When deciding between Windows Azure (Microsoft Azure) and Amazon EC2 (AWS) for developing ASP.NET MVC applications with an MSSQL database, the choice depends on various factors, including pricing, performance, ease of integration, and the ecosystem each platform provides. Here's a detailed breakdown:

1. Azure: Built for the Microsoft Ecosystem

Advantages:

1. Native .NET Support:

   • Azure is tightly integrated with Microsoft's tools and frameworks, making it the natural choice for ASP.NET MVC applications.
   • Built-in support for MSSQL with Azure SQL Database, a managed service optimized for Microsoft workloads.

2. Ease of Integration:

   • Seamless integration with Visual Studio, Azure DevOps, and other Microsoft services.
   • Tools like Azure App Services simplify deployment for web applications, with features like CI/CD, scaling, and monitoring built-in.

3. Platform as a Service (PaaS) Options:

   • Use Azure App Service for hosting your ASP.NET MVC apps without managing the underlying infrastructure.
   • You don’t need to worry about patching the OS, scaling the VMs, or configuring load balancers.

4. Global Availability:

   • Extensive global network of data centers ensures low-latency connections and compliance with regional data laws.

5. Integration with Azure Ecosystem:

   • Azure offers complementary services like Active Directory, Blob Storage, and Service Bus for building enterprise applications.

Disadvantages:

1. Pricing Complexity:

   • Managed services (like Azure App Services and SQL Database) may have higher upfront costs compared to EC2 instances where you manage the infrastructure.

2. Windows Dependency:

   • Designed primarily for Windows workloads, which may not suit organizations looking for cross-platform flexibility.

2. Amazon EC2: Infrastructure Flexibility

Advantages:

1. Greater Control (IaaS):

   • With EC2, you have full control over virtual machines, enabling custom configurations for ASP.NET MVC applications.
   • You can choose to run Windows Server and manage your application environment entirely.

2. Cost Optimization:

   • EC2’s pricing models (On-Demand, Reserved Instances, Spot Instances) allow cost savings with proper planning.
   • You can set up SQL Server on EC2, often at a lower cost compared to Azure's fully managed options.

3. Cross-Platform Flexibility:

   • EC2 is platform-agnostic and supports Windows Server as well as other operating systems, making it a good fit for hybrid workloads.

4. Rich Ecosystem:

   • AWS provides a vast array of complementary services, such as S3 (object storage), RDS (managed databases), and Lambda (serverless functions), which can integrate well with ASP.NET applications.

Disadvantages:

1. Complexity of Setup:

   • Deploying ASP.NET MVC applications on EC2 requires configuring IIS, managing patches, updates, and scaling infrastructure manually.

2. Limited Native Support for .NET:

   • Although AWS offers services for Windows workloads, it lacks the same level of deep integration with .NET tools compared to Azure.

3. Key Comparisons

Recommendation:

• Choose Azure if:

  • You are building a cloud-native ASP.NET MVC application.
  • You prefer a managed environment (PaaS) to reduce operational overhead.
  • Deep integration with the Microsoft ecosystem is a priority.

• Choose Amazon EC2 if:

  • You need granular control over the infrastructure.
  • Cost savings and flexible pricing are a major consideration.
  • You plan to deploy other non-Microsoft workloads alongside.