Cloud Foundry vs Pivotal Web Services (PWS): What are the differences?

Introduction

Cloud Foundry and Pivotal Web Services (PWS) are both popular cloud computing platforms that offer a wide range of features and benefits. While they have similarities, there are several key differences that set them apart.

1. Deployment Flexibility: Cloud Foundry provides the flexibility to choose between on-premises, private cloud, or public cloud deployment options. In contrast, PWS is a public cloud service that can only be utilized on the Pivotal platform.

2. Pricing Model: Cloud Foundry follows an Open Source model, allowing users to deploy and manage applications for free. While some vendors charge for additional services and support, the core Cloud Foundry platform remains free. On the other hand, PWS is a commercially-supported platform that requires a paid subscription, with pricing based on resource usage and specific features.

3. Ease of Use: PWS is specifically designed to be user-friendly and provides a simplified interface for developers. It offers a seamless experience for deploying, scaling, and managing applications. Cloud Foundry, being more customizable and flexible, requires a higher level of technical expertise and may have a steeper learning curve for beginners.

4. Integration Capabilities: Cloud Foundry offers a wide range of integrations with various frameworks, programming languages, and development tools. It provides the flexibility to choose the desired services and components for creating applications. PWS, while also supporting integrations, has a more limited set of options compared to the broader ecosystem of Cloud Foundry.

5. Scalability and Availability: Cloud Foundry provides robust scalability and high availability features by supporting multi-instance deployments and load balancing. PWS also offers scalability options but may have some limitations due to being a public cloud service. However, PWS benefits from the reliability and availability of the underlying Pivotal platform.

6. Community Support and Governance: Cloud Foundry has a large and active community that actively contributes to the development and improvement of the platform. It is governed by the Cloud Foundry Foundation, ensuring transparency and open collaboration. While PWS benefits from the open-source nature of Cloud Foundry, it may not have the same level of community involvement and direct governance.

In summary, Cloud Foundry offers more deployment flexibility, an open-source pricing model, and a wider range of integrations, but may require more technical skills to effectively utilize. PWS, on the other hand, provides a user-friendly experience, strong integration with the Pivotal platform, and a commercially-supported pricing model, making it a suitable choice for developers looking for simplicity and guidance.