Cloud Equivalents

Scaling, placement & rightsizing · AWS vs Google Cloud

EC2 placement groups vs Compute Engine placement policies

EC2 placement groups map to Compute Engine placement policies: compact (close together for low latency) and spread (apart for resilience).

Partial match Use it to: Pack VMs close together for low latency, or spread them across hardware so one failure doesn't take down replicas.

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Side-by-side comparison

VM placement control: AWS vs Google Cloud side by side
AspectAmazon Web ServicesGoogle Cloud
ServiceEC2 placement groupsCompute Engine placement policies
LifecycleGenerally availableGenerally available
What it isPlacement strategies. Cluster packs instances for low-latency HPC. Partition keeps groups on separate racks. Spread puts each instance on distinct hardware. Precision time places instances near high-precision time sources.Compact policies place instances close together for low latency; spread policies place them apart for resilience.
Pricing modelPlacement groups are free.No additional cost for placement policies; you pay for the instances.
DocsEC2 placement groups docsCompute Engine placement policies docs
Pricing pageEC2 placement groups pricing—

Key differences

  • There is no equivalent of EC2 partition placement groups.
  • Compact placement is supported on specific machine series and has instance-count limits.

Pricing summary

Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.

AWS
Placement groups are free. EC2 placement groups pricing →
GCP
No additional cost for placement policies; you pay for the instances.

And on Azure?

Partial match Azure's equivalent is Proximity placement groups & availability sets. AWS vs Azure comparison →

FAQ

What is the Google Cloud equivalent of EC2 placement groups?

EC2 placement groups map to Compute Engine placement policies: compact (close together for low latency) and spread (apart for resilience).

How does pricing compare between EC2 placement groups and Compute Engine placement policies?

AWS: Placement groups are free. Google Cloud: No additional cost for placement policies; you pay for the instances. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.

What is the Azure equivalent?

Proximity placement groups & availability sets (partial match). EC2 placement groups have no single Azure equivalent.

Related AWS vs GCP comparisons

Official sources