'NP' family storage optimized VM size series
Applies to: ✔️ Linux VMs ✔️ Windows VMs ✔️ Flexible scale sets ✔️ Uniform scale sets
The 'NP' subfamily of VM size series are one of Azure's storage-optimized VM instances. They're designed for workloads that require high disk throughput and I/O, such as databases, big data applications, and data warehousing. High disk throughput and large local disk storage capacities on L-series VMs support applications and services that benefit from low latency and high sequential read and write speeds. This makes them well suited for handling tasks like large-scale log processing, real-time big data analytics, and scenarios involving large databases that perform frequent disk operations, ensuring efficient performance for storage-heavy applications.
Workloads and use cases
Real-Time Data Processing: NP-family VMs excel in environments where data needs to be processed in real time with minimal latency, such as in financial trading, real-time analytics, and network data processing.
Custom AI and Machine Learning: NP-family VMs are suitable for accelerating AI and machine learning inference tasks, where the FPGA can be programmed to execute specific algorithms sometimes faster than typical CPU or GPU-based solutions.
Genomics and Life Sciences: NP-family VMs can significantly speed up genomic sequencing tasks and other life sciences applications that benefit from custom hardware acceleration.
Video Transcoding and Streaming: FPGAs can be used to accelerate video processing tasks such as transcoding and real-time video streaming, optimizing performance and reducing processing times.
Signal Processing: NP-family VMs are ideal for applications in telecommunications and signal processing where rapid manipulation and analysis of signals are necessary.
Database Acceleration: NP-family VMs can enhance database operations, especially for custom search operations and large-scale database queries, by offloading these tasks to the FPGA.
Series in family
NP-series
The NP-series virtual machines are powered by Xilinx U250 FPGAs for accelerating workloads including machine learning inference, video transcoding, and database search & analytics. NP-series VMs are also powered by Intel Xeon 8171M (Skylake) CPUs with all core turbo clock speed of 3.2 GHz.
| Part | Quantity Count Units |
Specs SKU ID, Performance Units, etc. |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | 10 - 40 vCPUs | Intel Xeon 8171M (Skylake) [x86-64] |
| Memory | 168 - 672 GiB | |
| Local Storage | 1 Disk | 736 - 2948 GiB |
| Remote Storage | 8 - 32 Disks | |
| Network | 1 - 4 NICs | 7500 - 30000 Mbps |
| Accelerators | 1 - 4 FPGAs | AMD Alveo U250 FPGA (64GB) |
Previous-generation NP family series
For older sizes, see previous generation sizes.
Other size information
List of all available sizes: Sizes
Pricing Calculator: Pricing Calculator
Information on Disk Types: Disk Types
Next steps
Take advantage of the latest performance and features available for your workloads by changing the size of a virtual machine.
Utilize Microsoft's in-house designed ARM processors with Azure Cobalt VMs.
Learn how to Monitor Azure virtual machines.