Block storage
Amazon EBS snapshots vs Managed disk snapshots (incremental)
EBS snapshots map to managed disk incremental snapshots.
Both store only changed blocks after the first copy, and both can be copied to other regions.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon EBS snapshots | Managed disk snapshots (incremental) |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Incremental point-in-time backups stored in S3-backed storage, with copy across Regions and accounts, an archive tier, fast snapshot restore, snapshot lock, and Recycle Bin. | Incremental snapshots store only changes since the last one, are billed on used size, and are kept on Standard HDD storage regardless of disk type. They can be copied to other regions. Full snapshots are also available. |
| Pricing model | Per GB-month of stored blocks (standard or archive tier), plus fast snapshot restore per AZ-hour and archive retrieval per GB. | Per GB-month of used snapshot size, plus data transfer for cross-region copies. |
| Docs | Amazon EBS snapshots docs | Managed disk snapshots (incremental) docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon EBS snapshots pricing | Managed disk snapshots (incremental) pricing |
| Exams | SAA-C03 SOA-C03 | AZ-104 |
Key differences
- Storage. EBS snapshots are stored by AWS in S3-backed storage, with an optional lower-cost archive tier. Azure incremental snapshots are stored on Standard HDD storage and billed on used size, with no archive tier.
- Restore speed. EBS fast snapshot restore pre-initializes volumes in chosen AZs. Azure has no equivalent per-snapshot feature.
- Protection. EBS adds snapshot lock (WORM) and Recycle Bin. On Azure, use Azure Backup (immutable vaults and soft delete) for equivalent protection of disk backups.
- Limits. Azure allows up to seven incremental snapshots per disk every five minutes, and incremental snapshots can't move between subscriptions.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per GB-month of stored blocks (standard or archive tier), plus fast snapshot restore per AZ-hour and archive retrieval per GB. Amazon EBS snapshots pricing →
- Azure
- Per GB-month of used snapshot size, plus data transfer for cross-region copies. Managed disk snapshots (incremental) 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 EBS snapshots?
EBS snapshots map to managed disk incremental snapshots. Both store only changed blocks after the first copy, and both can be copied to other regions.
How does pricing compare between Amazon EBS snapshots and Managed disk snapshots (incremental)?
AWS: Per GB-month of stored blocks (standard or archive tier), plus fast snapshot restore per AZ-hour and archive retrieval per GB. Azure: Per GB-month of used snapshot size, plus data transfer for cross-region copies. 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).