Amazon EC2 Container Service vs Docker for AWS

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Amazon EC2 Container Service

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Amazon EC2 Container Service vs Docker for AWS: What are the differences?

Introduction

1. Amazon EC2 Container Service (ECS) vs. Docker for AWS: Amazon EC2 Container Service is a managed container orchestration service provided by AWS, while Docker for AWS is a platform that allows users to deploy a Dockerized application in a cloud environment.

2. Integration with AWS Services: Amazon EC2 Container Service integrates seamlessly with other AWS services such as Amazon CloudWatch for monitoring and AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) for security, providing a comprehensive ecosystem for containerized applications. Docker for AWS, on the other hand, focuses more on the Docker platform itself and may not offer the same level of integration with AWS services.

3. Scalability and Performance: Amazon EC2 Container Service is designed to handle large-scale container deployments with features like auto-scaling and load balancing, providing high scalability and performance capabilities. Docker for AWS, while scalable, may not offer the same level of performance tuning and optimization as ECS.

4. Pricing Model: Amazon EC2 Container Service pricing is based on the resources used (e.g., EC2 instances, EBS volumes), while Docker for AWS pricing may depend on the Docker platform subscription model and additional costs for AWS resources. Users should consider the cost implications of each service based on their specific requirements.

5. Deployment and Management Complexity: Amazon EC2 Container Service abstracts much of the underlying infrastructure management from the user, making it easier to deploy and manage containers at scale. Docker for AWS, being more closely tied to the Docker platform, may require a higher level of expertise in container orchestration and management.

6. Flexibility and Customization: Docker for AWS offers more flexibility and customization options for users who prefer to have more control over their containerized environment, while Amazon EC2 Container Service may have limitations in terms of customization due to its managed service nature.

In Summary, Amazon EC2 Container Service and Docker for AWS differ in terms of integration with AWS services, scalability and performance, pricing model, deployment complexity, and flexibility/customization options, catering to different user preferences and requirements.

Decisions about Amazon EC2 Container Service and Docker for AWS
Andres Paredes
Lead Senior Software Engineer at InTouch Technology · | 3 upvotes · 83.1K views

If you want to integrate your cluster and control end to end your pipeline with AWS tools like ECR and Code Pipeline your best option is ECS using a EC2 instance. There are pros and cons but it's easier to integrate using cloud formation templates and visual UI for approvals, etc. ECS is free, you need to pay only for the EC2 instance but unfortunately, it is not standard then you cannot use standard tools to see and manage your Kubernetes. EKS in the other hand uses standard Kubernates definitions but you need to pay for the service and also for the EC2 instance(s) you have in your cluster.

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Pros of Amazon EC2 Container Service
Pros of Docker for AWS
  • 100
    Backed by amazon
  • 72
    Familiar to ec2
  • 53
    Cluster based
  • 42
    Simple API
  • 26
    Iam roles
  • 7
    Scheduler
  • 7
    Cluster management
  • 7
    Programmatic Control
  • 4
    Container-enabled applications
  • 4
    Socker support
  • 2
    No additional cost
  • 1
    Easy to use and cheap
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    What is Amazon EC2 Container Service?

    Amazon EC2 Container Service lets you launch and stop container-enabled applications with simple API calls, allows you to query the state of your cluster from a centralized service, and gives you access to many familiar Amazon EC2 features like security groups, EBS volumes and IAM roles.

    What is Docker for AWS?

    An integrated, easy-to-deploy environment for building, assembling, and shipping applications on AWS, Docker for AWS is a native AWS application optimized to take optimal advantage of the underlying AWS IaaS services while giving you a modern Docker platform that you can use to deploy portable apps.

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    What are some alternatives to Amazon EC2 Container Service and Docker for AWS?
    Kubernetes
    Kubernetes is an open source orchestration system for Docker containers. It handles scheduling onto nodes in a compute cluster and actively manages workloads to ensure that their state matches the users declared intentions.
    Google Kubernetes Engine
    Container Engine takes care of provisioning and maintaining the underlying virtual machine cluster, scaling your application, and operational logistics like logging, monitoring, and health management.
    Amazon EKS
    Amazon Elastic Container Service for Kubernetes (Amazon EKS) is a managed service that makes it easy for you to run Kubernetes on AWS without needing to install and operate your own Kubernetes clusters.
    AWS Fargate
    AWS Fargate is a technology for Amazon ECS and EKS* that allows you to run containers without having to manage servers or clusters. With AWS Fargate, you no longer have to provision, configure, and scale clusters of virtual machines to run containers.
    Azure Kubernetes Service
    Deploy and manage containerized applications more easily with a fully managed Kubernetes service. It offers serverless Kubernetes, an integrated continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) experience, and enterprise-grade security and governance. Unite your development and operations teams on a single platform to rapidly build, deliver, and scale applications with confidence.
    See all alternatives