Introducing Azure Cobalt 100 VMs: Performance and Efficiency Redefined

In a significant development for cloud computing, Microsoft has announced the general availability of its latest Azure Cobalt 100-based Virtual Machines (VMs), which are built on Azure's first fully custom Arm-based CPU, the Cobalt 100. This new generation of virtual machines marks a milestone in Microsoft's continuous efforts to optimize and enhance its cloud infrastructure.

What Makes Cobalt 100 VMs Stand Out?​

These Azure VMs showcase a comprehensive approach to cloud infrastructure, integrating various technology layers from silicon to services. The Cobalt 100 CPU is designed to deliver impressive performance enhancements and energy efficiency, thus embodying the best of vertical integration whereby hardware and software are custom-tailored for optimal performance.

Performance Metrics​

The Cobalt 100-based VMs include several series tailored for different workloads:

• General Purpose: Dpsv6-series and Dplsv6-series
• Memory-Optimized: Epsv6-series

Notably, these VMs promise up to 50% better price performance compared to their predecessors in the Arm-based VM category. Specific performance benchmarks reveal:

• Up to 1.4 times CPU performance improvement
• Up to 1.5 times better performance for Java-based workloads
• A whopping 2 times performance increase for web servers, .NET applications, and in-memory caches

Additionally, the VMs support 4 times local storage IOPS (using NVMe) and 1.5 times increased network bandwidth relative to previous Arm-based offerings.

Expanding Global Availability​

Microsoft has rolled out these VMs across numerous regions, including North America, Europe, and Asia, with plans to further expand availability into Australia and South America in 2024. This broad geographical coverage is crucial for enterprises looking to leverage Azure for responsive and reliable cloud solutions, regardless of location.

Customer Use Cases and Adoption​

During the preview period, several organizations tested the Cobalt 100 VMs with promising outcomes:

• Microsoft Teams’ IC3 Platform: Achieved a remarkable 45% performance improvement.
• Databricks: Transitioning to Cobalt 100 as the primary platform for its SQL Serverless functions due to efficiency gains.
• Elastic and Rescale: Reported performance hikes of up to 37% and 40%, respectively, using the new VMs.

These partnerships illustrate how the Cobalt 100 is fostering innovation across industries, providing enhanced throughput and enabling advanced capabilities for big data, AI, and beyond.

Technical Collaborations​

The development of the Cobalt 100 architecture involved extensive collaboration with technology partners like Cadence, Elastic, Siemens EDA, and Canonical. These partnerships not only enhance performance metrics but also underscore the importance of community-driven innovation in the cloud space.
For instance, Ubuntu has been optimized for the Cobalt 100 VMs, ensuring users can easily adopt this new architecture with existing tools and applications. GitHub Actions now supports CI/CD workflows for Arm, enabling developers to leverage these VMs effectively.

Considerations for Developers​

The new VMs come equipped for various workloads, including:

• Data analytics
• Web and application servers
• Open source databases

Developers can choose from VM configurations tailored for different workload needs, with options for local storage types like Standard and Ultra Disk, ensuring flexibility in deployment.

Pricing Model​

Microsoft is also introducing pricing strategies to enhance customer accessibility. Options like Reserved Instances can help enterprises save up to 15% on specific Linux VM instances for a limited time. This approach aims to foster long-term commitments and predictability in budget forecasting.

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Conclusion​

The launch of Azure Cobalt 100-based Virtual Machines heralds a new era in cloud-native computing, emphasizing efficiency and powerful performance. With the right blend of technology and strategic partnerships, Microsoft continues to pave the way for advanced computational solutions. As users navigate this innovation, opportunities to enhance operational agility and performance are abundant.
Join the conversation—how can your business leverage the power of the Cobalt 100 VMs? Share your thoughts and experiences in the forum!
Source: Microsoft Azure Azure Cobalt 100-based Virtual Machines are now generally available