Azure Beginner to Hero

Summary of Azure's 6th Generation Intel-based VMs Azure has announced the general availability of its 6th generation Intel-based virtual machines, specifically the Dv6 and Ev6 series. These VMs are powered by the 5th Generation Intel Xeon Platinum processors, offering enhanced performance and scalability for various workloads. Key Features and Specifications Dv6 Series : Offers a balance of CPU to memory performance with scalability up to 128 vCPUs and 512 GiB of RAM. This series includes the Dlv6 and Dv6 models, both providing increased CPU cache size, higher memory bandwidth, and faster storage options[1][2]. Ev6 Series : Ideal for memory-intensive workloads, offering up to 192 vCPUs and over 1.8 TiB of RAM. These VMs are suitable for applications like relational databases, data warehousing, and in-memory analytics[2][4]. Processor Technology These VMs utilize the 5th Generation Intel Xeon Platinum processors, specifically the 8537C (Emerald Rapids) processor for the Dv6...

Introduction to 6th Generation Intel-based VMs Azure has announced the general availability of the 6th generation Intel-based virtual machines, specifically the Dv6 and Ev6 series. These VMs are powered by the 5th Generation Intel Xeon Platinum processor, providing enhanced performance and scalability. Key Features and Specifications Processors : The new VMs are based on the Intel Xeon Platinum 8537C (Emerald Rapids) processor, which is associated with the 5th generation in the context of new VM series support[5]. CPU and Memory Scalability : The Dv6 series offers up to 128 vCPUs and 512 GiB of RAM, making it suitable for general-purpose workloads[3]. In contrast, the Ev6 series provides even higher scalability with up to 192 vCPUs and more than 1.8 TiB of RAM, ideal for memory-intensive applications[3]. Storage Options : Both series offer VMs with and without local disk storage. Users can attach remote persistent disks like Premium Disk v1, Premium Disk v2, or Ultra Disks to th...

Modernization Advisor for SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines The Modernization Advisor for SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines is a tool currently in public preview that aids in modernizing SQL Server workloads by transitioning them to a fully managed PaaS environment, specifically Azure SQL Managed Instance. This tool is designed to assist users in migrating from SQL Server on Azure VMs to Azure SQL Managed Instance, which can provide cost savings, performance optimization, and simplified management. Key Features of Modernization Advisor Cost Optimization : It helps assess whether Azure SQL Managed Instance is a more cost-effective option compared to SQL Server on Azure VMs[1][2]. Performance Optimization : The tool evaluates your current SQL Server configuration and provides insights on how to improve performance by migrating to Azure SQL Managed Instance[1][3]. Configuration Matching : It matches your SQL Server VM configuration with a suitable Azure SQL Managed Instance c...

Introduction to Azure Compute Fleet Azure Compute Fleet is a feature designed to simplify and optimize large-scale virtual machine (VM) deployments. It provides accelerated access to Azure's capacity in a given region, allowing users to deploy and manage thousands of VMs efficiently[1][2]. Key Features and Capabilities Scalability and Deployment : Azure Compute Fleet can deploy up to 10,000 VMs in a single API call, combining Spot and Standard VMs. This scalability is beneficial for dynamic applications or large-scale workloads[3][5]. Cost Optimization : Compute Fleet offers superior price-performance ratios by utilizing a mix of pricing models, including Reserved Instances, Savings Plans, Spot Instances, and pay-as-you-go options[1][5]. Flexibility in VM Sizes : Users can mix up to 15 different VM sizes and families within a single fleet, tailoring deployments to specific workload needs[3]. Simplified Management : The "Fire & Forget-it" model automates the de...

Azure Container Storage is a cloud-based volume management, deployment and orchestration service and works with Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) to effectively scale across storage services while providing a cost-effective, container-native experience. Cus

Azure Compute Fleet is now generally available in all regions. Azure Compute Fleet allows users to easily obtain large amounts of compute capacity algorithmically mixing and matching a variety of available and VM sizes suitable to a user's workload, up to

You can now develop functions using Python 3.12 locally and deploy them to all Azure Functions plans. Python 3.12 builds on the performance enhancements that were first released with Python 3.11 and adds several performance and language readability featu

Today, you can control an AKS cluster's egress traffic using Azure Firewall. While this configuration is intended to isolate the cluster to protect sensitive business or customer data, it adds an additional layer of management complexity and cost. AKS n

We are excited to announce the general availability of instance mix, a new feature designed to optimize your Virtual Machine Scale Set deployments. Instance mix allows you to specify multiple VM sizes within a single Virtual Machine Scale Set, providing