Google Cloud Filestore vs. Azure Files
Choosing the right cloud storage solution can be a daunting task for companies that are looking to store, back up and manage large amounts of data. Google Cloud Filestore and Azure Files are two popular cloud APIs that offer similar features, but with a few significant differences.
Similarities
Both Google Cloud Filestore and Azure Files offer cloud storage solutions that are scalable and accessible from any location. The two cloud APIs allow you to store and share files across teams and clients, and they are designed to ensure data reliability, high performance and security.
Differences
Performance
One of the main differences between Google Cloud Filestore and Azure Files is their performance. Google Cloud Filestore is designed to provide high-performance managed file storage for applications that require low latency access to a shared file system. With Google Cloud's POSIX-compatible file system interface, Filestore can handle millions of IOPS (Input/Output Operations per Second), with sub-millisecond latency. On the other hand, Azure Files supports SMB (Server Message Block) protocol and NFS (Network File System) 3.0 and 4.1, which enables it to provide better performance for Windows-based applications. However, Azure Files' performance is not as good as Google Cloud Filestore when it comes to Linux-based applications.
Cost
When it comes to pricing, Azure Files offers a lower per-gigabyte cost than Google Cloud Filestore. Azure Files offer three pricing tiers, including standard, premium and ultra. The standard tier starts at $0.06 per GB/month, with additional charges for data egress and API calls. Google Cloud Filestore, on the other hand, has one pricing tier that starts at $0.32 per GB/month, which is higher than Azure Files.
Storage Capacity
Azure Files offer better storage capacity than Google Cloud Filestore. Azure Files can scale up to 100 TiB per file share, while Google Cloud Filestore can only scale up to 64 TiB per instance. Companies that require more storage capacity may find Azure Files to be a better option.
Conclusion
Both Google Cloud Filestore and Azure Files are reliable cloud storage solutions, but they have their strengths and weaknesses. If you are looking for a cloud API that offers better performance for Linux-based applications, then Google Cloud Filestore may be a better option. However, if you are looking for a cloud API that offers better pricing and storage capacity, then Azure Files may be the right choice for your company.