Aiming to enhance security and AI operations in its Azure data centers, Microsoft (MSFT, Financial) revealed two new custom processors at its annual Ignite conference.
With a focus on Azure's infrastructure integration, the new chips are Azure Integrated HSM for security and Azure Boost for data processing. Microsoft claims that the Azure Boost processor offers four times higher performance than present hardware and performs some activities, including cloud data storage, using three times less electricity.
These chips enable Microsoft to compete with like products from Nvidia (NVDA, Financial) and AMD (AMD, Financial), both of which have Bluefield and Pensando data processing units (DPUs), respectively. These CPUs follow Microsoft's release of the Maia 100 and Cobalt 100 AI processors during last year's Ignite conference. The most recent developments mirror Microsoft's continuous custom hardware investment to increase the capacity and efficiency of its cloud services.
Key element of Microsoft's portfolio of cloud computing, Azure stays central to the company's approach as it keeps developing its AI and data processing capacity to satisfy growing demand.
