Dell APEX vs Public Cloud
Dell APEX
Public Cloud (AWS/Azure)
This isn't a hardware-versus-hyperscaler face-off so much as a question of where workloads should live and how you want to pay for them. Dell APEX brings a cloud-like, pay-as-you-go consumption model to infrastructure you control, whether that sits in your own data center, a colo, or even running as Dell-engineered software inside AWS and Azure. Public cloud from AWS or Azure gives you instant, global, fully managed elasticity with no hardware to own. Most enterprises end up using both, so the real decision is which workloads belong where, and that usually comes down to data gravity, cost predictability, latency, control, and compliance.
Side by side
| Dell APEX | Public Cloud (AWS/Azure) | |
|---|---|---|
| Core model | As-a-service infrastructure (compute, storage, full platforms) with pay-per-use consumption, deployed on-premises, in colo, or as Dell software running inside a hyperscaler | Fully managed, multi-tenant cloud services consumed on demand over the internet, with no customer-owned hardware |
| Where it runs | Customer-controlled location by default: your data center or colo, with optional APEX storage software (Block, File, protection) extending into AWS and Azure | Provider-operated global regions and availability zones; you choose regions but not the underlying facilities |
| Cost structure | Subscription with a committed baseline plus pay-per-use above it; more predictable monthly spend, capacity buffers billed whether or not fully used | Granular pay-as-you-go with no commitment required; highly flexible but variable, and bills can spike with usage, egress, and sprawl |
| Data egress / transfer | No hyperscaler egress fees for data that stays on customer-controlled APEX infrastructure; a strong fit for data-gravity-heavy workloads | Egress and inter-region/inter-cloud data transfer is metered and can become a significant, recurring cost at scale |
| Who manages it | Dell handles hardware lifecycle, monitoring, and support; you retain control of the stack and data. APEX Navigator adds SaaS-based management across clouds | Provider manages all underlying infrastructure and many higher-level services; you manage your configurations, security posture, and spend |
| Elasticity & scale | Scales within provisioned/committed capacity quickly; large step-changes in demand involve provisioning lead time versus instant cloud bursting | Near-instant, virtually unlimited elastic scale-up and scale-down, ideal for spiky, unpredictable, or globally distributed demand |
| Control, compliance & data residency | High control over data location, residency, and security boundary; appealing for regulated, sovereignty-sensitive, or latency-critical workloads | Broad compliance certifications and regional options, but data sits on shared, provider-operated infrastructure under a shared-responsibility model |
| Ecosystem & services | Enterprise infrastructure plus validated platforms (e.g. APEX Cloud Platform for Azure, Red Hat OpenShift, VMware) and consistent Dell tooling on-prem and in-cloud | Vast catalog of native managed services (databases, AI/ML, analytics, serverless, networking) that are hard to replicate on-prem |
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Dell APEX
Public Cloud (AWS/Azure)
Choose Dell APEX when control, predictability, and data gravity dominate
Dell APEX is the stronger fit when workloads need to stay close to where data lives, when latency or data residency rules matter, or when steady-state capacity makes ownership cheaper than metered cloud over time. It gives a cloud-like consumption model without unpredictable egress charges or runaway bills, while keeping data inside a customer-controlled security boundary. It suits regulated industries, large datasets that are expensive to move, repatriation of workloads that proved costly in public cloud, and teams that want Dell to own the hardware lifecycle while they keep control of the stack.
Choose public cloud when elasticity, reach, and native services lead
AWS and Azure win when demand is spiky or unpredictable, when you need to spin up globally in minutes, or when you want to lean on a deep catalog of managed services like serverless, managed databases, and AI/ML without operating any infrastructure. They are ideal for net-new cloud-native apps, dev/test that scales to zero, seasonal bursts, and reaching users across many regions. The pay-as-you-go model with no hardware commitment lowers the barrier to start, as long as the team actively governs spend, egress, and resource sprawl.
For most buyers this is not either/or, and that is the most useful thing a reseller can say. Dell APEX shines for predictable, data-heavy, control-sensitive, or latency-critical workloads where ownership economics and avoiding egress fees pay off, while public cloud shines for elastic, bursty, globally distributed, or service-rich workloads. APEX's storage and platform software can even run inside AWS and Azure, so the conversation is rarely about replacing the cloud and more about placing each workload where it runs best and costs least. Lead with a workload-by-workload TCO and data-gravity assessment rather than a blanket recommendation.
Talk to a specialistFrequently asked
Is Dell APEX just on-premises hardware, or can it run in the public cloud too?
Both. APEX delivers as-a-service infrastructure and validated platforms in your data center or colo, but it also includes software-defined offerings such as APEX Block Storage and File Storage that run inside AWS and Azure, plus APEX Navigator SaaS tooling to manage storage across clouds. So APEX can be the on-prem anchor and also extend your enterprise data services into the hyperscalers.
Does Dell APEX help avoid public cloud egress fees?
For data that stays on customer-controlled APEX infrastructure, there are no hyperscaler egress charges, which is a meaningful advantage for backup, disaster recovery, and large datasets that would otherwise incur recurring transfer costs. Note that when you deliberately run APEX storage software inside a hyperscaler, that cloud provider's own egress and transfer pricing still applies to data leaving it.
How should I advise a customer choosing between the two?
Frame it as workload placement, not a single platform choice. Map each workload against data gravity, latency and residency requirements, how predictable its demand is, and a true multi-year TCO including egress and management. Steady, control-sensitive, data-heavy workloads often favor APEX, while elastic, bursty, or service-rich workloads favor AWS or Azure, and most customers land on a hybrid mix that APEX is designed to span.
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