Akamai vs Azure Traffic Manager: What are the differences?

Introduction

Akamai and Azure Traffic Manager are both popular content delivery network (CDN) services that help improve website performance and availability. While they both serve the same purpose, there are key differences between the two. Here, we will explore six main differences between Akamai and Azure Traffic Manager.

1. Geographic Coverage: Akamai has a larger global footprint with a presence in more countries and regions compared to Azure Traffic Manager. This wider coverage allows Akamai to deliver content closer to end users, reducing latency and improving performance.

2. Network Performance: Akamai's extensive CDN infrastructure enables it to offer superior network performance. It has a highly optimized network that delivers content efficiently, resulting in faster load times for website visitors. Azure Traffic Manager, on the other hand, may have slightly lower network performance due to its relatively smaller CDN infrastructure.

3. Load Balancing Algorithms: Akamai offers a wide range of advanced load balancing algorithms that allow customers to fine-tune how traffic is distributed across their servers. These algorithms include round robin, least connection, and geographic-based load balancing. Azure Traffic Manager also provides load balancing capabilities but has a more limited selection of algorithms, primarily focusing on simple round robin and performance-based load balancing.

4. Integration with Cloud Services: Azure Traffic Manager integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft Azure cloud services, such as Azure App Service and Azure Virtual Machines. This tight integration enables customers to easily incorporate traffic routing and load balancing capabilities into their existing Azure-based infrastructure. Akamai, though it provides APIs for integration with various cloud platforms, does not have the same level of integration and native support for Microsoft Azure services.

5. Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Akamai offers higher SLAs compared to Azure Traffic Manager. Akamai's SLAs guarantee higher uptime and availability, promising compensation in case of service disruptions. Azure Traffic Manager provides SLAs as well, but they have slightly lower uptime guarantees. Depending on the criticality of the service, these SLAs can be essential considerations for businesses.

6. Additional Services: Akamai provides a broader range of additional services beyond CDN, such as DDoS protection and web application firewall (WAF) capabilities. These complementary services enhance security and protect websites from cyber attacks. Azure Traffic Manager, on the other hand, is primarily focused on load balancing and traffic routing, without offering as many additional security features. Depending on specific requirements, the availability of these additional services may impact the choice between Akamai and Azure Traffic Manager.

In Summary, Akamai and Azure Traffic Manager differ in geographic coverage, network performance, load balancing algorithms, integration with cloud services, SLAs, and additional services.