Jérôme DxIf like me, you already know AWS very well and are interested in Google Cloud Platform (GCP), this article is made for you : I will describe the main platform's services, quite clearly, taking Amazon's services as a reference.
I also share with you a comparative list of AWS, GCP and Azure Services, which can help you find matches quickly.
So, here is a description of the main GCP services, with their AWS equivalents :
Compute & Applications
Google Compute Engine
AWS equivalent : Elastic Cloud Compute (EC2)
A cloud-based infrastructure service that allows users to run virtual machines on Google's infrastructure. It offers scalable computing power with customizable configurations and pay-as-you-go pricing.
Cloud Functions
AWS equivalent : Lambda
A serverless compute service on GCP that allows you to run event-driven code without provisioning or managing servers. It enables automatic scaling, pay-per-use pricing, and seamless integration with other GCP services.
Google App Engine
AWS equivalent : Elastic Beanstalk
A fully managed platform on GCP for building and deploying applications without worrying about infrastructure. It automatically scales to handle traffic and offers support for multiple programming languages and frameworks.
Firebase
AWS equivalent : AWS Amplify
A mobile and web application development platform offering tools and services for building, improving, and growing your app. It includes features like authentication, real-time database, hosting, analytics, and more, enabling rapid development and seamless user experiences.
Containers
Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
AWS equivalent : Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)
A managed Kubernetes service that simplifies the deployment, management, and scaling of containerized applications using GCP infrastructure. It automates cluster management tasks, ensuring high availability, security, and seamless integration with other Google Cloud services.
Cloud Run
AWS equivalent : App Runner, Fargate
A serverless container platform on GCP that enables you to deploy and manage containerized applications quickly and easily. It automatically scales based on demand and charges only for the resources used, offering flexibility and cost-effectiveness.
Google Container Registry (GCR)
AWS equivalent : Elastic Container Registry (ECR)
A managed container image registry service on GCP, providing a secure and scalable platform for storing, managing, and deploying container images.
Anthos
AWS equivalent : EKS AnyWhere
A hybrid and multi-cloud platform that allows organizations to build, deploy, and manage applications consistently across on-premises, Google Cloud, and other cloud environments. It provides a unified control plane for managing Kubernetes clusters, enabling workload portability and operational consistency.
GKE Enterprise
AWS equivalent : EKS with AWS Enterprise Support
A premium version of GKE tailored for large-scale enterprises, offering advanced security, governance, and management features. It includes enhanced support, access controls, and auditing capabilities to meet the requirements of enterprise-grade Kubernetes deployments.
Storage
Google Cloud Storage (GCS)
AWS equivalent : Simple Storage Service (S3)
A scalable object storage service for storing and retrieving data on GCP. It offers durability, availability, and flexibility, enabling businesses to securely store and manage large amounts of data with ease.
Filestore
AWS equivalent : Elastic File Storage (EFS), FSx
A fully managed file storage service on GCP, providing high-performance file shares for applications requiring shared file systems. It offers scalable, reliable storage with integration into GCP services for easy deployment and management.
Archive storage
AWS equivalent : S3 Glacier
A storage class, designed for data that is accessed very infrequently and stored for long periods, providing the lowest storage costs but with longer retrieval times. It's suitable for archival, compliance, and data retention purposes.
Cloud Storage Transfer Service
AWS equivalent : Storage Gateway, DataSync
It enables you to transfer data quickly and securely between on-premises storage and Cloud Storage or between different Cloud Storage buckets, supporting one-time or recurring transfers with scheduling and automation features. It simplifies data migration, backup, and synchronization tasks, ensuring efficient and reliable data transfer operations.
Cloud Storage Object Versioning and Lifecycle Management
AWS equivalent : AWS Backup
Google doesn’t offers a dedicated service for backups, like AWS. But you can use Google Cloud Storage Object Versioning to retain multiple object versions for backup purposes and configure Lifecycle Management rules to automate data retention and storage optimization.
Database
Cloud SQL, Cloud Spanner & AlloyDB
AWS equivalent : Relational Database Service (RDS), Aurora, Neptune
Cloud SQL is a fully managed relational database service, providing easy-to-use, scalable, and highly available MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server databases.
Cloud Spanner is a globally distributed, horizontally scalable, and strongly consistent database service, ideal for mission-critical, high-transaction applications requiring relational semantics.
AlloyDB is a fully managed, high-performance PostgreSQL-compatible database for demanding workloads.
Memorystore
AWS equivalent : ElastiCache
A fully managed, in-memory data store service, offering scalable and low-latency caching solutions with support for Redis and Memcached protocols. It enhances application performance by storing frequently accessed data in-memory, reducing database load and improving response times.
Datastore, Firestore & Bigtable
AWS equivalent : AWS DynamoDB, AWS DocumentDB
Datastore is a highly scalable NoSQL database for web and mobile applications. Firestore is a flexible, scalable NoSQL database with real-time synchronization and Bigtable is a fully managed, scalable NoSQL database suitable for large analytical and operational workloads.
Database Migration Service
AWS equivalent : AWS Migration hub
It simplifies migrating databases to GCP, supporting homogeneous and heterogeneous migrations with minimal downtime and data loss. It offers automated migration tasks, real-time monitoring, and compatibility checks to streamline the migration process.
Networking & Content Delivery
Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)
AWS equivalent : Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)
It enables you to create and manage isolated virtual networks for your GCP resources, providing control over IP addressing, routing, and network access. It offers secure, private communication between resources and customizable network configurations to meet your specific requirements.
Cloud Content Delivery Network (CDN)
AWS equivalent : CloudFront
It accelerates content delivery by caching content at Google's globally distributed edge locations, reducing latency and improving website and application performance. It seamlessly integrates with Google Cloud services, offering scalability, security, and cost-effectiveness for delivering content to users worldwide.
Cloud Domains
AWS equivalent : Route 53
It provides domain registration services with transparent pricing, easy management, and integration with other Google Cloud services, simplifying the process of acquiring and managing domain names for your projects and applications.
API Gateway
AWS equivalent : API Gateway
A fully managed service for securing, managing, and monitoring APIs, providing centralized control and visibility over API traffic across your distributed applications. It offers features like authentication, rate limiting, and logging to ensure reliability, security, and scalability of your APIs.
Apigee API Management
AWS equivalent : AWS Publisher Service
A comprehensive platform for designing, securing, and analyzing APIs, offering tools for API lifecycle management, traffic management, and developer engagement. It enables organizations to accelerate digital transformation by delivering secure and scalable API solutions.
Cloud Interconnect
AWS equivalent : Direct Connect
It provides direct and reliable connections between your on-premises network and Google Cloud, offering options for dedicated, low-latency, and high-bandwidth connectivity. It enhances performance, security, and reliability for hybrid cloud deployments and data-intensive workloads.
Cloud Load Balancing
AWS equivalent : Elastic Load Balancer (ELB), Global Accelerator
It distributes incoming traffic across multiple instances or backend services, ensuring high availability, scalability, and fault tolerance for your applications. It offers global and regional load balancing options with intelligent traffic routing and health checking capabilities.
Application Integration
Pub/Sub
AWS equivalent : Simple Notification Service (SNS), Simple Queue Service (SQS), Amazon MQ
A fully managed messaging service that enables asynchronous communication between independent applications, supporting scalable and reliable data streaming and event-driven architectures. It decouples publishers and subscribers, facilitating real-time data processing and integration across distributed systems.
Cloud Tasks
AWS equivalent : AWS EventBridge, AWS Notification Service (SNS)
A managed service for asynchronous task execution, allowing you to offload tasks from your application to a reliable and scalable backend. It provides reliable task queuing, execution, and monitoring, enabling efficient background processing and workload management.
Developer Tools
Cloud Build
AWS equivalent : CodeBuild, CodeDeploy, CodePipeline
A fully managed continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) platform that automates building, testing, and deploying code. It offers customizable build pipelines, integration with popular development tools, and scalability to meet your project's needs (It is an alternative to CICD tools such as Jenkins or Gitlab).
Cloud Deployment Manager
AWS equivalent : CloudFormation
An infrastructure-as-code service that enables you to define, deploy, and manage cloud resources using templates and configuration files. It automates resource provisioning, ensures consistency, and facilitates repeatable deployments for your infrastructure (You can also work with Terraform, which is more commonly used).
Management & Governance
Cost Management
AWS equivalent : Cost Explorer, Budgets
It enables users to monitor and optimize spending across GCP services, offering budgeting tools, cost analysis, and recommendations to maximize efficiency and control expenses. It provides insights into resource usage, cost trends, and cost allocation, empowering organizations to make informed decisions and manage cloud costs effectively.
Resource Manager
AWS equivalent : AWS Organizations, Resource Groups & Tag Editor
A service for organizing and managing GCP resources hierarchically, enabling centralized control, access management, and policy enforcement across projects. It helps streamline resource management, optimize governance, and ensure compliance within your GCP environment.
Cloud Logging
AWS equivalent : CloudWatch Logs
A fully managed service for collecting, analyzing, and storing logs from your GCP resources and applications, offering real-time insights and troubleshooting capabilities. It centralizes log data, provides powerful querying and visualization tools, and integrates with other GCP services for comprehensive monitoring and observability.
Cloud Monitoring
AWS equivalent : CloudWatch
A fully managed service for monitoring the performance, uptime, and health of your GCP resources and applications, offering real-time metrics, alerts, and dashboards. It enables proactive monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimization to ensure reliability and efficiency across your infrastructure.
Cloud Audit Logs
AWS equivalent : CloudTrail
It provide a record of all activity performed on GCP resources, aiding in compliance, security, and troubleshooting efforts. It offers detailed logs of administrative actions, API calls, and data access, enhancing visibility and accountability within your GCP environment.
Cloud Trace
AWS equivalent : AWS X-Ray
A performance monitoring tool that allows you to analyze and troubleshoot latency issues in your GCP applications, providing insights into request execution times and resource utilization. It helps optimize application performance by identifying bottlenecks and improving response times for better user experiences.
Data & Analytics
BigQuery
AWS equivalent : Athena, RedShift
A serverless, highly scalable data warehouse that enables fast and cost-effective analysis of large datasets using SQL queries. It offers real-time analytics, machine learning integration, and easy data ingestion, making it ideal for data exploration, business intelligence, and advanced analytics.
Dataflow
AWS equivalent : Kinesis
a fully managed service for executing and managing parallel data processing pipelines, enabling scalable and reliable data processing for batch and streaming workloads. It offers unified programming models, automatic scaling, and integration with GCP services for building and deploying data-driven applications with ease.
Cloud Composer
AWS equivalent : Amazon Data Pipeline, AWS Glue
A managed workflow orchestration service based on Apache Airflow, enabling you to automate and manage data workflows across GCP services. It provides scalability, reliability, and monitoring capabilities, simplifying the development and deployment of complex data pipelines.
DataProc
AWS equivalent : Elastic MapReduce (EMR)
A fully managed service for running Apache Spark and Hadoop clusters, enabling scalable and cost-effective big data processing. It offers easy cluster management, automatic scaling, and integration with other GCP services for analyzing large datasets efficiently.
Security, Identity, & Compliance
Security Command Center
AWS equivalent : AWS Guard Duty, AWS Security Hub, AWS Audit Manager, AWS Config
A centralized security management and data risk assessment service, offering insights into the security posture of your GCP environment. It provides security analytics, vulnerability detection, and threat intelligence to help you identify and mitigate security risks effectively.
Identity & Access Management (IAM)
AWS equivalent : Identity & Access Management (IAM)
A centralized service for managing access to GCP resources, enabling fine-grained control over permissions and policies for users and services. It ensures security and compliance by allowing you to grant least privilege access and enforce access controls across your GCP environment.
Secret Manager
AWS equivalent : AWS Secrets Manager, AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store
A fully managed service for storing, accessing, and managing sensitive information such as API keys, passwords, and certificates securely in GCP. It enables centralized management, versioning, and access control for secrets, enhancing security and compliance within your applications and infrastructure.
Cloud KMS
AWS equivalent : Key Management Service (KMS)
A managed service for creating, managing, and controlling cryptographic keys and encrypting data at rest or in transit within GCP. It provides robust key management features, integration with other GCP services, and compliance with industry standards to help you protect your data and meet regulatory requirements.
Cloud HSM
AWS equivalent : Cloud Hardware Security Module (HSM)
A managed service that provides secure and tamper-resistant storage for cryptographic keys, enabling enhanced security for sensitive data and compliance with regulatory requirements. It offers FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification, hardware-backed key management, and seamless integration with other GCP services for protecting critical workloads.
Google Cloud Armor
AWS equivalent : AWS Web Application Firewall (WAF)
A DDoS protection and web application firewall service that safeguards your applications and websites against malicious attacks and unauthorized access. It offers customizable security policies, real-time threat intelligence, and centralized management for mitigating risks and ensuring the availability and integrity of your web services.
Google Cloud Armor Managed Protection Plus
AWS equivalent : AWS Shield
An advanced DDoS protection service offering 24/7 monitoring, proactive mitigation, and expert support to safeguard your applications against sophisticated and large-scale attacks. It provides additional security measures, including custom rules, threat intelligence, and attack response assistance, ensuring continuous protection and availability for your critical workloads.
Google Cloud SSL Certificates
AWS equivalent : AWS Certificate Manager (ACM)
A managed service that provides TLS/SSL certificates for securing communication between clients and your applications or services deployed on GCP. It offers automated certificate provisioning, renewal, and integration with GCP services, ensuring secure and encrypted data transfer while simplifying certificate management.
Identity Platform
AWS equivalent : Cognito
An identity and access management service that enables secure user authentication and authorization for applications, supporting social login, multi-factor authentication, and customizable user experiences. It simplifies identity management, enhances user security, and integrates seamlessly with GCP services for streamlined application development.
Chronicle
AWS equivalent : AWS Security Lake
A security analytics platform that provides threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities for protecting against cyber threats and ensuring the security of your digital assets. It offers advanced analytics, machine learning-driven insights, and petabyte-scale data storage, empowering organizations to detect and mitigate security incidents efficiently.
Google Cloud Security Command Center (Cloud SCC) & Google Cloud Security Scanner
AWS equivalent : Amazon Inspector
A centralized security management and data risk assessment service, offering insights into the security posture of your GCP environment. Google Cloud Security Scanner is a web security scanner that automatically scans and identifies security vulnerabilities in your web applications deployed on GCP, helping you proactively protect against common security threats.
S3NS by Thales (for french governance)
AWS equivalent : Partnership with Atos
S3NS by Thales is a secure cloud storage solution providing encryption, key management, and access control for sensitive data stored in Google Cloud. It offers robust data protection features, including encryption at rest and in transit, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with regulatory requirements.
AI & Machine Learning
Vertex AI
AWS equivalent : AWS SageMaker
A managed machine learning platform that enables developers to build, deploy, and manage machine learning models with ease, offering pre-built components and automation tools for accelerated model development and deployment. It provides end-to-end machine learning capabilities, including data preparation, training, evaluation, and serving, to streamline the machine learning workflow and drive innovation.
Vertex AI AutoML & Vertex AI custom training
AWS equivalent : AWS SageMaker Autopilot
Google Vertex AI AutoML is a suite of automated machine learning tools that enables users to build high-quality custom machine learning models without extensive expertise, using automated model selection, training, and deployment.
Vertex AI Custom Training provides a flexible and scalable infrastructure for training custom machine learning models tailored to specific use cases and requirements, supporting advanced algorithms, hyperparameter tuning, and distributed training across GCP resources.
Duet AI & Gemini
AWS equivalent : Amazon CodeWhisperer, Amazon Q
Duet AI assists developers with coding questions and cloud best practices through natural language chat, while Gemini is a more advanced, multimodal AI capable of understanding, explaining, and generating code across various languages. Both help with coding, but Gemini tackles broader and more complex tasks.
Next steps
I hope this article will help you quickly become bilingual between the AWS and GCP worlds.
As you have seen, it is not necessarily a 1 to 1 relationship between the services of the different providers.
In addition, the services are constantly evolving, with new features, sometimes even renamed. Your knowledge will therefore be constantly questioned and you will have to keep up with developments.
This is just a global overview, obviously you will need to dive deeper into these services and make them your own, good luck on this journey !
