Azure Files vs Amazon EFS – Which Cloud Storage System is Better?

Cloud File Storage gives you the ability to save your files in the cloud and access them using various devices from any geographical location. Azure Files and Amazon Elastic File System (EFS) are two such cloud storage services. The real potential of a cloud storage service can be determined depending on how well it works for you or your organization. This article outlines the major differences between Azure Files and Amazon EFS based on their advantages and limitations to help you select the one that meets your organization’s storage needs.

What is Azure Files?

Azure Files is a fully managed cloud storage and file sharing service that makes your files accessible via industry-standard Network File System (NFS) Protocol or Server Message Block (SMB) protocol. Azure Files allows you to mount files concurrently by on-premises systems or by the cloud deployments. SMB File Shares created in Azure Files can be accessed by Windows, Mac, and Linux OS clients. NFS File Shares created in Azure Files can be accessed by Mac or Linux OS clients. In addition to that, Azure Files SMB File Shares can be retrieved in the cache by Windows Servers with the help of Azure File Sync for quick access.

Why Use Azure Files?

Microsoft Azure gives you multiple options to transmit data into Azure Files securely. You can utilize Azure Databox for the transmission of massive files in the protected mode. Moreover, Azure Files allows the transmission of Windows Files Server data into Azure Files with Azure File Sync. It enables the transmission of files via both SMB and NFS systems. Azure Files allows you to share data across on-premises and cloud servers. You can use Azure Files to migrate applications compatible with File Shares with no code changes. Furthermore, Azure Files can help you integrate modern applications. Azure simplifies file storage for the high availability of workload data.

Azure Files effectively supports a plethora of use cases, ranging from home directories to business-level critical applications. Users can deploy Azure Files to lift and shift existing organizational data to Azure Storage.

What is Elastic File System (EFS)?

Amazon Elastic File System (EFS) is a cloud storage service offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). This service is built to provide flexible, scalable, and encrypted file storage that can be used with both on-premises resources as well as AWS cloud applications. Amazon’s EFS manages the entire file storage infrastructure, thereby removing the complexities associated with deployment, patching, and maintenance of complex file system configuration.

What are the Benefits of the Elastic File System (EFS)?

EFS can be scaled to petabytes on-demand without disrupting applications. It can grow and shrink automatically upon adding and removing files. Amazon EFS supports the Network File System (NFS) protocol for transmission and retrieval of files. Also, additional AWS DataSync service can be deployed to gain support for Server Message Block (SMB) protocol. Amazon EFS is accessible via multiple Amazon EC2 instances concurrently, providing a shared data source for applications and workloads running on different instances or servers.

Azure Files vs Amazon EFS – Which Option Delivers More Value?

Businesses give data utmost importance and usually feel a need for cloud storage options for scalability, security, durability, and high availability of data. Cloud storage systems such as Azure Files and Amazon EFS attempt to provide robust and reliable services for businesses to store data in the cloud and access it from disparate locations with ease. Let’s have a quick comparison between them to find out which solution can be more beneficial for your specific requirements.

Azure file shares support the industry-standard SMB and NFS protocols. Amazon EFS primarily supports NFS protocol, whereas additional AWS DataSync subscription is required to provide support for Server Message Block (SMB) protocol. Amazon EFS provides shared file system storage and low latency for Linux workloads. On the other hand, Azure shares the files system across multiple machines like Windows, Mac, and Linux. As a result, Azure Files has a significant advantage for applications that need shareability. Azure Files lets you access your files quickly over high latency or low bandwidth links by allowing you to catch frequently used files using Azure File Sync, while Amazon comes optimized for low latency for Linux workloads.

Apps4Rent Plays a Significant Role in Cloud Storage Deployment

Your data holds the potential to transform your business. Storage of enterprise-level data requires a powerful file system to accommodate it and allow access as quickly as possible on demand. With the holistic view of the two services and their pros and cons, you can decide which service can cater to your data storage needs better. When it comes to implementing Azure with the right expertise, Apps4Rent is a prominent name. Being a Tier 1 Microsoft CSP, we help you get more out of Azure. We are available around the clock via phone, chat, and email to attend to your queries.