Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

IBM SoftLayer vs Microsoft Azure Object Storage comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 1, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

IBM SoftLayer
Ranking in Public Cloud Storage Services
21st
Average Rating
8.6
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Azure Object Storage
Ranking in Public Cloud Storage Services
9th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
52
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Public Cloud Storage Services category, the mindshare of IBM SoftLayer is 0.2%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Azure Object Storage is 1.9%, down from 2.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Public Cloud Storage Services
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer1032702 - PeerSpot reviewer
Stable with excellent speed and agility
The most valuable aspect of the solution is simply to have the ability to host in a cloud form and out of the data center - the IBM big iron solution. It's the speed and the agility that really sell SoftLayer. The ELT versus ETL extract, transform and load versus extract, load, and then transform, the ELT method is what really sells SoftLayer. The ability to extract act from your current location, load into your future location, with limited change, and then be able to take the transfer actions slowly and methodically after you're in your new location is the part that really makes this awesome. The stability and scalability are quite good.
Akram Zabat - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides versatile data storage solutions with a simple setup and easy to use
It's similar to S3 for AWS. The ability to store everything inside Blob or Object storage and use it for archiving data is beneficial. For example, you can transform data from relational databases, flatten it, and store it in Object storage to save space within the databases. If I want to save data and do not require legacy access, it's a good solution, for instance, to migrate archives from databases to Object storage. This can also be used for business intelligence purposes. Having a storage solution for data makes it the best place to store it. Azure has its own solution for StatsQ Web Apps.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The stability is the solution's most valuable aspect for our organization."
"The ELT versus ETL extract, transform and load versus extract, load, and then transform, the ELT method is what really sells SoftLayer."
"It has helped with data management."
"The key feature for us is the possibility to have a copy of our data and machines outside of our premises just in case of a disaster."
"The solution integrates well with Microsoft Office 365 and includes important features such as SIEM, storage, SQL, and Cosmos DB."
"I appreciate the scalability of this solution; it is fully scalable and excellent for certain tasks."
"The layout of Microsoft is professional."
"We use the product for storage, documentation, and reporting."
"The index search and block storage are valuable features."
"The features of Microsoft Azure Object Storage that are most valuable are the ones providing encryption. Access is more controlled using private endpoints and SaaS token keys. Many access control features exist."
 

Cons

"For us, the versioning was an issue."
"The interface is hard to use for us. It should be simplified."
"The administration of the solution is not as easy as we would like it to be."
"The solution’s stability could be improved."
"Its user interface could be better."
"If we look at the different versions of that ADLS, it really does not have a hierarchical storage mechanism."
"In future releases, I would add something like a better lifecycle management system, and for integration purposes, I would add some stuff related to newer concepts like data products and databases. I would like to have a seamless flow between those things."
"The solution's stability should be improved."
"Microsoft Azure Object Storage is a pretty expensive solution."
"The cost of support is always expensive."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"I'm not aware of the licensing cost, as my customer handles it. In Taiwan, it's reasonably priced."
"Object Storage is cost-effective, and our license fees are about $200 per month."
"Encryption feature is an add-on."
"The solution's cost is on a pay-per-use basis."
"Additional costs depend on the data and complexity of the project."
"I think we pay per bit as per usage. There is a billing pattern for the subscription, and we get a monthly bill. I've seen that happen over there. I haven't seen any fixed costs. It always depends on what we're using and how much the servers are running. The breakdown appears on the bill."
"We have a separate package and pay extra for additional technical support."
"The cost should be reduced to make it more competitive."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Public Cloud Storage Services solutions are best for your needs.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Computer Software Company
19%
Retailer
13%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

Ask a question
Earn 20 points
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Azure Object Storage?
I can't share a lot about the costs. I am focused on the technical aspect. It's a pay-per-use solution and a good idea for proof of concept and value. If I want to test a product before deploying i...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Azure Object Storage?
In terms of compliance and security, everything is fine. I do not know of any immediate needs for improvement. However, one potential area for improvement is the replication process. Some clients c...
 

Also Known As

CloudLayer
Microsoft Azure Blob Storage, Azure Object Storage, MS Azure Object Storage
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Whogohost Ltd., Skypicker, Infinity Computers and Communications Company, Grace Co. Ltd., Keyword, Uvionics Tech, Tennis Australia, immixGroup, Salesbox, Cxense ASA, Avnet Inc., Komsomolskaya Pravda, Seekr
Umbraco, Xbox, Radioshack, 343 Industries, McKesson
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM SoftLayer vs. Microsoft Azure Object Storage and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.