AWS Elastic File System vs Azure Files vs Google Cloud Filestore - Which One is the Best Solution for Your File Storage Needs?

August 30, 2022

Introduction

Cloud providers offer various storage solutions that cater to different customer needs. AWS Elastic File System, Azure Files, and Google Cloud Filestore are three of the top cloud file storage options that users have. Each of these solutions has its strengths and weaknesses, making it essential for users to understand which solution is best suited for their file storage needs. In this blog post, we'll examine each of these solutions and provide you with the information you need to make the best decision.

Comparison

To compare the three solutions, AWS Elastic File System, Azure Files, and Google Cloud Filestore using the following parameters:

Performance

AWS Elastic File System offers the highest performance out of the three solutions. This solution provides an excellent level of throughput and input/output operations per second (IOPS) to its users. Next up, we have Google Cloud Filestore, which also offers excellent performance. Lastly, Azure Files comes in third, providing a lower level of performance compared to the two other solutions.

Scalability

For scalability, AWS Elastic File System and Google Cloud Filestore take the lead. Both solutions can scale up to petabyte-level storage with excellent throughput and IOPS. Azure Files, on the other hand, has a more restrictive data limit, making it less scalable than the other two solutions.

Cost

When it comes to cost, Google Cloud Filestore offers the most affordable solution compared to AWS Elastic File System and Azure Files. AWS Elastic File System is more expensive compared to Google Cloud Filestore, but coupled with its performance and scalability, it's a price worth paying. Interestingly, Azure Files, despite offering the lowest performance and scalability, is also the most expensive solution among the three.

Integration and Compatibility

AWS Elastic File System and Azure Files are more versatile when it comes to integration and compatibility. These solutions have broader compatibility with various operating systems and protocols, making them more accessible for different users. Meanwhile, Google Cloud Filestore offers compatibility mainly within the Google Cloud ecosystem.

Conclusion

Choosing the right cloud file storage solution ultimately depends on individual customer needs and budget. AWS Elastic File System offers the best performance and scalability among the three solutions. On the other hand, Google Cloud Filestore is the most affordable solution, while Azure Files offers better integration and compatibility.

We hope our comparison has enlightened you on the different solutions available for your file storage needs.

References

AWS Elastic File System. (2022). Retrieved from https://aws.amazon.com/efs/
Azure Files. (2022). Retrieved from https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/storage/files/
Google Cloud Filestore. (2022). Retrieved from https://cloud.google.com/filestore