Microsoft Azure is set to offer 12TB virtual machines
Redmond upgrades VMs and expands Azure Stack in cloud play


Microsoft Azure is soon to offer virtual machines with 12TB of RAM for developers looking to run workloads that require lots of memory.
The company made the announcement along with the launch of a number of other VM types that are specifically geared towards running high-memory workloads, such as those running in SAP's HANA in-memory database service, that need to process huge chunks of data extremely quickly.
Along with the new 12TB VM, Microsoft now also offers a newer M-series range of VMs stretching between 192GB and 4TB capacities certified for HANA, with Microsoft pushing its cloud infrastructure as the ideal place to run your SAP workloads. They are all based on Intel Xeon Scalable (Skylake) processors.
Microsoft will reveal more details on the new VM capacities in the coming months.
They come as Microsoft extends its private cloud, Azure Stack, around the world, doubling the number of countries in which its cloud-in-your-datacentre will operate to 92.
Initially, Azure Stack was launched in 46 countries, but its expansion has been put down to customer demand, spreading to a number of African countries, China and across Europe.
"When I talk with many of our customers about their cloud strategy, there is a clear need for choice and flexibility on where to run workloads and applications," said Corey Sanders, corporate VP of Azure. "Like most customers, you want to be able to bridge your on-premises and cloud investments."
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
"The inclusion of Microsoft Azure Stack services into our portfolio enhances our value proposition in a number of ways, from DevOps tools, a true hybrid cloud offering, access for customers to Azure services like business intelligence and AI, to fully managed service for any customer who wants it," said Tiberiu Croitoru, CEO of BinBox a Romanian startup telecom service provider.
"Microsoft Azure Stack will bring us customers' who want to exploit public cloud but were holding back due to data location concerns, In fact, our pipeline already includes about 60 customers we couldn't have targeted pre-Azure Stack."
Bobby Hellard is ITPro's Reviews Editor and has worked on CloudPro and ChannelPro since 2018. In his time at ITPro, Bobby has covered stories for all the major technology companies, such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook, and regularly attends industry-leading events such as AWS Re:Invent and Google Cloud Next.
Bobby mainly covers hardware reviews, but you will also recognize him as the face of many of our video reviews of laptops and smartphones.
-
AI-Powered DDoS Attacks Are Changing the Threat Landscape
whitepaper
-
A decade-long ban on AI laws is a “terrible idea” for everyone but big tech, critics claim
News A proposed decade-long ban on US states implementing AI laws is a "terrible idea" that highlights the scale of big tech lobbying, according to critics.
-
Microsoft promises more AI spending despite cloud cost stumble
News Microsoft recorded revenue and earnings growth in its latest quarterly results, but higher than expected costs in cloud and AI raised investor concerns.
-
Google wants regulators to break up Microsoft's OpenAI deal
News Google has already been nipping at Microsoft’s heels in the European cloud market over competition concerns
-
How Mondra is targeting food net zero using Microsoft Azure cloud computing
Case study Combining predictive AI and OpenAI models, the firm aims to shine a light on hard-to-pinpoint Scope 3 emissions figures
-
Microsoft facing FTC antitrust probe over cloud, AI competition concerns
News Microsoft could be set for another antitrust battle, this time focused on cloud and AI
-
How Satya Nadella's first decade at Microsoft took it from tech giant to undisputed industry titan
Analysis Microsoft’s spike in value under Satya Nadella has taken it to lofty heights amid a sharpened focus on cloud and artificial intelligence
-
Insight strikes new Microsoft agreement to drive cloud growth
News The new agreement builds on the organizations' existing AI-focused relationship
-
Better together
Whitepaper Achieve more with Windows 11 and Surface
-
Transforming the enterprise
Whitepaper With Intel and CDW