Azure Update - 21st February 2025

Key insights

• Azure VM Updates: Azure has introduced the Dv6 and Ev6 VM series, featuring 5th Gen Intel Xeon CPUs. These VMs offer improved performance with up to 128 vCPUs for Dv6 and 192 vCPUs for Ev6, along with enhanced storage throughput and networking capabilities.


• NVMe Storage & I/O: Both VM series provide NVMe storage interfaces, offering low-latency and high-speed disk access. Local SSD performance is significantly improved, supporting more IOPS and larger ephemeral disks compared to previous generations.


• Security Features: The new VMs include Intel Total Memory Encryption (TME) for hardware-level RAM encryption, enhancing security. Dv6 instances are suitable for general-purpose workloads, while Ev6 targets data-intensive applications with higher memory requirements.


• Azure Migrate Premium SSD v2: Azure Migrate now supports migrating to Premium SSD v2 disks in public preview. These disks offer high IOPS and throughput, ideal for mission-critical applications requiring consistent performance.


• Scalability & Reliability: Premium SSD v2 disks allow independent scaling of storage performance from size, ensuring reliability under heavy load. They offer flexible IOPS/throughput adjustments at competitive pricing.


• ACS Integration with Prometheus: Azure Container Storage integrates with Azure Monitor managed Prometheus in public preview, enhancing observability for cloud-native volume management in AKS environments.

Introduction

John Savill, a recognized Microsoft MVP, has released a new YouTube video update on February 21, 2025, detailing the latest developments in Azure technologies. This update covers a range of topics from new virtual machine series to advancements in Azure Migrate and container storage solutions. As Azure continues to evolve, these updates provide valuable insights into how businesses can leverage new technologies for better performance and efficiency. In this article, we will explore the key highlights of this update, discussing the tradeoffs and challenges associated with each development.

New Virtual Machine Series: Dv6 and Ev6

Azure has introduced two new virtual machine series: Dv6 and Ev6. These VMs are powered by 5th Gen Intel Xeon “Emerald Rapids” CPUs and come with Azure's latest platform enhancements.

• Higher Specs & Performance: The Dv6 series can scale up to 128 vCPUs and 512 GiB RAM, while the Ev6 series supports up to 192 vCPUs and 1.8 TiB RAM. These specifications deliver a 15–30% increase in CPU performance compared to the previous Dv5/Ev5 generation. Additionally, the new Azure Boost technology enables up to 400K IOPS and 12 GB/s storage throughput, along with 200 Gbps networking on the largest sizes.
• NVMe Storage & Faster I/O: Both series offer an NVMe interface for storage, providing low-latency, high-speed disk access. Local SSD performance is improved, offering 3× more IOPS and larger ephemeral disks with 46% more capacity than the prior generation.
• Security and Use Cases: The VMs include Intel Total Memory Encryption (TME), providing hardware-level encryption of RAM for enhanced security. Dv6 instances are suitable for general-purpose workloads like web apps and enterprise apps, while Ev6 instances target large in-memory databases and data-intensive applications.

The introduction of these new VM series offers businesses significant performance gains without increased costs, as they are priced similarly to previous generations. However, adopting these new VMs may require careful planning to ensure compatibility with existing systems and workloads.

Azure Migrate Premium SSD v2 Support

Azure Migrate now supports targeting Premium SSD v2 disks, offering several benefits for migrated applications.

• Higher Performance: Premium SSD v2 disks provide extremely high IOPS and throughput, making them ideal for mission-critical applications. They offer significantly improved performance over earlier disk generations and can be tuned to needed performance levels.
• Scalability & Reliability: These disks are designed to scale storage performance independently of size and offer better reliability under heavy load. They come with built-in flexibility, allowing adjustments to IOPS and throughput, and are competitively priced.
• Seamless Migration Experience: Azure Migrate will automatically recommend Premium SSD v2 as the target disk type during assessments if the source workload could benefit. The migration process remains straightforward, ensuring businesses can easily adopt the newer disks.

While Premium SSD v2 offers enhanced performance and flexibility, businesses must consider the compatibility of their existing applications with these new disks. Additionally, understanding the pricing structure and potential cost implications is crucial for effective budgeting.

Azure Container Storage Integration with Prometheus

Azure Container Storage (ACS) now integrates with Azure Monitor managed Prometheus, enhancing observability for AKS environments.

• Improved Observability: The integration allows users to leverage Prometheus for monitoring ACS, providing better insights into container storage performance and health.
• Cloud-Native Volume Management: ACS offers cloud-native volume management for AKS, simplifying storage management and improving efficiency.

This integration represents a significant step forward in container storage management, offering users enhanced visibility into their AKS environments. However, organizations must ensure they have the necessary expertise to effectively utilize Prometheus for monitoring purposes.

Windows Server Management by Arc

Azure Arc now offers enhanced capabilities for managing Windows Server environments, providing a unified management experience across on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge environments.

• Unified Management: Azure Arc enables centralized management of Windows Servers, simplifying operations and reducing administrative overhead.
• Flexibility and Scalability: Organizations can manage their Windows Server environments flexibly, whether they are on-premises or in the cloud.

While Azure Arc offers significant benefits for Windows Server management, organizations must consider the complexity of integrating Arc into their existing infrastructure. Additionally, training staff to effectively utilize Arc's capabilities is essential for maximizing its potential.

Conclusion

John Savill's latest Azure update video provides valuable insights into the ongoing advancements in Azure technologies. From new virtual machine series to enhanced storage solutions and improved management capabilities, these developments offer businesses numerous opportunities to enhance performance and efficiency. However, as with any technological advancement, careful consideration of compatibility, costs, and implementation challenges is essential for successful adoption. By staying informed about these updates, businesses can make informed decisions and leverage Azure's capabilities to drive innovation and growth.

Keywords

Azure Update February 2025 Azure News Cloud Computing Microsoft Azure Features Azure Services Latest Updates Tech Innovations IT Solutions