In the rapidly evolving landscape of cloud computing, Microsoft has unveiled a groundbreaking innovation that promises to redefine virtual machine performance and security: Azure Boost. This revolutionary system represents a fundamental shift in how cloud infrastructure operates, offloading critical server virtualization processes from traditional hypervisors to purpose-built hardware and software solutions.
What is Azure Boost?
Azure Boost is Microsoft’s cutting-edge system designed to enhance cloud performance by strategically offloading server virtualization processes that were traditionally handled by the hypervisor and host operating system. By transferring these operations to specialized hardware and software components, Azure Boost liberates valuable CPU resources for guest virtual machines, resulting in dramatically improved performance across the board.
Beyond performance gains, Azure Boost establishes a robust security foundation for cloud workloads through Microsoft’s proprietary hardware and software systems, creating a trusted environment that protects virtual machines from potential threats.
Core Benefits of Azure Boost
Azure Boost delivers transformative improvements across four critical areas:
1. Advanced Networking Capabilities
The networking enhancements in Azure Boost are nothing short of revolutionary. The system incorporates a comprehensive suite of software and hardware networking solutions that deliver exceptional performance gains:
- Ultra-High Bandwidth: Achieve up to 200 Gbps network bandwidth, with future increases planned
- Microsoft Azure Network Adapter (MANA): A custom-built network interface card featuring the latest hardware acceleration technologies
- Enhanced Reliability: Active/active network connections to Top of Rack (ToR) switches ensure maximum uptime and performance
- DPDK Support: Native support for Data Plane Development Kit on Linux VMs
- Future-Proof Design: Consistent driver interfaces protect against disruption during hardware upgrades
2. Superior Storage Performance
Azure Boost revolutionizes storage operations by offloading processing tasks to dedicated FPGA hardware, delivering industry-leading efficiency and performance:
Remote Storage Performance:
- Up to 14 GBps throughput
- 750,000 IOPS capacity
- Reduced latency and jitter for improved workload performance
Local Storage Performance:
- Up to 36 GBps throughput
- 6.6 million IOPS capability
- Hardware-accelerated encryption at rest
- Minimal jitter for NVMe local disks
3. Comprehensive Security Framework
Security remains paramount in Azure Boost’s design, incorporating multiple layers of protection:
- Hardware Root of Trust: Cerberus chip provides independent security validation with NIST 800-193 certification
- Attestation Services: Ensures only trusted firmware and software can execute on Azure Boost architecture
- Code Integrity: Multiple defense layers with ubiquitous code integrity verification
- Security Enhanced Linux (SELinux): Enforces principle of least privilege across all system components
- Rust Memory Safety: Primary development language for new code, ensuring memory safety without performance compromise
- FIPS Certification: FIPS 140 certified system kernel for robust cryptographic module validation
4. Enhanced Performance Optimization
By offloading essential background tasks to dedicated hardware, Azure Boost frees up CPU resources for guest virtual machines:
- Reduced Hypervisor Overhead: Minimizes the computational burden on host systems
- Improved Large VM Performance: Particularly beneficial for workloads that utilize significant host resources
- Dedicated Host Optimization: Enables running additional small VMs or increasing existing VM sizes on single hosts
- Cost Efficiency: Potential for workload consolidation into fewer or smaller VMs
Current Availability and VM Support
Azure Boost is currently available across numerous VM size families, spanning various workload types:
Memory Optimized VMs: Including Easv6, Eadsv6, Epdsv6, Epsv6, Ev5, Esv6, Esv5, and many others General Purpose VMs: Featuring Dsv6, Dldsv6, Ddsv6, Dasv6, Dalsv6, Dv5, Dsv5, and additional series Specialized Workloads: Supporting GPU/AI optimized (Nvadsv5), Storage Optimized (Lsv3), High Performance Compute (HX, HBv4), and Compute Optimized (Fasv6, Falsv6, Famsv6) series
Microsoft has committed that every new Azure virtual machine series will benefit from Azure Boost technologies, ensuring that future deployments automatically inherit these performance and security enhancements.
Real-World Impact and Benefits
Azure Boost delivers three primary advantages for cloud customers:
1. Networking and Maintenance Improvements
Azure Boost significantly reduces the impact of platform maintenance activities on customer workloads. The system’s architecture allows for hardware and software updates with minimal disruption:
- Networking updates: Less than one second of impact
- System-level updates: Less than three seconds in most cases
- Dual top-of-rack topology: Enables infrastructure maintenance without measurable impact on customer workloads
2. Storage Acceleration Achievements
The storage performance improvements are substantial and measurable:
- Azure Managed Disks: Demonstrated throughput of up to 12.5 GB/s and 650,000 IOPS
- Local SSDs: Enhanced performance delivering up to 3.8 million IOPS and 17.2 GB/s throughput
- Advanced Features: Including SSD live migration and hardware-accelerated encryption at rest
3. Security Innovation
Azure Boost introduces groundbreaking security architecture that isolates customer VMs from the network and vice versa:
- Independent Hardware Root of Trust: Cerberus fulfills NIST 800-193 certification requirements
- Dedicated System on Chip (SoC): Linux-based system for secure management operations
- Configurable FPGA: Programmable network and storage acceleration with built-in security
The Future of Cloud Computing
Azure Boost represents more than just a performance upgrade; it embodies Microsoft’s vision for the future of cloud computing. By combining purpose-built hardware with intelligent software optimization, Azure Boost creates a foundation that can adapt and evolve with changing technological demands.
The system’s architecture supports continuous improvement through its programmable FPGA components, enabling Microsoft to deliver ongoing enhancements to customers without requiring hardware replacements. This approach ensures that Azure remains at the forefront of cloud innovation while providing customers with consistent, reliable performance improvements.
Getting Started with Azure Boost
Organizations looking to leverage Azure Boost can begin immediately by provisioning any of the supported VM sizes. The benefits are automatically available without requiring special configuration or additional setup steps. Whether deploying general-purpose compute workloads or specialized AI clusters, Azure Boost delivers enhanced performance, security, and reliability.
As Microsoft continues to expand Azure Boost availability across all new VM series, customers can expect even greater performance gains and security enhancements in their cloud deployments. The future of cloud computing is here, and it’s powered by Azure Boost.
Conclusion
Microsoft Azure Boost represents a paradigm shift in cloud infrastructure design, offering unprecedented performance improvements, enhanced security, and superior reliability. By offloading critical virtualization processes to purpose-built hardware, Azure Boost not only improves current workload performance but also establishes a foundation for future cloud innovations.
For organizations seeking to maximize their cloud investment while maintaining the highest levels of security and performance, Azure Boost provides the competitive advantage needed to succeed in today’s digital landscape. The technology is available now across multiple VM families, with continued expansion planned for all future Azure virtual machine series.
Experience the power of Azure Boost today and discover how purpose-built hardware acceleration can transform your cloud workloads.
