Google Kubernetes Engine vs AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service: The Battle of the ‘bees’
Deploying containerized applications has come a long way, especially with the emergence of two of the most popular container orchestration tools - Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) and Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS). Since their release, both platforms have remained top choices, making it tricky for teams to choose between the two. While they share some similarities, they differ in some aspects that can impact critical decisions.
In this review, we’ll compare the benefits and limitations of both platforms to help teams make informed decisions on which platform to deploy containerized applications.
Features
At the core of comparison are the features offered by both solutions. From scalability, availability, ease of maintenance, to pricing, Kubernetes engines on both platforms possess similar features. However, the difference comes with the level of control and security each platform offers. For example, GKE offers better cluster-management tools and control plane security, with Google handling issues like patches and updates; this means that developers can focus on the functioning of the application. On the other hand, EKS puts more control on the user, allowing them to oversee the life-cycle of their clusters like performing updates and patch installations. This can move more responsibilities to the operations team but gives the user more cluster control.
Ease of Use
Despite the similarities in features, a significant difference between GKE and EKS is user experience. The GKE is relatively simple to set up and manage; with a few Google Cloud SDK commands, developers can launch a cluster and have it running within a few minutes. GKE also offers a web-based UI that eases the handling of clusters. EKS, on the other hand, requires more steps to set up, with users needing familiarity with DevOps tools like Terraform, Kubernetes, and Helm.
Performance
In the end, the performance of the cluster deployed on either platform is essential. According to a recent study, Google Kubernetes Engine performs better than AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service in several metrics, including CPU usage, memory usage, and network performance. However, note that the difference isn’t significant, and both platforms can handle large amounts of traffic.
The Verdict
Although both platforms are decent options for deploying containerized applications, the choice comes down to specific needs. GKE provides a more user-friendly experience and better control while giving the developers more time to focus on the application. On the other hand, EKS provides more control to users but requires more technical capabilities than GKE.
It’s worth noting that the ultimate choice depends on your team’s familiarity with tools, scalability needs, security requirements, and budget.
References
- https://pantheon.io/blog/google-kubernetes-engine-vs-aws-elastic-kubernetes-service-how-do-they-compare
- https://aws.amazon.com/kubernetes/
- https://cloud.google.com/kubernetes-engine/
- https://www.replex.io/blog/google-kubernetes-engine-vs-amazon-elastic-kubernetes-service
- https://sumologic.com/blog/container-orchestration/kubernetes/k8s-gke-eks-comparison/