AWS Compete Battlecard

Co
mpete

This battlecard provides summary information and guidance on how to compete with VMware in the cloud space. Please see the AWS Compete portal for additional information

fd from Microsoft, VMware, Cloudstack, and Openstack and their ecosystems.

AWS strengths

AWS pursues a retail strategy with high volumes and low margins, attracting customers with a small initial
offering and then selling them the AWS stack and larger platform. Its goal is to become the ubiquitous utility
computing platform of the future. AWS procurement models, security, and privacy issues however, are holding it
back from gaining traction with enterprises.

1.Leading mind share and market share in cloud infrastructure as a service (IaaS), with extremely high
penetration within startups and early adopters, making them the incumbent to own the public cloud space.

Competitor products

3.Rapid platform development with hundreds of new features each year.

Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2): Scalable virtual compute power designed to

make computing easier for developers and system administrators. Auto Scaling
enables automatic up/down capacity scaling according to predefined
conditions.
Simple f

Anticipated changes and developments

Continue to offer new instance types and services and to reduce prices

Promote its own hybrid vision by connecting to on-premises

Globally expand services and datacenters

Re-orient its sales approach to prioritize accounts by verticals, segments, &

geography

Explore entering the Analytics as a Service space more strongly

For internal Microsoft use only. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied.

2.Broadest platform of IaaS capabilities and APIs.

4.Pricing flexibility for customers.
5.Large-scale capacity and efficient use leading to continuous price cuts; perception of lowest cost provider.
6.Broad ecosystem of ISVs and service catalog options.
7.Global platform reach with a single, consistent user interface.
8.Turnkey application deployment through AWS Marketplace.

AWS positioning and messaging

Cloud

Compute

Storage

AWS offers low cost, highly

innovative flexible and scalable
cloud solutions including
databases, analytic tools,
networking and app services, and
management resources with no
upfront investment or long-term
commitment. An expanding
network of managed service
provider partners ensure
customers are optimizing
solutions.

AWS provides a variety of cloudbased computing services

including a wide selection of
compute instances, which can
scale up and down automatically
to meet the needs of your
application, a managed load
balancing service, and fullymanaged desktops in the cloud.

AWS provides low-cost data

storage with high durability and
availability. Pay-as-you-go pricing
with no commitment means
greater flexibility and agility. High
security is available at no extra
cost and you get storage choices
for backup, archiving, and disaster
recovery, as well as block, file, and
object storage.

Competitor claims
AWS says

Microsoft says

Amazon is less expensive

than Microsoft

Microsoft matches AWS pricing for all commodity public

cloud offerings.

Azure packs more compute capacity than AWS in the

instances we offer, so Azure beats AWS on price-toperformance.

Reserved EC2 usage above contracted amount is

charged at the On-Demand rate.

AWS Compete Battlecard

Co
mpete

This battlecard provides summary information and guidance on how to compete with VMware in the cloud spac

AWS says

Microsoft says

Amazon is more innovative

than Microsoft.

Amazon is leading the way

to an all cloud future

Identify and select winning sales tactics and

Azure releases new services
AWS (most
alignfaster
them than
with solving
key customer pains.
AWS updates are enhancements).
Approach customers around specific
Azure is 56% faster in write
speedwhere
than AWS
(source:
scenarios
we have
a significant
Nasuni, The State of Cloud
Storage 2013
Industry
competitive
advantage,
such as Microsoft
Report).
workloads.

Azure's average availability

response
timeas
is a25%
Position
Microsoft
more enterprisefaster than S3 (source: trusted advisor than AWS.

Amazon labels privatePrice

cloudscomparison:
as archaic; support
pitches offerings
inaccurately defined hybrid platform.
Amazon
Azure

Enterprise
Pro-Direct
Microsoft offers one consistent
platform for
infrastructure, apps, and
data,Phone/Chat/Ewhether in the
Unlimited
Unlimited phone/e-mail
mail
Support
24x7
support
datacenter, a hosting service provider,
and/or
the24x7
Dedicated Support
Managed Support
Microsoft public cloud. Escalation Resource

Microsoft Azure

Windows Server 2012 R2 (including

Hyper-V), & System Center 2012 R2

Strategies in customer profile

Win

Surround

Deploy best-in-class
storage, backup, &
disaster recovery
solution in private and
public cloud with one
provider and contract.
For new cloud initiatives,
focus on the hybrid
platform to easily extend
existing tools,
infrastructure, & skills to
the cloud.

Surround the customer

environment and
improve datacenter
service agility with
System Center. Position
System Center as a onestop shop for all
datacenter and cloud
management needs.

Automated Proactive
Checks

Automated Proactive
Checks

Automated Pro
Checks

Architecture Assistance/
Support Service

Self Service Guidance

Proactive Serv
Custom Adviso
Assigned Tech

15 minute response from

> 1 hour response time

> 1 hour respo

$1000/month

$3k+/month

Extend How
datacenter
to use
to sell
Azure services for SQL
Server, SharePoint,
and Microsoft as a provider of
1. Position
Tier 2 & 3 apps
workloads. end-to-end cloud offerings across

the cloud stack. Shape the

Extend the development
and testing environment
discussion as development and
to use on-demand public
deployment oriented, which AWS
cloud resources.

What to do

Understand customers pains, challenges,

goals, & major initiatives.

Unlimited pho
support 24x7

Dedicated Sup
Delivery Resou

$15,000+/month
Extend

Key actions for success

Prem

Escalation

(reactive only)

What to sell key Microsoft solution

components

Azur

lacks, and focus on the overall

business value.
2.

Highlight the integration between

our networking solutions & the
flexibility in working IaaS and
platform as a service (PaaS)
environments.

Build conversation around Microsofts modern3. Emphasize Microsofts commitment

to the cloud and its vision in
platform: Windows Server 2012 R2, System
providing a continuum of solutions
Center 2012 R2, and Microsoft Azure.
that enable private clouds, public

AWS Compete Battlecard

Co
mpete

This battlecard provides summary information and guidance on how to compete with VMware in the cloud spac

clouds, and a hybrid clouds.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Outline Microsoft Azure flexibility

over AWS to move back and forth
between on-premises & off-premises
cloud offerings.

cost-efficient and resizable

capacity

is not available on AWS. Microsoft Az

effective, since customers do not pa

Key feature comparison

Capability
Compute

Virtual Machines, Worker role, Web role

w/elevated privileges, Web role

Hosting (lightweight
web apps)

Web Sites

Database

SQL Database (formerly SQL Azure)

Big Data

HDInsight

Blob storage

Microsoft Azure Blobs

Table storage

Microsoft Azure Tables

Highlight that Microsoft is a trusted

technology vendor with decades of
experience in delivering IT solutions.

Storage Drives

Microsoft Azure Drives

App Deployment

Automatically handled

Storage Archive

Expected H1 FY15

Showcase Microsoft Azure cloud

solutions as more enterprise ready,
highlighting the product integration
capabilities, strong SLAs, and
bundled support options.

Hybrid Storage

StorSimple

Messaging

Microsoft Azure Service Bus, Queues

Networking

Virtual Network, Connect, Traffic Manager,

Azure DNS

Caching Service

Azure Managed & In-Memory Cache

Content Delivery

Expected Q3 FY14 (See OneList)

Management

Management Portal, Power Shell, System

Center 2012

Highlight that Microsoft Azure is

covered under existing EAs in few
countries at a discounted price for
yearly commitment, while declaring
that negotiating an EA with AWS is
challenging.

Sales objection handling

AWS offers hybrid
solutions too

AWS is the most flexible and

cheapest available solution

Diagnostics
Service, Management APIs,
AWS offers point solutions and
tools instead of consistent
services&and
Monitoring
SCOM
Pack support
policies across on-premises and public cloud assets. AWS
doesnt
private cloud or any on-premises
IT assets. Microsoft
provides
best
Authentication
&
Windowsthe
Live,
Accounts and Subscription,
hybrid IT support through theAuthorization
Cloud OS and a common
set of technologies
Federation
Future, Azure Active Directory
and capabilities across on-premises,
Microsoft
Azure, and
service
provider
Development
Tools
Toolkit
for Eclipse
and Visual Studio
clouds.
Supported Libraries
.NET, PHP, Java, node.js, Python
Microsoft customers get the best
and value,
SDKs combining the lowest price with the
flexibility of a hybrid environment and an enterprise-ready platform. Azure
Industry Specific
Azure
Media
Services,
is unique in the sense that customers
can easily migrate
apps
as-is
from Mobile Services
on-premises to Azure using IaaS
virtual machines and later add more PaaS
Desktop
N/A
services to the application. Virtualization

AWS offers developers a fast,

inexpensive way to set up
test environments in the
cloud with tools such as
Elastic Beanstalk and Cloud
Formation

EC2 runs on EBS, which is limited to one availability zone, so customers

have to buy S3 at an additional cost for reliability and durability.
Azure blob storage includes geo-replication at no additional cost. EBS
requires manual effort to replicate. With Microsoft, customers can also use
familiar development tools such as Visual Studio.

AWS S3 offers a highlyscalable, reliable, durable,

and low-latency virtual
infrastructure at a low cost
for data storage & disaster
recovery

Microsoft Azures Local Redundancy Storage is more durable and available

than S3. Azure charges only for the incremental differences when
snapshotting a blob whereas S3 charges for an entire snapshot each time.
With StorSimple, Microsoft offers the best of on-premises and the cloud for
scalable, cost-effective storage solutions.

AWS EC2 running Windows

Server is a secure and
dependable way for
customers to deploy
SharePoint quickly and cost
effectively

Microsoft workloads are not tested on AWS and AWS deployment scripts are
buggy and unreliable. Any error during stack creation can roll back the
entire configuration.
With Microsoft Azure, customers get first party and end-to-end support
(infrastructure and software) for a SharePoint server running on Azure.

RDS is a scalable relational

Microsoft customers can easily build multi-tiered cloud apps by leveraging
cloud database that provides SQL Server and Azure SQL Database in the same app. The same experience

AWS Compete Battlecard

Co
mpete

This battlecard provides summary information and guidance on how to compete with VMware in the cloud spac

Evidence to emphasize
Customer evidence
External case studies:

Jidari: Egyptian start-up

Jidari switches its web apps to the
Microsoft Azure cloud system, giving
its social networks users a faster
response than was previously the
case with AWS.
Getit Infomedia: Getit Infomedia
chose to migrate 25 workloads from
on-premises deployments to
Microsoft Azure because AWS could
not offer the same range of
components across IaaS, PaaS and
software as a service (SaaS).
Sangkuriang International: In
need of a cloud solution that could
work with a wide mix of

technologies, Sangkuriang chose

Microsoft Azure over AWS because
the company considered it an easier
cloud platform for achieving its
goals.
Wellero: In choosing Microsoft
Azure over AWS, Wellero was able to
bring its new offering to market
twice as fast, save upwards of
US$275,000 in its first year of
business, and boost its scalability
and corporate agility.
Callaway Golf: Callaway Golf chose
Microsoft Azure over AWS and
Google, reducing IT costs by
US$324,000 annually and giving
Callaway unprecedented flexibility
and scalability to respond to the
needs of its global business.

AWS Compete Battlecard

Co
mpete

This battlecard provides summary information and guidance on how to compete with VMware in the cloud spac

Key sites

Resources

AWS Web Insights Tool

AWS-Azure Heatmap

Book a Datacenter Tour

AWS Compete Yammer Group

Key content

Microsoft Azure

StorSimple

Windows Server

Hybrid Devices

On-premises Devices

http://AWS

Cloud OS Conversations,

Enable Modern Business

Applications

Transform the Datacenter

Azure Sales Scenarios

Azure Roadmap

//STBCompete: AWS Compete BOM

and Web
Insights Tool

//Azuresales: Azure sales scenarios

and BOM

AWS Compete group on Yammer

Shikha Chetal for questions

STB Account Grid: Provides

licensing, program, pipeline, usage,
and compete information for
account targeting purposes. AWS
presence data is included

Azure-AWS WW Heatmap: Shows

AWS presence and Azure EA and
Direct usage data to better target
whitespace. Inspired by the work
done in the US Sub.

AWS
weakness

Description

What it means to customers

Lack of
private
cloud
support &
on-premises
IT assets

Other than limited 3rd party integration, AWS

lacks private cloud support or on-premises IT
assets. AWS recently announced partnership
with a startup called Eucalyptus to provide a
private cloud environment compatible with
AWS APIs. In reality, AWS is just providing the
Eucalyptus license to their API and some
technical support.

AWS and Eucalyptus are not working

to innovate the private cloud offerin
build new technology that offers
compatibility of broader AWS service
Eucalyptus. Eucalyptus does not run
Windows or support Hyper-V.

Customer
lock-in

AWS locks customers into a proprietary AMI

format, making it difficult to move virtual
machines on-premises.

Amazon doesnt have any of their ow

development tools, instead relying o
party offerings. If customers choose
to AWS, they are in effect locking
themselves into a proprietary ecosy

Enterprise
novices

The majority of AWS customers are startups

and developers. AWS is just starting to focus
on the enterprise and most of their
experience is at the business unit level.

Architectural visibility and language

frustrates traditional enterprise IT bu
Transformation to the Cloud can be r
AWS is still learning how to sell to
enterprises. Their enterprise sales te

AWS Compete Battlecard

Co
mpete

This battlecard provides summary information and guidance on how to compete with VMware in the cloud spac

are not available in every state in th

Poor
support for
Microsoft
workloads

Because AWS uses a proprietary format,

Microsoft workloads are not fully supported.

A proprietary format means that Mic

workloads are not tested on AWS an
receive best-effort support. Custome
wont get 1st rate support on issues
AWS.

No Oracle
support

Oracle doesnt support AWS virtualization

engine and assumes no
reliability/responsibility for data stored in S3.

What happens to customers who ha

existing licenses to run Oracle softw
With AWS, they would require additi
licenses from other vendors. Custom
wont get 1st rate support on issues
Oracle on AWS

No PaaS
solution

Amazon lacks a comparable PaaS solution to

complement its IaaS solution; RDS for SQL
Server lacks features such as data-sync,
multi-AZ deployment for SQL Server, and read
replica.

AWS is primarily an IaaS service tha

depends on partners to fulfill PaaS
scenarios. This limits the flexibility o
customers and necessitates them to
continue to do the same as before (m
the infrastructure).

No unified
AWS lacks unified enterprise management
manageme between on-premises and the AWS cloud.
nt solution Partner offerings are limited.

Amazon is relying on a variety of 3rd

partners to provide a singular view o
premises and cloud deployments. AW
its own console, but it doesnt includ
integration with other services and
specifically with private cloud
implementations.

Rigid
pricing

AWS billing is not as flexible as it is by the

hour.

The effective rate you pay is depend

your utilization. When making a
reservation, you need to specify exa
instance type, instance size, and
datacenter location. Your usage has
match these exact dimensions to ge
reserved instance pricing. Once rese
the rate is locked for 1-3 years, desp
price drops on on-demand instances

Lack of
SLAs

AWS has carefully worded guarantees and a

lack of available SLAs for some services.

AWS EC2 provides SLAs for multiple

instances only.