Network monitoring & diagnostics
VPC Traffic Mirroring vs Virtual network TAP / Azure Network Watcher
VPC Traffic Mirroring maps to Azure virtual network TAP, which was in public preview in select regions when verified.
For one-off captures, Network Watcher packet capture is generally available.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | VPC Traffic Mirroring | Virtual network TAP Preview Azure Network Watcher |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | preview Generally available |
| What it is | Copies network traffic from elastic network interfaces of supported instance types to monitoring appliances for deep packet inspection. | Continuously mirrors VM network traffic to a packet collector or analytics tool. In public preview in select regions when verified. Network monitoring and diagnostics, including connection troubleshoot, IP flow verify, next hop, effective security rules, packet capture, connection monitor, and topology. |
| Pricing model | Per mirrored network interface-hour. | Check the preview terms and pricing page for virtual network TAP. |
| Docs | VPC Traffic Mirroring docs | Virtual network TAP docs Azure Network Watcher docs |
| Pricing page | VPC Traffic Mirroring pricing | Virtual network TAP pricing Azure Network Watcher pricing |
| Exams | ANS-C01 Retiring SCS-C03 | AZ-700 |
Key differences
- Status. VPC Traffic Mirroring is generally available. Virtual network TAP is in preview with limitations (for example, VMs behind a Basic Load Balancer can't be sources).
- Filters. Traffic Mirroring supports filters and session priorities. Check the preview docs for current virtual network TAP filtering options.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per mirrored network interface-hour. VPC Traffic Mirroring pricing →
- Azure
- Check the preview terms and pricing page for virtual network TAP. Virtual network TAP pricing → Azure Network Watcher pricing →
Certification exam mapping
| Exam | Provider | Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty ANS-C01 | AWS | Specialty | retiring The exam is being retired. The last day to take it is Dec 31, 2026. Existing certifications stay active for their three-year period. |
| AWS Certified Security – Specialty SCS-C03 | AWS | Specialty | current The current code (SCS-C03) is taken from the exam-prep link on the official certification page. Simplified Chinese, Spanish (Latin America), and Portuguese (Brazil) versions retire after Dec 31, 2026. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Network Engineer Associate AZ-700 | Azure | Associate | current |
Relevance is based on each exam's published scope, not a line-by-line objective match. Check the official study guide.
Verification notes
- Virtual network TAP was in public preview in select regions when verified.
FAQ
What is the Azure equivalent of VPC Traffic Mirroring?
VPC Traffic Mirroring maps to Azure virtual network TAP, which was in public preview in select regions when verified. For one-off captures, Network Watcher packet capture is generally available.
How does pricing compare between VPC Traffic Mirroring and Virtual network TAP and Azure Network Watcher?
AWS: Per mirrored network interface-hour. Azure: Check the preview terms and pricing page for virtual network TAP. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01) [retiring]; AWS Certified Security – Specialty (SCS-C03); Microsoft Certified – Azure Network Engineer Associate (AZ-700).