AWS EBS vs Azure Managed Disks vs Google Persistent Disks: Block Storage Compared
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AWS EBS vs Azure Managed Disks vs Google Persistent Disks: Block Storage Compared | Image credit: Pexel> |
Block storage forms the backbone of modern cloud computing infrastructure by providing persistent, low-latency, high-performance volumes for compute instances. Major cloud providers offer specialized block storage services optimized for both transactional workloads and IOPS-heavy applications. In this post, we compare AWS Elastic Block Store (EBS), Azure Managed Disks, and Google Persistent Disks.
Key features of AWS EBS
- Provides block-level storage volumes for use with EC2 instances
- Volume types include General Purpose (gp3, gp2), Provisioned IOPS (io2, io1), Throughput Optimized (st1), and Cold HDD (sc1)
- Highly available and durable within a single Availability Zone
- Supports snapshots for backups and volume cloning
- Encryption at rest using AWS KMS
- Elastic volumes allow dynamic resizing and IOPS tuning
- AWS EBS Documentation
Key features of Azure Managed Disks
- Managed block storage for Azure Virtual Machines
- Supports Standard HDD, Standard SSD, Premium SSD, and Ultra Disks
- Automatically handles storage provisioning and management
- Highly durable with triple data replication
- Supports incremental snapshots and Azure Backup
- Disk encryption via Azure Disk Encryption and Azure Key Vault
- Azure Managed Disks Documentation
Key features of Google Persistent Disks
- Durable, high-performance block storage for GCE instances
- Available in Standard (HDD), Balanced (pd-balanced), SSD (pd-ssd), and Extreme (pd-extreme) types
- Supports resizing while in use and live attach/detach
- Regional and zonal replication options
- Encryption at rest with customer-managed keys (CMEK) support
- Snapshot management with fast recovery
- Google Persistent Disks Documentation
What is similar in AWS EBS vs Azure Managed Disks vs Google Persistent Disks
- All offer block-level storage optimized for VM use
- Support multiple disk types with varying IOPS and throughput
- Provide snapshot and backup capabilities
- Offer encryption at rest and data durability guarantees
- Allow resizing of volumes dynamically
- Integrate deeply with compute and backup services
What is different in AWS EBS vs Azure Managed Disks vs Google Persistent Disks
- Volume Attachment: AWS EBS volumes are AZ-scoped and need manual replication for cross-zone HA; GCP offers regional disks; Azure manages zone resilience with ZRS support
- Snapshot Handling: Azure supports incremental snapshots by default; AWS and GCP also support them, but with different performance impacts
- Performance Scaling: AWS EBS and Azure Ultra Disks allow performance tuning independent of size; GCP Extreme disks scale performance based on size
- Disk Encryption: Azure provides dual-layer encryption options; GCP offers default encryption and CMEK; AWS supports per-volume KMS integration
- Live Management: GCP allows live resizing and attachment/detachment more flexibly; Azure and AWS support resizing but may require instance restarts in certain configurations
Conclusion
Choosing the right block storage depends on performance, durability, and ease of management. AWS EBS offers high configurability with its elastic volume types, ideal for tuning workloads. Azure Managed Disks simplify operations with automatic scaling and ultra-high-performance disks. Google Persistent Disks stand out for their live manageability and regional availability options. Consider your app's latency, throughput, and resiliency requirements when selecting a solution.