2025-11-03 – Weekly Cloud Computing News : Azure vs. AWS: Who shipped workflows first?

Last week in our cloud computing community, members engaged in lively discussions about the future of job roles, with a spotlight on what’s expected from founding engineers in the cloud space. There was also a spirited debate on whether Azure or AWS first introduced workflows, highlighting the competitive landscape of cloud services. Members shared strategies for maintaining performance, specifically keeping p95 latency under 200 ms, showing a keen interest in optimizing cloud applications. Additionally, the pressures of 24/7 on-call rotations were examined, reflecting on work-life balance in the tech industry.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Weekly Cloud Computing Jobs: Founding Engineer
A pivotal discussion for those eyeing the role of a founding engineer in cloud computing, this thread sheds light on the expectations and skills required in this evolving field.
Read more here

Who shipped workflows first: Azure or AWS
An engaging debate that delves into the history of cloud services, exploring which giant—Azure or AWS—was first to roll out workflows. It’s a journey into cloud evolution worth following.
Read more here

Keeping p95 under 200 ms
A technical thread where members exchange tips on maintaining low latency in cloud applications, focusing on practical solutions to keep p95 performance metrics optimal.
Read more here

Are 24/7 on-call rotations now expected
This conversation reflects on the demanding nature of cloud positions today and questions the norm of 24/7 availability, sparking discussions on work-life balance.
Read more here

FAQ/Guidelines
A handy resource for both new and seasoned members, this thread provides essential guidelines for navigating our community efficiently.
Read more here

Admin Guide: Getting Started
For admins, this guide offers a step-by-step walkthrough to streamline the onboarding process and manage community interactions effectively.
Read more here

Thinking About a Career in Cloud Computing?
A must-read for those contemplating a career shift, this thread covers what you need to know before diving into the cloud computing field.
Read more here

How Did You Start Your Cloud Computing Career?
Members share personal stories and advice on breaking into the cloud computing industry, offering inspiration and guidance for newcomers.
Read more here

What Are the Core Skills Needed for Cloud Computing?
This discussion focuses on identifying the essential skills needed for success in cloud computing, providing a roadmap for professional development.
Read more here

Who Was the First Company to Offer Cloud Computing Services?
A historical exploration into cloud computing’s origins, this thread satisfies the curiosity surrounding the pioneers of cloud services.
Read more here


Looking forward to another week of valuable exchanges on the forum. Keep the discussions thoughtful and constructive.

If by ‘workflows’ you mean managed orchestration, AWS was first with SWF (2012), but for serverless orchestrators Azure Logic Apps hit GA a bit before AWS Step Functions in 2016. Could we scope the comparison and pin the GA dates so we’re not arguing apples-to-Lambdas? Either way, founders should choose the option with native retries and compensation steps built.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​⁠‌‍⁠​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍​⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠​​‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌​⁠​‌‍⁠‌‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍‌‌⁠⁠​‍⁠‌​⁠​‌‌‌​⁠‌‍‍‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌⁠​⁠‍‌‌​⁠‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌