Virtual networks, subnets & IP addressing
VPC subnets vs Azure Virtual Network
VPC subnets map to Azure virtual network subnets, but placement differs.
AWS subnets belong to one Availability Zone, while Azure subnets are regional and you pick the zone per resource.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | VPC subnets | Azure Virtual Network |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | IP ranges within a VPC. Each subnet lives in exactly one Availability Zone (or Local Zone or Outpost), so multi-AZ designs need one subnet per AZ. | Isolated private network in a region, with your own IPv4 and IPv6 address space, subnets, routing, and security. Subnets are regional and span availability zones. |
| Pricing model | Free. | Free. |
| Docs | VPC subnets docs | Azure Virtual Network docs |
| Pricing page | VPC subnets pricing | Azure Virtual Network pricing |
| Exams | SAA-C03 ANS-C01 Retiring | AZ-104 AZ-700 |
Key differences
- High availability. On AWS, a three-AZ tier needs three subnets. On Azure, one subnet can serve all zones. If you move a resource to another zone, whether it keeps its private IP depends on the resource type.
- Public and private. AWS calls a subnet public if its route table points to an internet gateway. On Azure, private subnets turn off default outbound access, and new VNets created with API versions released after March 31, 2026 default to private.
- Delegation. Some Azure PaaS services need a dedicated, delegated subnet. AWS services usually just place network interfaces in your subnets.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Free. VPC subnets pricing →
- Azure
- Free. Azure Virtual Network 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 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. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate AZ-104 | Azure | Associate | current |
| 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.
FAQ
What is the Azure equivalent of VPC subnets?
VPC subnets map to Azure virtual network subnets, but placement differs. AWS subnets belong to one Availability Zone, while Azure subnets are regional and you pick the zone per resource.
How does pricing compare between VPC subnets and Azure Virtual Network?
AWS: Free. Azure: Free. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03); AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01) [retiring]; Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104); Microsoft Certified – Azure Network Engineer Associate (AZ-700).