Cloud pricing is complicated. It can be difficult to compare cloud prices because providers offer different pricing models, unique discounting options, frequent price cuts, and promises to match prices. We sort through the noise and provide a reality check on which providers have the lowest-cost compute and storage options and in which circumstances.

1. CLOUD PRICE COMPARISON:
AWS VS AZURE VS GOOGLE CLOUD

2. • Kim Weins
• VP Marketing, RightScale
• Brian Adler
• Director, Enterprise Architecture, RightScale
Speakers

3. • Comparing Compute – typically 80% of your spend
• Comparing Storage
• Use Case Comparison
• Takeaways
Agenda

4. UNDERSTANDING CLOUD
DISCOUNT OPTIONS

5. AWS RIs Azure EA Google SUDs
Length of commitment 1 or 3 years 3 years (volume can
increase over time)
No commitment
Range of discount levels 1 yr 24-58%
3 yr 32-75%
15-45% Up to 30% total for running
100% of month
% of time instance must run
to save
Breakeven 25%-76% Depends 25% for first level of discount
Payment terms Choose mix of upfront and
monthly
Varying payment terms to
spread out, defer or ramp
payments
End of month
Other documented programs Volume RI discount starting
at $500K;
Can also consider Spot and
Defined Duration Spot;
Per minute billing; Open
Volume Licensing through
resellers
Sub-hour billing (minimum of
10 minutes)
Comparing Discount Options by Cloud

6. About AWS Reserved Instances (RI)
RI price points and discounts are
different for every region, instance type
and OS
!
Types of Reserved
Instances
No Upfront Partial Upfront All Upfront
Savings for 1-Year
Standard RIs
(Linux)
$0.095
29% discount
$0.083
38% discount
$0.081
39% discount
Savings for 3-Year
Convertible RIs
(Linux)
$0.086
35% discount
$0.075
44% discount
$0.073
45% discount
Savings for 3-Year
Standard RIs
(Linux)
N/A
$0.056
58% discount
$0.052
61% discount
Hours Billed 24 hrs a day 24 hrs a day 24 hrs a day
Based on m3.large with Linux in us-east
On-demand price is $0.133 per hour

7. • 3 year commitment
• Minimum 500 devices/users
• Discount varies (15-45%) with commitment tier
• Add Servers and Cloud Enrollment
• Commit to a tier of usage that drives the discount
• Ability to increase usage over time at same discount
• “True up” each year
About Azure Enterprise Agreements (EA)

8. About Google Sustained Use Discount (SUD)
• No commitment. The more you use an instance family during
the month, the higher the discount.
Usage Level
% of Billing Cycle
Incremental Rate
% of On-Demand Baseline
Sample Rate
n1-standard-1
Total Cost
0-25% 100% $0.050 $9.00
25-50% 80% $0.040 $7.20
50-75% 60% $0.030 $5.40
75-100% 40% $0.020 $3.60
Monthly Cost
at 100% usage
30% discount $25.20

9. Google SUD uses “Inferred Instances”
Source: Google

10. COMPUTE PRICING

11. Resource Type
(us-east, Linux)
AWS
Instance
AWS
Memory
AWS
Storage
Azure
Instance
Azure
Memory
Azure
Storage
Google
Instance
Google
Memory
Google
Storage
Standard 2 vCPU
w SSD
m3.large 8 32 D2 v2 7 100 n1-standard-2 7.5 375
Standard 2 vCPU
no SSD
m4.large 8 0 D2 v2 7 100 n1-standard-2 7.5 0
Highmem 2 vCPU
w SSD
r3.large 15 32 D11 v2 14 100 n1-highmem-2 13 375
Highmem 2 vCPU
no SSD
r3.large 15 32 D11 v2 14 100 n1-highmem-2 13 0
Highcpu 2 vCPU
w SSD
c3.large 3.75 32 F2 4 32 n1-highcpu-2 1.8 375
Highcpu 2 vCPU
no SSD
c4.large 3.75 0 F2 4 32 n1-highcpu-2 1.8 0
AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Instance Types
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016

12. Resource Type
(us-east, Linux)
AWS
Instance
AWS
Memory
AWS
Storage
Azure
Instance
Azure
Memory
Azure
Storage
Google
Instance
Google
Memory
Google
Storage
Standard 2 vCPU
w SSD
m3.large 8 32 D2 v2 7 100 n1-standard-2 7.5 375
Standard 2 vCPU
no SSD
m4.large 8 0 D2 v2 7 100 n1-standard-2 7.5 0
Highmem 2 vCPU
w SSD
r3.large 15 32 D11 v2 14 100 n1-highmem-2 13 375
Highmem 2 vCPU
no SSD
r3.large 15 32 D11 v2 14 100 n1-highmem-2 13 0
Highcpu 2 vCPU
w SSD
c3.large 3.75 32 F2 4 32 n1-highcpu-2 1.8 375
Highcpu 2 vCPU
no SSD
c4.large 3.75 0 F2 4 32 n1-highcpu-2 1.8 0
AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Instance Types
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016
AWS has families with and
without SSD

13. Resource Type
(us-east, Linux)
AWS
Instance
AWS
Memory
AWS
Storage
Azure
Instance
Azure
Memory
Azure
Storage
Google
Instance
Google
Memory
Google
Storage
Standard 2 vCPU
w SSD
m3.large 8 32 D2 v2 7 100 n1-standard-2 7.5 375
Standard 2 vCPU
no SSD
m4.large 8 0 D2 v2 7 100 n1-standard-2 7.5 0
Highmem 2 vCPU
w SSD
r3.large 15 32 D11 v2 14 100 n1-highmem-2 13 375
Highmem 2 vCPU
no SSD
r3.large 15 32 D11 v2 14 100 n1-highmem-2 13 0
Highcpu 2 vCPU
w SSD
c3.large 3.75 32 F2 4 32 n1-highcpu-2 1.8 375
Highcpu 2 vCPU
no SSD
c4.large 3.75 0 F2 4 32 n1-highcpu-2 1.8 0
AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Instance Types
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016
Azure always provides
local SSD

14. Resource Type
(us-east, Linux)
AWS
Instance
AWS
Memory
AWS
Storage
Azure
Instance
Azure
Memory
Azure
Storage
Google
Instance
Google
Memory
Google
Storage
Standard 2 vCPU
w SSD
m3.large 8 32 D2 v2 7 100 n1-standard-2 7.5 375
Standard 2 vCPU
no SSD
m4.large 8 0 D2 v2 7 100 n1-standard-2 7.5 0
Highmem 2 vCPU
w SSD
r3.large 15 32 D11 v2 14 100 n1-highmem-2 13 375
Highmem 2 vCPU
no SSD
r3.large 15 32 D11 v2 14 100 n1-highmem-2 13 0
Highcpu 2 vCPU
w SSD
c3.large 3.75 32 F2 4 32 n1-highcpu-2 1.8 375
Highcpu 2 vCPU
no SSD
c4.large 3.75 0 F2 4 32 n1-highcpu-2 1.8 0
AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Instance Types
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016
Google lets you add on local
SSD but min is 375 GB

15. Resource Type
(us-east, Linux)
AWS
Instance
AWS
OD
Hourly
AWS
/GB
RAM
Azure
Instance
Azure
OD
Hourly
Azure
/GB
RAM
Google
Instance
Google
OD
Hourly
Google
/GB
RAM
Standard 2 vCPU
w SSD
m3.large $0.133 $0.017 D2 v2 $0.114 $0.016 n1-standard-2 $0.212 $0.028
Standard 2 vCPU
no SSD
m4.large $0.120 $0.015 D2 v2 $0.114 $0.016 n1-standard-2 $0.100 $0.013
Highmem 2 vCPU
w SSD
r3.large $0.166 $0.011 D11 v2 $0.149 $0.011 n1-highmem-2 $0.238 $0.018
Highmem 2 vCPU
no SSD
r3.large $0.166 $0.011 D11 v2 $0.149 $0.011 n1-highmem-2 $0.126 $0.010
Highcpu 2 vCPU
w SSD
c3.large $0.105 $0.028 F2 $0.099 $0.025 n1-highcpu-2 $0.188 $0.104
Highcpu 2 vCPU
no SSD
c4.large $0.105 $0.028 F2 $0.099 $0.025 n1-highcpu-2 $0.076 $0.042
AWS vs. Azure vs. Google On-Demand
Prices
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016

16. Resource Type
(us-east, Linux)
AWS
Instance
AWS
OD
Hourly
AWS
/GB
RAM
Azure
Instance
Azure
OD
Hourly
Azure
/GB
RAM
Google
Instance
Google
OD
Hourly
Google
/GB
RAM
Standard 2 vCPU
w SSD
m3.large $0.133 $0.017 D2 v2 $0.114 $0.016 n1-standard-2 $0.212 $0.028
Standard 2 vCPU
no SSD
m4.large $0.120 $0.015 D2 v2 $0.114 $0.016 n1-standard-2 $0.100 $0.013
Highmem 2 vCPU
w SSD
r3.large $0.166 $0.011 D11 v2 $0.149 $0.011 n1-highmem-2 $0.238 $0.018
Highmem 2 vCPU
no SSD
r3.large $0.166 $0.011 D11 v2 $0.149 $0.011 n1-highmem-2 $0.126 $0.010
Highcpu 2 vCPU
w SSD
c3.large $0.105 $0.028 F2 $0.099 $0.025 n1-highcpu-2 $0.188 $0.104
Highcpu 2 vCPU
no SSD
c4.large $0.105 $0.028 F2 $0.099 $0.025 n1-highcpu-2 $0.076 $0.042
AWS vs. Azure vs. Google On-Demand
Prices
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016
Lowest Highest

17. Resource Type
(us-east, Linux)
AWS
Instance
AWS
1Y RI
No Upfront
Annual
AWS
/GB
RAM
Azure
Instance
Azure
EA
30%
Annual
Azure
/GB
RAM
Google
Instance
Google
100%
SUD
Annual
Google
/GB
RAM
Standard 2 vCPU
w SSD
m3.large $832.20 $104.03 D2 v2 $699.05 $99.86 n1-standard-2 $1,594.20 $212.56
Standard 2 vCPU
no SSD
m4.large $727.08 $90.89 D2 v2 $699.05 $99.86 n1-standard-2 $613.20 $81.76
Highmem 2 vCPU
w SSD
r3.large $919.80 $61.32 D11 v2 $913.67 $65.26 n1-highmem-2 $1,753.63 $134.89
Highmem 2 vCPU
no SSD
r3.large $919.80 $61.32 D11 v2 $913.67 $65.26 n1-highmem-2 $772.63 $59.43
Highcpu 2 vCPU
w SSD
c3.large $639.48 $170.53 F2 $607.07 $151.77 n1-highcpu-2 $1,447.03 $803.91
Highcpu 2 vCPU
no SSD
c4.large $683.28 $182.21 F2 $607.07 $151.77 n1-highcpu-2 $466.03 $258.91
AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Discounted / Year
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016

18. Resource Type
(us-east, Linux)
AWS
Instance
AWS
1Y RI
No Upfront
Annual
AWS
/GB
RAM
Azure
Instance
Azure
EA
30%
Annual
Azure
/GB
RAM
Google
Instance
Google
100%
SUD
Annual
Google
/GB
RAM
Standard 2 vCPU
w SSD
m3.large $832.20 $104.03 D2 v2 $699.05 $99.86 n1-standard-2 $1,594.20 $212.56
Standard 2 vCPU
no SSD
m4.large $727.08 $90.89 D2 v2 $699.05 $99.86 n1-standard-2 $613.20 $81.76
Highmem 2 vCPU
w SSD
r3.large $919.80 $61.32 D11 v2 $913.67 $65.26 n1-highmem-2 $1,753.63 $134.89
Highmem 2 vCPU
no SSD
r3.large $919.80 $61.32 D11 v2 $913.67 $65.26 n1-highmem-2 $772.63 $59.43
Highcpu 2 vCPU
w SSD
c3.large $639.48 $170.53 F2 $607.07 $151.77 n1-highcpu-2 $1,447.03 $803.91
Highcpu 2 vCPU
no SSD
c4.large $683.28 $182.21 F2 $607.07 $151.77 n1-highcpu-2 $466.03 $258.91
AWS vs. Azure vs. Google Discounted / Year
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016
Lowest Highest

19. $-
$0.020
$0.040
$0.060
$0.080
$0.100
$0.120
$0.140
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59
AWS m4.large Azure D2 v2 GCE n1-standard-2
Impact of Per Minute Billing for <1hr workloads

20. $0.00
$0.50
$1.00
$1.50
$2.00
$2.50
$3.00
$3.50 0:30
1:30
2:30
3:30
4:30
5:30
6:30
7:30
8:30
9:30
10:30
11:30
12:30
13:30
14:30
15:30
16:30
17:30
18:30
19:30
20:30
21:30
22:30
23:30
0:30
AWS m4.large Azure D2 v2 GCE n1-standard-2
>1hr: Hourly Rate Outweighs Per Minute

21. Costs by Region (no SSD)

22. Costs by Region (with SSD)

23. Similar Regions With Different Costs
Cloud
Provider
Region Location Instance Size Cheaper Region
Cheaper
Location
% savings
AWS us-west-1 NorCal m3.large us-west-2 Oregon 14%
AWS eu-central-1 Frankfurt m3.large eu-west-1 Ireland 8%
AWS ap-southeast-1 Singapore m3.large ap-southeast-2 Sydney 5%
AWS ap-northeast-1 Tokyo m4.large ap-northeast-2 Seoul 5%
Azure East US Virginia D1v2 East US 2 Virginia 12%
Azure N Central US Illinois D1v2 S or W Central US Texas 12%
Azure Central US Iowa D1v2 S or W Central US Texas 12%
Azure West US California D1v2 West US 2 12%
Azure Canada Central Toronto D1v2 Canada East Quebec City 9%
Azure West Europe Netherlands D1v2 North Europe Ireland 14%
Azure East Asia Hong Kong D1v2 Southeast Asia Singapore 15%
Azure Japan East Tokyo D1v2 Japan West Osaka 13%
Azure Australia East NSW D1v2 Australia Southeast Victoria 7%
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016

24. Linux vs. Windows

25. STORAGE

26. AWS AWS Azure Google
Name of services
EBS
General Purpose
EBS
PIOPS
Page blobs Persistent Disk
SSD (per GB-month) $0.100 per GB-mo $.125 per GB-mo
P10: 128 GB $0.140
P20: 512 GB $0.130
P30: 1024 GB $0.120
$0.170 per GB-mo
PIOPS (per GB-month) Includes 3 IOPS/GB $0.065
Includes IOPS
500/2300/5000
Includes 30 IOPS/GB
Scenario:
500GB SSD per month
no IOPS requirement
$50.00
500 GB /1500 IOPs
Not needed
$66.56 (P20)
512 GB / 2300 IOPs
$85.00
500 GB / 15,000 IOPS
Scenario:
500GB SSD per month
2000 IOPS
$66.70
667 GB / 2001 IOPs
Not needed
$66.56 (P20)
512 GB / 2300 IOPs
$85.00
500 GB / 15,000 IOPS
Block Storage (SSD)
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016

27. $50.00
$66.70$66.56 $66.56
$85.00 $85.00
$-
$20.00
$40.00
$60.00
$80.00
$100.00
SSD (500GB) SSD (500GB, 2000 IOPs)
AWS EBS Azure Premium Storage Google Persistent Disk
Block Storage Comparison

28. AWS Azure Google
Name of services S3 Block Blob Storage Cloud Storage
Standard access
within region replication
1000 GB stored
$0.030 /GB-mo
$30.00 per month
$0.020 /GB-mo
$20.00 per month
$0.020 /GB-mo
$20.00 per month
Standard access
across region replication
1000 GB stored
1000 GB transferred
$0.06 /GB-mo
$0.010 /GB transferred
$70.00 per month
$0.050 /GB-mo
$0.020 /GB transferred
$70.00 per month
$0.026 /GB-mo
$0.010 /GB transferred
$36.00 per month
Infrequent access
within region replication
1000 GB stored
$0.0125 /GB-mo
$12.50 per month
$0.010 /GB-mo
$10.00 per month
$0.010 /GB-mo
$10.00 per month
Storage
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016

29. $30.00
$70.00
$12.50
$20.00
$70.00
$10.00
$20.00
$36.00
$10.00
$-
$10.00
$20.00
$30.00
$40.00
$50.00
$60.00
$70.00
$80.00
Std access Std access multi-region Infrequent access
AWS S3 Azure Blob Storage Google Cloud Storage
Block Storage Comparison

30. USE CASE SCENARIO

31. AWS Azure Google
Load Balancers (2) m3.medium
1 vCPU / 3.75 RAM / 4 Disk
D1 v2
1 vCPU / 3.5 RAM / 50 Disk
n1-standard-1
1 vCPU / 3.75 RAM
Application Servers (3) m4.large
2 vCPU / 8 RAM
D2 v2
2 vCPU / 7 RAM / 100 Disk
n1-standard-2
2 vCPU / 7.5 RAM
DB Master + 2 Slaves (3) r3.xlarge
4 vCPU / 30.5 RAM / 80 Disk
D12 v2
4 vCPU / 28 RAM / 200 Disk
n1-highmem-4
4 vCPU / 26 RAM
Storage (500 GB SSD) EBS Page Blob Persistent Disk
Discount 1yr No Upfront RI 30% EA 100% SUD
Use Case: 3-Tier HA/DR Scenario
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016

32. AWS Azure Google
Load Balancers (2) $98.10 $84.82 $73.00
Application Servers (3) $263.52 $254.45 $219.00
DB Master + 2 Slaves (3) $731.28 $667.37 $554.80
Storage (3*500 GB SSD) $150.00 $199.68 $256.16
Discount 1yr No Upfront RI 30% EA 100% SUD
Total Cost On-Demand $1242.90 $1206.31 $1102.96
Total Cost Discounted $859.56 $844.42 $845.72
Use Case: 3-Tier HA/DR Scenario
Source: RightScaleAs of Oct 25, 2016

33. • Lowest cost depends on
• Your use case
• Amount and Type of RIs you are buying on AWS
• Your level of EA discount on Azure
• AWS often provides more flexible options
• Instances with or without local storage, storage with or without PIOPs
• Partial/All Upfront 1yr RIs or 3 yr RIs or can save more
• Azure IS generally matching or beating AWS On-Demand prices
• Your level of EA discount makes a big difference in your discounted costs
• Google makes it dead simple with SUDs
• Is often the lowest cost – 10% lower in our 3-tier use case
• Savings are greater if you are not using RIs or don’t have MSFT EA
Takeaways

34. Monthly Spend Savings Identified
Customer #1 $200,000 44%
Customer #2 $26,000 40%
Customer #3 $46,000 33%
Customer #4 $19,000 34%
Customer #5 $137,000 20%
Opportunity to Optimize May Be Even Larger
Typical Savings Opportunities = 30-45% of spend.

35. • Need help optimizing cloud costs?
• sales@rightscale.com
Q&A