Virtual machines & images · AWS vs Google Cloud
Amazon EC2 hibernation vs Compute Engine suspend and resume
EC2 hibernation maps to suspending a Compute Engine instance, which saves memory to storage and restores it on resume.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon EC2 hibernation | Compute Engine suspend and resume |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Suspend-to-disk for EC2. RAM is saved to the encrypted EBS root volume and restored on start, so warmed-up apps resume quickly. | Saves an instance's memory to storage and stops it, then restores it on resume. An instance can stay suspended for up to 60 days. |
| Pricing model | No instance charge while hibernated. You pay for EBS storage, including the saved RAM contents. | Google positions suspend as a way to avoid instance charges while not in use; storage for disks and the saved memory state still applies. See Compute Engine pricing. |
| Docs | Amazon EC2 hibernation docs | Compute Engine suspend and resume docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon EC2 hibernation pricing | Compute Engine suspend and resume pricing |
Key differences
- An instance can stay suspended for up to 60 days; instances with more than 208 GB of memory can't be suspended.
- Hibernation must be enabled at EC2 launch; Compute Engine suspend has its own list of unsupported configurations to check.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- No instance charge while hibernated. You pay for EBS storage, including the saved RAM contents. Amazon EC2 hibernation pricing →
- GCP
- Google positions suspend as a way to avoid instance charges while not in use; storage for disks and the saved memory state still applies. See Compute Engine pricing. Compute Engine suspend and resume pricing →
And on Azure?
Direct match Azure's equivalent is Azure VM hibernation. AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of Amazon EC2 hibernation?
EC2 hibernation maps to suspending a Compute Engine instance, which saves memory to storage and restores it on resume.
How does pricing compare between Amazon EC2 hibernation and Compute Engine suspend and resume?
AWS: No instance charge while hibernated. You pay for EBS storage, including the saved RAM contents. Google Cloud: Google positions suspend as a way to avoid instance charges while not in use; storage for disks and the saved memory state still applies. See Compute Engine pricing. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Azure VM hibernation (direct match). EC2 hibernation maps to Azure VM hibernation.