AWS Serverless Innovations


    New serverless capabilities for Amazon Aurora, ElastiCache and Redshift will make it easier for customers to scale up their data infrastructure.

  2. New Capabilities for AWS Supply Chain


    New features for AWS Supply Chain will simplify supplier management for companies. One of the most notable changes is AWS Supply Chain Supply Planning. It now offers specialized models to forecast and plan the purchase of raw materials.

    The AWS Supply Chain Sustainability feature provides an easy way to request & collect carbon emissions, and other compliance data from suppliers. 

  3. Amazon One Enterprise

    Amazon One Enterprise is a new palm-recognition identity service which gives authorized users fast and convenient access to physical locations. It is designed to help companies improve their physical security at scale.

  4. Amazon S3 Express One Zone

    Amazon S3 currently holds more than 350 trillion pieces of data. The Express One Zone is a new storage class within S3, designed to improve efficiency for applications that require extremely fast data access.

  5. Four New Integrations for a zero-ETL Future


    At re:Invent, Amazon announced four integrations to automate the data extraction process across its services. This will significantly reduce time wastage for companies.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading! 😊

P.S. How was today's email? Reply directly with your feedback, or DM me on Twitter @techwithlucy