Introduction
Virtual Private Network (VPN) is essential for securely accessing resources in the cloud. Many businesses use cloud VPN services to connect their on-premises networks or remote locations to the cloud. However, the cost of cloud VPN services is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a cloud provider. In this post, we will compare the costs of cloud VPN services among the three major cloud providers- AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
AWS VPN Costs
AWS provides VPN services through two mechanisms- AWS Site-to-Site VPN and AWS Client VPN. AWS Site-to-Site VPN allows customers to connect their data centers, branch offices, or remote locations to the cloud. The pricing structure is based on hourly usage and ranges from $0.05/hour to $0.30/hour depending on the VPN connection type. On the other hand, AWS Client VPN enables remote access to AWS over an encrypted SSL or TLS channel. The pricing for AWS Client VPN is on a per-client-connection-hour basis and starts at $0.10/hour.
Azure VPN Costs
Azure VPN Gateway is a managed VPN service that connects Azure virtual networks to various on-premises sites. Azure VPN Gateway charges for data transfer and VPN gateway hours. The data transfer charges range from $0.0875/GB to $0.19/GB depending on the region. Moreover, the VPN gateway hours cost range from $0.048/hour to $0.192/hour for standard and VpnGw1-5 SKUs.
Google Cloud VPN Costs
Google Cloud VPN provides secure connectivity between remote locations and Google Cloud virtual networks. Google Cloud VPN pricing is based on the location of the VPN gateway and ranges from $0.025/hour to $0.1/hour. Moreover, the egress data transfer rate starts at $0.05/GB for up to 1TB and decreases with volume.
Comparison
The table below summarizes the cost comparison between AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud VPN services.
| Cloud Provider | VPN Service | Cost Structure |
|---|---|---|
| AWS | Site-to-Site VPN | $0.05-$0.30/hour |
| AWS | Client VPN | $0.10/hour |
| Azure | VPN Gateway | $0.048-$0.192/hour + $0.0875-$0.19/GB |
| Google Cloud | VPN | $0.025-$0.1/hour + $0.05-$0.01/GB (decreases with volume) |
As we can see from the above table, Google Cloud VPN is the most cost-effective solution, followed by AWS Client VPN. Azure VPN Gateway, on the other hand, is the most expensive.
Conclusion
The cost of cloud VPN services is a critical factor that businesses need to consider before choosing a cloud provider. Although AWS and Azure have similar pricing structures, Google Cloud VPN is the most cost-effective option. However, businesses need to evaluate other factors such as performance, scalability, and security before choosing a cloud provider.