Boosting Performance with the Latest Generations of Virtual Machines in Azure
Microsoft Azure recently announced the availability of the new generation of VMs (v6)—including the Dl/Dv6 (general purpose) and El/Ev6 (memory-optimized) series. These VMs are powered by the latest Intel Xeon processors and are engineered to deliver: Up to 30% higher per-core performance compared to previous generations. Greater scalability, with options of up to 128 vCPUs (Dv6) and 192 vCPUs (Ev6). Significant enhancements in CPU cache (up to 5× larger), memory bandwidth, and NVMe-enabled storage. Improved security with features like Intel® Total Memory Encryption (TME) and enhanced networking via the new Microsoft Azure Network Adaptor (MANA). By Microsoft By Microsoft Evaluated Virtual Machines and Geekbench Results The table below summarizes the configuration and Geekbench results for the two VMs we tested. VM1 represents a previous-generation machine with more vCPUs and memory, while VM2 is from the new Dld e6 series, showing superior performance despite having fewer vCPUs. VM1 features VM1 - D16S V5 (16 Vcpus - 64GB RAM) VM1 - D16S V5 (16 Vcpus - 64GB RAM) VM2 features VM2 - D16ls v6 (16 Vcpus - 32GB RAM) VM2 - D16ls v6 (16 Vcpus - 32GB RAM) Key Observations: Single-Core Performance: VM2 scores 2013 compared to VM1’s 1570, a 28.2% improvement. This demonstrates that even with half the vCPUs, the new Dld e6 series provides significantly better performance per core. Multi-Core Performance: Despite having fewer cores, VM2 achieves a multi-core score of 12,566 versus 9,454 for VM1, showing a 32.9% increase in performance. VM 1 VM 2 Enhanced Throughput in Specific Workloads: File Compression: 1909 MB/s (VM2) vs. 1654 MB/s (VM1) – a 15.4% improvement. Object Detection: 2851 images/s (VM2) vs. 1592 images/s (VM1) – a remarkable 79.2% improvement. Ray Tracing: 1798 Kpixels/s (VM2) vs. 1512 Kpixels/s (VM1) – an 18.9% boost. These results reflect the significant advancements enabled by the new generation of Intel processors. Score VM 1 VM 1 VM 1 Score VM 2 VM 2 VM 2 Evolution of Hardware in Azure: From Ice Lake-SP to Emerald Rapids Technical Specifications of the Processors Evaluated Understanding the dramatic performance improvements begins with a look at the processor specifications: Intel Xeon Platinum 8370C (Ice Lake-SP) Architecture: Ice Lake-SP Base Frequency: 2.79 GHz Max Frequency: 3.5 GHz L3 Cache: 48 MB Supported Instructions: AVX-512, VNNI, DL Boost VM 1 Intel Xeon Platinum 8573C (Emerald Rapids) Architecture: Emerald Rapids Base Frequency: 2.3 GHz Max Frequency: 4.2 GHz L3 Cache: 260 MB Supported Instructions: AVX-512, AMX, VNNI, DL Boost VM 2 Impact on Performance Cache Size Increase: The jump from 48 MB to 260 MB of L3 cache is a key factor. A larger cache reduces dependency on RAM accesses, thereby lowering latency and significantly boosting performance in memory-intensive workloads such as AI, big data, and scientific simulations. Enhanced Frequency Dynamics: While the base frequency of the Emerald Rapids processor is slightly lower, its higher maximum frequency (4.2 GHz vs. 3.5 GHz) means that under load, performance-critical tasks can benefit from this burst capability. Advanced Instruction Support: The introduction of AMX (Advanced Matrix Extensions) in Emerald Rapids, along with the robust AVX-512 support, optimizes the execution of complex mathematical and AI workloads. Efficiency Gains: These processors also offer improved energy efficiency, reducing the energy consumed per compute unit. This efficiency translates into lower operational costs and a more sustainable cloud environment. Beyond Our Tests: Overview of the New v6 Series While our tests focused on the Dld e6 series, Azure’s new v6 generation includes several families designed for different workloads: 1. Dlsv6 and Dldsv6-series Segment: General purpose with NVMe local storage (where applicable) vCPUs Range: 2 – 128 Memory: 4 – 256 GiB Local Disk: Up to 7,040 GiB (Dldsv6) Highlights: 5× increased CPU cache (up to 300 MB) and higher network bandwidth (up to 54 Gbps) 2. Dsv6 and Ddsv6-series Segment: General purpose vCPUs Range: 2 – 128 Memory: Up to 512 GiB Local Disk: Up to 7,040 GiB in Ddsv6 Highlights: Up to 30% improved performance over the previous Dv5 generation and Azure Boost for enhanced IOPS and network performance 3. Esv6 and Edsv6-series Segment: Memory-optimized vCPUs Range: 2 – 192* (with larger sizes available in Q2) Memory: Up to 1.8 TiB (1832 GiB) Local Disk: Up to 10,560 GiB in Edsv6 Highlights: Ideal for in-memory analytics, relational databases, and enterprise applications requiring vast amounts of RAM Note: Sizes with higher vCPUs and memory (e.g., E128/E192) will be generally available in Q2 of this year. Key Innovations in the v6 Generation Increased CPU Cache: Up to 5× more cache (from 60 MB to 300 MB) dramatically improves data access speeds. NVMe for Storage: Enhanced local and remote storage performance, with up to 3× more IOPS locally and the capability to reach 400k IOPS remotely via Azure Boost. Azure Boost: Delivers higher throughput (up to 12 GB/s remote disk throughput) and improved network bandwidth (up to 200 Gbps for larger sizes). Microsoft Azure Network Adaptor (MANA): Provides improved network stability and performance for both Windows and Linux environments. Intel® Total Memory Encryption (TME): Enhances data security by encrypting the system memory. Scalability: Options ranging from 128 vCPUs/512 GiB RAM in the Dv6 family to 192 vCPUs/1.8 TiB RAM in the Ev6 family. Performance Gains: Benchmarks and internal tests (such as SPEC CPU Integer) indicate improvements of 15%–30% across various workloads including web applications, databases, analytics, and generative AI tasks. My personal perspective and point of view The new Azure v6 VMs mark a significant advancement in cloud computing performance, scalability, and security. Our Geekbench tests clearly show that the Dld e6 series—powered by the latest Intel Xeon Platinum 8573C (Emerald Rapids)—delivers up to 30% better performance than previous-generation machines with more resources. Coupled with the hardware evolution from Ice Lake-SP to Emerald Rapids—which brings a dramatic increase in cache size, improved frequency dynamics, and advanced instruction support—the new v6 generation sets a new standard for high-performance workloads. Whether you’re running critical enterprise applications, data-intensive analytics, or next-generation AI models, the enhanced capabilities of these VMs offer significant benefits in performance, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. References and Further Reading: Microsoft’s official announcement: Azure Dld e6 VMs Internal tests performed with Geekbench 6.4.0 (AVX2) in the Germany West Central Azure region.
Version control in Azure Board
Hi there. We are evaluating Azure Boards for use as a requirements management system. One feature that RMS often have is the ability to version individual requirements or work items. So if I create a work item: "Requirement 1" and have it approved, I can create a new branch of that same item and call it "Requirement 1 - revised" which might sit as submitted for review before it is approved and replaces Requirement 1. Therefore they are not different objects, just different instances of the same object. I can do this in Sharepoint lists and Confluence, but of course they are different types of tools. To combine this with Boards' other features would be great. Can anyone tell me whether Boards supports this and point me to a reference? Let me know if not clear. Many thanks! Ged
[Solved] Display Version number into excel files from SharePoint WITHOUT turning into Macro enabled?
[Partially Solved] Apparently, the easiest way is to do a flow automation, that can update a row in Excel ======================= I've managed to put version number in all docx files, but I haven't found a solution online to display the current file version in an excel file that's displayed on the SharePoint libaray. I've found posts about creating VB codes, but that will turn all excel files into Macro enabled versions which is what we try to avoid. Can anyone share any thoughts or point me to the right direction please, thank youVersion and UIVersionString Label are not always the same
I recently setup the manual UIVersionString Label so that the version of documents can be shown inside a document file from a SharePoint library. However I have found despite doing this, the label doesn't always show the correct version and is sometimes a couple of versions behind. What can cause this?
Automatically add information in document header
Hey everyone, I'm new to this an we think about using sharepoint as a document-managing software in our small company. I have an important question that will decide if we are going to use the software or not. I hope someone can help me with this... Is it possible, that sharepoint automatically adds informations like "creator of the document", "Version", "Date of creation", "file path", "confirmation by" on word, excel and power point documents? Maybe in the header of a document? I know softwares that are able to do it, like the german Babtec solution. Thank you very much for your help! Kind regards[FIXED] Why Edge on Android is using super old Chromium engine?
Edge on Android is now on the latest version, the same as Edge desktop, everything is new and up to date. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/discussions/new-edge-canary-mobile-version-available-now-updated-chromium/m-p/2275690 I'm using Edge beta on Android 9. the Chromium version in it is version 77. right now the latest stable version is 80, Beta is 81 so naturally, just like Google chrome itself, Edge Beta should have Chromium 81 but in reality it is using a very old Chromium version 77. Why is that? p.s I detected the engine version using multiple websites that are made to detect browser engines in browsers.Tab entries in the Vertical tabs are a bit too small
I'd like those rectangles to be more fat (vertically) to be easier to click on. It's just, I've been using horizontal tab strips my entire life and changing it to vertical (which I really like) makes me want them to be a bigger of a rectangle than what I currently see. the horizontal width is good and doesn't need to widen the vertical tab sidebar anymore. this is on Edge Dev Version 87.0.644.4
