Microsoft Azure virtual machines are more secure thanks to a collaboration with AMD

AMD announced a continued collaboration with Microsoft today. Azure volition offer third Gen AMD EPYC processors in its latest generation of DasV5 and Easv5 Azure Virtual Machines (VMs). Azure as well introduced new confidential virtual machines, DCasv5, and ECasv5. These new technologies apply security features bachelor in AMD'south 3rd Gen EPYC processors, such as Secure Encrypted Virtualization-Secure Nested Paging (SEV-SNP).

The confidential VMs, DCasv5, and ECasv5 are the showtime EPYC processor-based virtual machines at Azure, co-ordinate to AMD. The Dasv5 and Easv5 Azure virtual machines are available now. The confidential virtual machines will exist in public preview past the stop of 2022 and roll out generally in 2022.

The Dasv5 VMs are optimized for full general-purpose workloads, while the Easv5 VMs are optimized for memory-based workloads.

"Past using the new Azure Dav5 and Eav5 VMs with the latest AMD EPYC CPUs, customers will become admission to leading performance and fantastic cost-performance for full general purpose and memory optimized workloads," said AMD Corporate Vice President Lynn Comp. "Beyond that, Azure is using the advanced security features of EPYC CPUs for the new confidential VMs, so their customers can do good from both performance and security for their workloads."

Microsoft as well weighed in on the connected collaboration. "At Microsoft we are committed to enabling the industry to move from computing in the articulate to calculating confidentially in the cloud and the edge," said Vikas Bhatia, who'south the head of production for Azure Confidential Computing. "Our work with AMD is ane of the steps towards this vision, giving customers access to Microsoft Azure confidential VMs with avant-garde hardware security features and a lift-and-shift migration experience; a powerful tool for meeting their desired security posture."

Azure confidential virtual machines tin be used by customers with loftier security and confidentiality requirements.

Microsoft's Azure has a history of working with other companies. Recently, Sega and Microsoft announced a strategic alliance for Azure. The publisher of Ubuntu also teamed up with Microsoft recently to help deliver cost-effective data management on Azure.

An internet connection will soon be required when setting up Windows 11 Pro

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An internet connectedness will soon be required when setting up Windows xi Pro

Microsoft has announced that later this twelvemonth, users will be required to connect to the internet and sign-in with a Microsoft Business relationship during the out of box setup experience on Windows 11 Pro. Microsoft has already been enforcing this requirement on Windows xi Habitation since launch last October, and Windows 11 Pro is now expected to follow arrange before long.