Virtual machines & images
Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) vs Azure Compute Gallery (and legacy managed images)
Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) map to Azure Compute Gallery image versions.
Azure's standalone "managed images" are now documented as legacy.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) | Azure Compute Gallery (and legacy managed images) |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Docs now call standalone managed images "legacy managed images". You can't create them from Trusted Launch VMs. Compute Gallery is the recommended image store. |
| What it is | Regional launch images (EBS snapshots plus launch metadata) that you can share with accounts, organizations, or publicly, and copy across Regions. | Versioned image definitions with replication across regions, sharing through RBAC, direct shared galleries, or community galleries, plus VM application packages. |
| Pricing model | There's no AMI charge. You pay for the EBS snapshots behind the AMI, and copying across Regions incurs data transfer. | There's no Compute Gallery charge. You pay snapshot storage for each replica and egress for the first copy of each version to other regions. |
| Docs | Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) docs | Azure Compute Gallery (and legacy managed images) docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) pricing | Azure Compute Gallery (and legacy managed images) pricing |
| Exams | SAA-C03 SOA-C03 | AZ-104 |
Key differences
- Structure. An AMI is one regional artifact (snapshots plus launch metadata) that you copy to other Regions. A Compute Gallery has image definitions with numbered versions, and each version replicates to the regions you choose, with a replica count per region.
- Sharing. AMIs are shared with accounts, organizations or OUs, or publicly. Gallery images are shared through Azure RBAC, direct shared galleries (subscriptions or tenants), or community galleries (public).
- Legacy managed images can't be created from Trusted Launch VMs and don't support versioning or replication. Use Compute Gallery for new work.
- Compute Gallery also stores "VM applications" (packages applied at deployment). AWS has no direct counterpart; the closest are Image Builder components or Systems Manager Distributor.
- Deprecation. AMIs support deprecation and disable timestamps. Gallery image versions use end-of-life dates and "exclude from latest".
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- There's no AMI charge. You pay for the EBS snapshots behind the AMI, and copying across Regions incurs data transfer. Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) pricing →
- Azure
- There's no Compute Gallery charge. You pay snapshot storage for each replica and egress for the first copy of each version to other regions. Azure Compute Gallery (and legacy managed images) pricing →
Certification exam mapping
| Exam | Provider | Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate SAA-C03 | AWS | Associate | current Italian version retires after Dec 31, 2026. |
| AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate SOA-C03 | AWS | Associate | current Replaces AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate (SOA-C02), whose last exam day was Sep 29, 2025. Simplified Chinese and Korean versions retire after Nov 19, 2026. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate AZ-104 | Azure | Associate | current |
Relevance is based on each exam's published scope, not a line-by-line objective match. Check the official study guide.
FAQ
What is the Azure equivalent of Amazon Machine Images (AMIs)?
Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) map to Azure Compute Gallery image versions. Azure's standalone "managed images" are now documented as legacy.
How does pricing compare between Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) and Azure Compute Gallery (and legacy managed images)?
AWS: There's no AMI charge. You pay for the EBS snapshots behind the AMI, and copying across Regions incurs data transfer. Azure: There's no Compute Gallery charge. You pay snapshot storage for each replica and egress for the first copy of each version to other regions. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03); AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate (SOA-C03); Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104).