IBM SmartCloud Application Services [EOL] vs Microsoft Azure comparison

IBM SmartCloud Application Services is IBM's platform-as-a-service offering for the public cloud. It delivers a collaborative, cloud-based environment that supports the full lifecycle of accelerated application development, deployment, and delivery. IBM SmartCloud Application Services provides an enterprise-class infrastructure, enhanced security, and pay-as-you-go services. Clients can use IBM SmartCloud Application Services to sense and quickly respond to market demands, capture new markets, and reduce application delivery and management costs.

Windows Azure is Microsoft's cloud platform, where developers can create, deploy, and maintain their apps. This cloud application platform allows developers to concentrate on the actual applications, while it takes care of all the elements behind the apps.

Windows Azure works across multiple frameworks and languages. It is fully scalable, localized in that it is hosted globally in many datacenters, and has widespread capabilities with elements of application development, deployment, and management.

Azure is comprised of several different service modules, including Infrastructure; Web; Mobile; Dev & Test; Big Data; Media;Storage, Backup & Recovery; and Identity & Access Management.

Microsoft Azure works as a:

1. Platform as a service (PaaS)

2. Software as a service (SaaS)

3. Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)

Microsoft Azure is available:

• On-premises

• Hybrid

• Multi-cloud

• At the edge

Compared to its competitors, Microsoft Azure:

• Has more affordable features

• Has easier migration for organizations already using other Microsoft tools

• Has several educational resources available

• Provides robust support

• Is ideal for small and large businesses

Microsoft Azure Features:

• Scalability

• Stability

• Flexibility

• Azure Site Recovery

• Active Directory

• Monitoring features

• Cloud-based

• Automated tasks

• Change capability cadence

• Showback capabilities

• Information protection

• Azure Data Lake

• Excellent portal

• Intuitive user interface

• Remote desktop

• Fast provisioning

• Data security

• Data resiliency

• Speed of service

• Integrated delivery pipeline

• Disaster recovery

• Robust templates

• Flexible coding languages

• Virtual systems testing

Benefits of Microsoft Azure:

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Because Microsoft Azure is an IaaS, organizations can deploy as well as manage applications easily and quickly. Azure also provides you with the ability to customize the cloud software to meet your specific business needs.

• Seamless integration: Microsoft Azure is built to seamlessly integrate with existing IT departments via hybrid databases, secure private connections, and storage solutions.

• Cost-effective: Because Azure can harmoniously exist in your business environment with your data center, it is a very cost-effective solution.

• Analytics support: Azure is designed with built-in support that is used to analyze data and provide key insights. Azure offers Cortana Analytics, Stream Analytics, Machine Learning, and SQL services.

• Unique storage system: Compared to other cloud services, Microsoft Azure has more data centers and delivery points, which helps create an optimal user experience and also helps deliver content faster. In addition, Microsoft Azure makes it possible for organizations to exchange content across several virtual machines.

• Enhanced flexibility: Azure provides extreme flexibility by allowing you to choose any level of functionality you require. It also supports many of the same technologies IT teams and developers usually depend on, making it easier for them to manage.

• Easy implementation: Microsoft Azure is easy and quick to deploy. If necessary, you can change web apps to Azure with almost zero downtime.

Reviews from Real Users:

"It is a flexible solution that is straightforward to use," says the principal consultant at a computer software company.

OmarJ., future datacenter consultant: Microsoft Azure Cloud at a tech company, adds that "The user interface is very nice and makes everything easy to use."

“You can build an environment in minutes. It's very good in terms of being an infrastructure as a service, and I found that really fascinating,” says an information technology consultant at a computer software company.

"I think Azure's level of automation to achieve efficiency or agility is valuable. I also like the change capability cadence, the showback capabilities, and understanding what our costs are," says an enterprise architect at an energy/utilities company.

Marco C., Ing. at Wolters Kluwer, says "The valuable features of Microsoft Azure are that it is cloud-based and has good storage. The storage is completely managed by Azure. We do not need to do any patching of security because it is handled by Azure which is a benefit. The solution is fully compatible with the Microsoft technology stack and is very scalable."

"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Azure is it has everything together in one place. It is one large tool with lots of small tools that are updated often," says the owner of a media company.