Object tiers, lifecycle & protection
Amazon S3 Replication (CRR, SRR, Batch Replication) vs Blob Storage object replication / Azure Storage redundancy (LRS, ZRS, GRS, GZRS)
S3 Cross-Region and Same-Region Replication map to Azure Blob object replication.
Azure also has a no-configuration option, geo-redundant storage (GRS or GZRS), which copies the whole account to its paired region.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon S3 Replication (CRR, SRR, Batch Replication) | Blob Storage object replication Azure Storage redundancy (LRS, ZRS, GRS, GZRS) |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available Generally available |
| What it is | Asynchronous replication of new objects to buckets in other Regions (CRR) or the same Region (SRR), Batch Replication for existing objects, and Replication Time Control (RTC) with a 15-minute SLA. Requires versioning on both buckets. | Asynchronous, rule-based copying of block blobs between containers in two accounts (any regions, optionally across tenants), with optional priority replication. Requires change feed on the source and versioning on both accounts. Per-account replication setting. LRS keeps three copies in one datacenter, ZRS spreads them synchronously across three or more zones, and GRS/GZRS add asynchronous copies in the paired secondary region (readable with RA-GRS/RA-GZRS or after failover). |
| Pricing model | Destination storage, replication requests, inter-Region data transfer, and a per-GB RTC fee when enabled. | Object replication bills destination storage, write operations, change feed, versions, and cross-region transfer. GRS/GZRS pricing includes the secondary copy plus a geo-replication transfer charge. |
| Docs | Amazon S3 Replication (CRR, SRR, Batch Replication) docs | Blob Storage object replication docs Azure Storage redundancy (LRS, ZRS, GRS, GZRS) docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon S3 Replication (CRR, SRR, Batch Replication) pricing | Blob Storage object replication pricing Azure Storage redundancy (LRS, ZRS, GRS, GZRS) pricing |
| Exams | SAA-C03 SAP-C02 Retiring SOA-C03 | AZ-104 AZ-305 |
Key differences
- Prerequisites. S3 replication needs versioning on both buckets. Azure object replication needs versioning on both accounts and change feed on the source.
- SLA. S3 Replication Time Control offers a 15-minute SLA. Azure has an optional priority replication mode with its own performance target for same-continent pairs.
- Existing data. S3 live replication covers new objects, and Batch Replication handles existing ones. Azure object replication can also copy existing blobs when you set the policy's copy scope.
- Account-wide geo-redundancy. GRS/GZRS has no S3 equivalent. It replicates every object to the fixed paired region with no rules, and the secondary is readable only with RA-GRS/RA-GZRS or after failover.
- Cross-tenant replication is off by default on Azure accounts created since Dec 15, 2023. Cross-account S3 replication needs an IAM role and a destination bucket policy.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Destination storage, replication requests, inter-Region data transfer, and a per-GB RTC fee when enabled. Amazon S3 Replication (CRR, SRR, Batch Replication) pricing →
- Azure
- Object replication bills destination storage, write operations, change feed, versions, and cross-region transfer. GRS/GZRS pricing includes the secondary copy plus a geo-replication transfer charge. Blob Storage object replication pricing → Azure Storage redundancy (LRS, ZRS, GRS, GZRS) 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 Solutions Architect – Professional SAP-C02 | AWS | Professional | retiring Being updated to SAP-C03. Registration for SAP-C03 opens Oct 27, 2026. Last day to take SAP-C02 is Nov 16, 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 |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 | Azure | Expert | current English version updated Apr 17, 2026. |
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 S3 Replication (CRR, SRR, Batch Replication)?
S3 Cross-Region and Same-Region Replication map to Azure Blob object replication. Azure also has a no-configuration option, geo-redundant storage (GRS or GZRS), which copies the whole account to its paired region.
How does pricing compare between Amazon S3 Replication (CRR, SRR, Batch Replication) and Blob Storage object replication and Azure Storage redundancy (LRS, ZRS, GRS, GZRS)?
AWS: Destination storage, replication requests, inter-Region data transfer, and a per-GB RTC fee when enabled. Azure: Object replication bills destination storage, write operations, change feed, versions, and cross-region transfer. GRS/GZRS pricing includes the secondary copy plus a geo-replication transfer charge. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03); AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (SAP-C02) [retiring]; AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate (SOA-C03); Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104); Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305).