Microsoft debuts HBv3 VMs for high-performance computing

Microsoft announced the preview of HBv3 virtual machines powered by 3rd Gen AMD EPYC processors with AMD 3D V-cache. The processors are intended to boost performance, cost-effectiveness, and scaling efficiency.

Compared with existing HBv3 VMs, customers can experience up to 80 percent higher performance for CFD and 60 percent higher for EDA RTL, with smaller increases for FEA and weather simulations.

Soon, all HBv3s will be upgraded to the newer processors. Principal program manager Evan Burness wrote:

Azure’s use of NVIDIA Quantum InfiniBand Networking from our partners at NVIDIA already enables customers to scale MPI workloads to supercomputer heights. Milan-X processors in HBv3-series VMs raise the bar yet again by delivering above linear scaling efficiency across a range of MPI workloads and models. This means customers actually save on Azure compute costs as a result of realizing dramatically faster time-to-solution.