Skip to main content

Google App Engine Body-Slams Amazon Web Services

I love it.image

Google makes a strong move into the scalable web services arena with the introduction of Google App Engine. Features include:

  • Dynamic webserving, with full support of common web technologies
  • Persistent storage (powered by Bigtable and GFS with queries, sorting, and transactions)
  • Automatic scaling and load balancing
  • Google APIs for authenticating users and sending email
  • Fully featured local development environment

I had the chance to run through the Google App Engine documentation last night. It's very well done (especially since it is just a Preview Release).

Yeah, it's all Python, but there's nothing wrong with that - Python Rocks.

Yeah, they want you to use Django, but there's nothing wrong with that. Django Rocks. And, if you don't think so, just upload any Pure Python framework and roll your own. It's easy.

But, how does it compare to Amazon EC2 + S3 + SimpleDB?

It's completely different.

Google App Engine is a much, much higher level toolkit and abstraction layer. Here's how I think about it:

Amazon Web Services gives you the logs and asks you to build yourself a cabin. Amazon Web Services lets you change that cabin into a chateaux or a lodge, but you've got to wield the hammer.

Google App Engine gives you a log cabin and asks you to move in, invite your friends, and start to party. When the party gets too big, Google App Engine builds you a bigger cabin, chateaux, or lodge. You keep partying.

I believe the simplest approach wins.

I love the Amazon Web Services guys (and have written many articles about what they are up to). I'm a big fan. The fact is that Google App Engine is severely limited in what it can and cannot do. They sky's the limit with Amazon Web Services, however. AWS pretty much does whatever you want. Just write some code.

Google App Engine will be wildly successful because it makes building and serving a scalable web site super simple (if you know Python).

There is a place for both tools, but Google App Engine will see so much more variety of services.

I added my name to the invite list... Pick me. Pick me. Pick me.

Comments

  1. [...] Lock-In" has been a major concern for folks getting their first look at Google App Engine. I commented on exactly that point in one of the responses to my earlier post. My feeling was that the framework would be largely [...]

    ReplyDelete
  2. [...] Google App Engine was release with native support for pure Python web applications. It’s now really easy to write and deploy Python applications that are extremely scalable on top of a solid (and portable)  infrastructure. [...]

    ReplyDelete
  3. [...] basically a REST interface to the Google BigTable database service that is included with Google App Engine. This is simple, yet powerful stuff. And, this is just another example - see my earlier post on [...]

    ReplyDelete
  4. i think the cloud computing concept also rocking these days, as google doc is its form too.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kernel-based Virtual Machine hits Linux

Many congratulations to my good friend Moshe Bar and his team over at (stealth-mode startup) Qumranet . Techworld reports that the KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) project has been accepted into the 2.6.20 version of the Linux kernel distribution. KVM is an Open Source kernel driver that basically allows a Linux kernel to host virtual machines, as plain old Linux processes, that can run Linux or Windows (or other x86-based operating systems). It runs only on hardware that support Intel's VT instruction set (which is fine) and will soon support the AMD-V instruction set as well. This is cool for a number of reasons. It's Open Source, released under the GPL. It basically turns the Linux that we all know and love into a "hypervisor". Linux-as-hypervisor makes sense because Linux already knows how to manage devices, memory, processes, multi-cores, etc. VMware ESX is, essentially, a "hypervisor" - a small kernel, built on Linux as it turns out, that

Bill Coleman Joins 3tera Advisory Board

I think this move surprised a number of people, since Bill recently wrapped up Cassatt Corproation, getting the technology and people  acquired by Computer Associates . However, I was not surprised at all. The announcement, via  3tera Welcomes Bill Coleman : You may or may not have seen the recent press realease.  Bill Coleman, IT/Silicon Valley luminary, Founder and CEO of BEA Systems, has joined 3Tera’s Advisory Board. Yes, this alone is a great testimonial to what we have accomplished in our field.  Getting dignitaries such as Bill does not come easy.  But here’s the best part - this has a lot more than just marquee value and I doubt that Bill would have joined us if that was the case.  Bill, especially since his most recent stint as Founder and CEO of Cassatt Systems, is an extremely knowledgeable visionary in the area of utility and Cloud Computing; and, data center automation. So, Bill will be extremely valuable, reviewing and tweaking both our business plans and techno

Big In Japan Open Sources Their Ruby On Rails Tools

The kind folks over at Big In Japan have graciously decided to Open Source the code they used to build their demo web sites . It's all Ruby on Rails code, and it's being released with a GPL license. The code trees being made available include: elfURL ~ URL Shortner FeedVault ~ OPML file storage FrankenFeed ~ RSS feed merger InstantFeed ~ RSS feeds via email QwikPing ~ Ping Server SocialMail ~ RSS via email Very cool. I just love the Open Source community . I have actually been writing some code of late, and it's great to have some reference code to check out. Not sure if I'm going to go with Ruby on Rails yet, however. And, for the record. I have no idea if this is big in Japan. Tags: Open Source , GPL , Ruby On Rails , Big In Japan , Brian Berliner , brianberliner