AWS Config vs Azure Resource Graph vs Google Cloud Asset Inventory
Overview
Cloud environments rapidly evolve, with resources constantly being created, modified, or removed. Ensuring compliance, auditing configurations, and understanding resource relationships are crucial for governance. AWS Config, Azure Resource Graph, and Google Cloud Asset Inventory each provide mechanisms to record, query, and evaluate the state of cloud resources.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | AWS Config | Azure Resource Graph | Google Cloud Asset Inventory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resource Inventory | Yes (continuous tracking) | Yes (on-demand via Kusto queries) | Yes (point-in-time and history export) |
| Configuration History | Yes (detailed versioning) | No direct versioning, inferred via snapshots | Yes (history enabled with export) |
| Rule-Based Compliance Evaluation | Yes (Config Rules / Conformance Packs) | No built-in; via Azure Policy | Limited (via CAI & Cloud Asset Search API) |
| Multi-Region & Multi-Account | Yes (via Aggregators) | Yes (scoped to subscriptions/management grp) | Yes (across org/folders/projects) |
| On-Prem Integration | Yes (via AWS Systems Manager) | Yes (via Azure Arc) | No native, limited third-party options |
| Integration with Logging | CloudTrail, CloudWatch Logs, SNS | Azure Activity Log, Log Analytics | Audit Logs via Cloud Logging |
| Notification/Alerting Support | Yes (SNS, EventBridge, Lambda) | Yes (Action Groups, Event Grid) | Limited direct alerting |
| Retention Policy Support | Configurable (up to 7 years in S3) | Query-based snapshots, Log Analytics stores | Manual GCS export with user-defined policy |
| Pricing Model | Per recorded configuration item | Free for basic queries, Log Analytics billed | Free up to quotas, export/storage charged |
Technical Integration Details
AWS Config
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Setup: Requires enabling per-region, per-account basis.
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S3 Integration: Configuration snapshots, changes, and compliance results are stored in Amazon S3 for retention and archival.
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Flow Logs Integration: AWS Config rules can evaluate VPC Flow Logs (via Lambda or EventBridge).
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Aggregation: Aggregators consolidate multi-account and multi-region data.
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Custom Rules: Written in Lambda for complex compliance logic.
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Retention: Supports configurable retention up to 7 years; historical data can be analyzed using Athena.
Azure Resource Graph
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Kusto Query Language (KQL): Enables powerful resource-level queries across subscriptions.
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No direct history tracking, but when used with Azure Policy, Azure Monitor Logs, and Activity Logs, users can approximate configuration drift.
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Integration with Azure Monitor & Sentinel: Allows real-time alerting and analytics.
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Arc-enabled Resources: Allows on-premise resources to be inventoried and queried.
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Limitations: Not intended for compliance auditing or point-in-time state.
Google Cloud Asset Inventory (CAI)
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Snapshot Export: Captures point-in-time state of all assets.
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Historical View: Enabled via Cloud Storage exports and BigQuery analysis.
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No native compliance rules, but integration with Cloud Functions and Security Command Center is possible.
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Cloud Logging Integration: Exports changes and audit logs to Cloud Logging.
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Gaps: Less native automation for compliance or resource relationship validation.
Flow Log & Monitoring Integration
| Feature | AWS Config | Azure Resource Graph | GCP Asset Inventory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flow Log Support | Indirect (via Lambda rule evaluation) | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Cloud Monitoring Integration | CloudWatch, EventBridge | Azure Monitor, Sentinel | Cloud Logging, SCC |
| Rule Evaluation Metrics | Built-in compliance and drift metrics | None | None |
| Custom Metric Rules | Supported via Lambda + CloudWatch | Via Azure Policy & Alerts | Via custom logic and GCF |
Integration Scenarios & Challenges
Hybrid/On-Prem Integration
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AWS Config: Supports Systems Manager agents on on-prem servers.
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Azure: Azure Arc allows full visibility into on-prem infrastructure.
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GCP: No native hybrid integration; manual tagging and imports required.
Multi-Cloud Inventory
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Challenge: No single tool supports cross-cloud inventory natively.
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Solution: Use 3rd-party tools like ServiceNow, Wiz, or Terraform Cloud.
Compliance & Governance
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AWS leads with Config Rules, while Azure depends on Policy + Graph, and GCP relies on IAM analysis + Logging.
Security & Audit Considerations
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AWS:
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Data encrypted in S3 using KMS.
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IAM roles tightly scoped for Config.
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Integration with Macie, Security Hub, and CloudTrail.
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Azure:
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Queries scoped to roles.
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Activity logs protected by RBAC.
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Uses Key Vault for secure export credentials.
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GCP:
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IAM scoped for CAI access.
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Logging and export require audit trail management.
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No default encryption for asset exports unless configured.
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Summary
| Use Case | Best Choice |
|---|---|
| Detailed config history & compliance | AWS Config |
| Fast resource querying at scale | Azure Resource Graph |
| Snapshot-based inventory & exports | Google Cloud CAI |
| On-prem hybrid governance | Azure with Arc |
| Long-term retention and compliance | AWS Config (S3) |
Final Thoughts
While all three tools serve cloud governance purposes, AWS Config stands out for deep configuration history, compliance auditing, and on-prem integration. Azure Resource Graph is optimal for fast, cross-subscription queries but lacks historical depth. Google CAI is ideal for snapshot-based insights and big data-style historical analysis.
For organizations with complex compliance needs or multi-cloud/hybrid environments, these tools must often be combined with SIEM platforms, asset management tools, or configuration management systems for complete coverage.
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Disclaimer
This article is independently developed and not affiliated with or endorsed by Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP). All service names, prices, and descriptions are based on publicly available sources as of June 2025 and may change.
