Request for high CPU machine with 48 and 96 GB RAM for production DB load on Linux

Question

Our organization requires a high CPU machine with an AMD64 processor to install MSSQL on Ubuntu 20.04. We are considering two options, D48ls_v5 and D48pls_v5, and need to know if these machines use AMD64 and which one is the best fit. Any other suggestions are also welcome.

Answer 1

Hello Mahmoud Elzahaby,

Welcome to microsoft Q&A, Thankyou for posting your query here.

D48ls_v5 and D48pls_v5 virtual machines are built on the Azure v5 series, which generally uses the AMD EPYC processors which align with the AMD64 architecture.

D48ls_v5 optimized for storage, typically offering a balance of CPU to memory and direct local storage (SSD).

D48pls_v5 indicates premium storage optimizations, possibly providing better I/O performance, which could be beneficial for a database requiring high I/O throughput.

For database applications like MSSQL, premium storage options (D48pls_v5) often offer the better performance necessary for high-demand database tasks.

You might also consider Azure’s E-series VMs, especially those optimized for memory performance (E64ds_v4, E48ds_v4), which are great for databases.

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Answer 2

First, both the Azure VM sizes D48ls_v5 and D48pls_v5 use the AMD64 (x86_64) architecture — all Azure D-series (including Dls_v5/Dpls_v5 variants) are built on x86_64 (AMD64-compatible) processors (Intel/AMD), so they will support installing MSSQL on Ubuntu 20.04.

For choosing between D48ls_v5 and D48pls_v5 for production MSSQL workloads:

• D48ls_v5 is a general-purpose D-series VM (balanced CPU/memory for typical enterprise workloads).
• D48pls_v5 is a premium-performance D-series VM (optimized for higher CPU throughput, lower latency, and more demanding workloads like production databases).

Since SQL Server (especially production DBs) relies heavily on CPU performance (for queries, transactions, etc.), D48pls_v5 is the better fit — it will deliver stronger performance for your database load.

Additional suggestions for your setup:

1. Use Premium SSD or Ultra Disk storage (critical for SQL Server I/O performance, which directly impacts query/transaction speed).
2. For production resilience: Deploy the VM in an Azure Availability Set (to avoid single points of failure) and configure automated SQL Server backups.
3. Verify SQL Server licensing compliance (MSSQL on Linux uses per-core licensing, so ensure you account for the 48 vCPUs in these VMs).
4. If you want to reduce infrastructure management overhead, consider Azure SQL Managed Instance (a fully managed SQL Server service) instead of self-hosting on a VM (though this depends on your organization’s needs for OS-level control).First, both the Azure VM sizes D48ls_v5 and D48pls_v5 use the AMD64 (x86_64) architecture — all Azure D-series (including Dls_v5/Dpls_v5 variants) are built on x86_64 (AMD64-compatible) processors (Intel/AMD), so they will support installing MSSQL on Ubuntu 20.04. For choosing between D48ls_v5 and D48pls_v5 for production MSSQL workloads:
   • D48ls_v5 is a general-purpose D-series VM (balanced CPU/memory for typical enterprise workloads).
     • D48pls_v5 is a premium-performance D-series VM (optimized for higher CPU throughput, lower latency, and more demanding workloads like production databases).
   Since SQL Server (especially production DBs) relies heavily on CPU performance (for queries, transactions, etc.), D48pls_v5 is the better fit — it will deliver stronger performance for your database load. Additional suggestions for your setup:
   1. Use Premium SSD or Ultra Disk storage (critical for SQL Server I/O performance, which directly impacts query/transaction speed).
   2. For production resilience: Deploy the VM in an Azure Availability Set (to avoid single points of failure) and configure automated SQL Server backups.
   3. Verify SQL Server licensing compliance (MSSQL on Linux uses per-core licensing, so ensure you account for the 48 vCPUs in these VMs).
   4. If you want to reduce infrastructure management overhead, consider Azure SQL Managed Instance (a fully managed SQL Server service) instead of self-hosting on a VM (though this depends on your organization’s needs for OS-level control).

Answer 3

Hi，Mahmoud Elzahaby

D48ls_v5

The Dlsv5 and Dldsv5-series Virtual Machines runs on Intel® Xeon® Platinum 8473C (Sapphire Rapids), or Intel® Xeon® Platinum 8370C (Ice Lake) processor，which is compatible with AMD64.

D48pls_v5

The Dplsv5-series and Dpldsv5-series virtual machines are based on the Arm architecture.These virtual machines feature the Ampere® Altra® Arm-based processor which do not support the AMD64 instruction set.

D series is primarily used for general purposes, offering a balanced ratio of CPU to memory. It is suitable for testing and development, small to medium-sized databases, and low to medium traffic web servers.

As Anveshreddy mentioned, Easv5 and Eadsv5-series Memory optimized VM sizes offer a high memory-to-CPU ratio that is great for relational database servers, medium to large caches, and in-memory analytics.

You can find more information at this.

Best regards,

Mikey Qiao

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