Block storage
Amazon EKS storage CSI drivers (EBS, EFS, FSx, Mountpoint for S3) vs Azure Container Storage and AKS CSI drivers
The EKS CSI drivers (EBS, EFS, FSx, Mountpoint for S3) map to the AKS built-in CSI drivers (Azure Disks, Azure Files, Blob Storage), plus Azure Container Storage, which adds local NVMe and Elastic SAN volumes.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon EKS storage CSI drivers (EBS, EFS, FSx, Mountpoint for S3) | Azure Container Storage and AKS CSI drivers |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Kubernetes CSI drivers, installable as EKS add-ons, that provision EBS volumes and mount EFS, FSx, and S3 (Mountpoint) storage as persistent volumes. EKS Auto Mode includes EBS block storage. | AKS includes CSI drivers for Azure Disks, Azure Files, and Blob Storage (BlobFuse or NFS). Azure Container Storage v2 is an open-source volume orchestrator for local NVMe and Elastic SAN volumes. |
| Pricing model | The drivers are free. You pay for the EBS, EFS, FSx, or S3 resources they use. | The CSI drivers are free. You pay for the disks, shares, Elastic SAN, or VMs (local NVMe) underneath. Check the Container Storage pricing page for any orchestration charges. |
| Docs | Amazon EKS storage CSI drivers (EBS, EFS, FSx, Mountpoint for S3) docs | Azure Container Storage and AKS CSI drivers docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon EKS storage CSI drivers (EBS, EFS, FSx, Mountpoint for S3) pricing | Azure Container Storage and AKS CSI drivers pricing |
| Exams | SAA-C03 DOP-C02 | AZ-104 |
Key differences
- Installation. EKS CSI drivers are add-ons you install (EBS block storage is built into EKS Auto Mode). AKS enables the Disk and Files CSI drivers by default and offers the Blob driver.
- Local NVMe. Azure Container Storage v2 exposes local NVMe disks as persistent volumes with an open-source driver. EKS has no AWS-managed equivalent for instance store volumes.
- Pooled block. Azure Container Storage can carve many volumes out of one Elastic SAN. On EKS, each persistent volume is its own EBS volume.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- The drivers are free. You pay for the EBS, EFS, FSx, or S3 resources they use. Amazon EKS storage CSI drivers (EBS, EFS, FSx, Mountpoint for S3) pricing →
- Azure
- The CSI drivers are free. You pay for the disks, shares, Elastic SAN, or VMs (local NVMe) underneath. Check the Container Storage pricing page for any orchestration charges. Azure Container Storage and AKS CSI drivers 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 DevOps Engineer – Professional DOP-C02 | AWS | Professional | current Korean version retires after Dec 31, 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 EKS storage CSI drivers (EBS, EFS, FSx, Mountpoint for S3)?
The EKS CSI drivers (EBS, EFS, FSx, Mountpoint for S3) map to the AKS built-in CSI drivers (Azure Disks, Azure Files, Blob Storage), plus Azure Container Storage, which adds local NVMe and Elastic SAN volumes.
How does pricing compare between Amazon EKS storage CSI drivers (EBS, EFS, FSx, Mountpoint for S3) and Azure Container Storage and AKS CSI drivers?
AWS: The drivers are free. You pay for the EBS, EFS, FSx, or S3 resources they use. Azure: The CSI drivers are free. You pay for the disks, shares, Elastic SAN, or VMs (local NVMe) underneath. Check the Container Storage pricing page for any orchestration charges. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03); AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (DOP-C02); Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104).