This blog post series highlights the key announcements and major updates related to Azure Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Azure Stack, as officially released by Microsoft in the past two weeks.
Azure
Storage
Encryption at Host for Premium SSD v2 and Ultra Disks
Azure has announced the general availability of encryption at host for Premium SSD v2 and Ultra Disks. This feature, already available for other Azure Disk types, ensures that data on the Virtual Machine (VM) host is encrypted at rest and remains encrypted during transit to the Storage service. The encryption at host for Premium SSD v2 and Ultra Disks enhances data security and privacy, providing an additional layer of protection for sensitive information stored on Azure. This update is a significant step forward in Azure’s commitment to offering secure and reliable cloud storage solutions.
Azure NetApp Files support for 2 TiB Capacity Pools
Azure NetApp Files now supports the creation of capacity pools with a minimum size of 2TiB, a feature that has reached general availability. This enhancement is particularly useful for workloads such as SAP shared files and VDI, which require lower capacity pool sizes for their capacity and performance needs. Customers can now start with a 2TiB pool and increase in 1TiB increments, providing a more cost-effective solution for managing capacities less than 3TiB. This update is supported in all regions with standard network features, offering customers the flexibility to re-evaluate volume planning and take advantage of the savings associated with smaller capacity pools.
User and Group quota management in Azure NetApp Files
Azure NetApp Files has reached general availability with its user and group quota management feature. This functionality allows administrators to control storage consumption by setting capacity limits for individual users or groups within a specific Azure NetApp Files volume. It supports NFS, SMB, and dual protocol-enabled volumes, offering both default and individual user quotas. For NFS-enabled volumes, default or individual group quotas can be defined. This feature is now available in Azure commercial regions and US Government regions, providing a robust solution for managing capacity consumption and ensuring efficient storage utilization.
Azure NetApp Files: standard network features support in US Government Regions
Azure NetApp Files now offers general availability of standard network features in US Government regions, including Virginia, Texas, and Arizona. This enhancement delivers an improved Virtual Networking experience for non-Azure host-based workloads like Azure NetApp Files. Key features include increased route scale for VNets with ANF volumes, enhanced network security with support for Network Security Groups (NSGs) on ANF delegated subnets, and improved network control through User Defined Routes (UDRs). Additionally, it facilitates on-premises connectivity, ExpressRoute FastPath connectivity, cross-region mount volumes, and support for Private Link and service endpoints. This update significantly enhances the networking capabilities and security for Azure NetApp Files in US Government regions.
Conclusion
Over the past two weeks, Microsoft has introduced a slew of updates and announcements pertaining to Azure Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). These developments underscore the tech giant’s unwavering commitment to enhancing its cloud offerings and adapting to the ever-evolving needs of businesses and developers. Users of Azure can anticipate improved functionalities, streamlined services, and enriched features as a result of these changes. Stay tuned for more insights as I continue to monitor and report on Azure’s progression in the cloud sphere.
