How can I create a dedicated physical server (not VM) on Microsoft Azure?

Question

Hello,

I need to provision a dedicated physical server (not a virtual machine) on Azure for compliance and performance reasons.

I’m aware of Azure Dedicated Host, but I would like to confirm:

Does Azure offer any bare-metal servers or non-virtualized hardware similar to those from traditional data centers?

Can I deploy a custom OS directly (without VM abstraction)?

What are the available regions and pricing models for dedicated hosts?

Are there options to connect an on-premise dedicated server to Azure and manage it from the portal?

My use case involves hosting sensitive workloads that require full hardware isolation. We’re currently enrolled in Microsoft for Startups with an active subscription.

Appreciate any guidance!

Thank you,

Feras
OneIT

Answer 1

Hi Eng. Feras Musallam,

Azure offers BareMetal Infrastructure, providing dedicated physical servers without a virtualization layer. These instances are single-tenant and allow full control, including root access, enabling you to install and manage your custom operating system directly. ​

The BareMetal instances are dedicated only to you, and you'll have full access (root access) to the operating system (OS). You manage OS and application installation according to your needs.

Operational model

BareMetal Infrastructure for specialized workloads is available in the following Azure regions:

• West Europe
• North Europe
• Germany West Central *zones support
• East US 2 *zones support
• East US *zones support
• West US *zones support
• West US 2 *zones support
• South Central US

Available in multiple regions, Pricing is workload-specific and typically custom-quoted. For BareMetal Infrastructure, Azure offers a consultation by a CSA/GBB in the field to work with you.

Networking

ExpressRoute: Recommended for low-latency, high-bandwidth connections between on-premises and Azure BareMetal instances. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/baremetal-infrastructure/concepts-baremetal-infrastructure-overview

Azure Arc: Manage on-premises servers via the Azure portal by extending Azure governance and monitoring tools. Azure provides robust options to connect and manage on-premise dedicated servers even for sensitive workloads requiring full hardware isolation directly from the Azure portal using Azure Arc and hybrid connectivity solutions. Azure Arc

Hope this helps!

Let me know if you have any further queries!

If the information is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and "Upvote it."