AI infrastructure cloud is central to a new partnership unveiled at Microsoft Ignite as VAST Data brings its AI Operating System to Microsoft Azure. The move positions VAST AI OS for native deployment on Azure to run high-performance AI at scale. Enterprises will gain unified data services for training, inference, and agentic AI in on-premises, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments.
The collaboration aligns VAST Data’s Microsoft Azure capabilities to provide consistent performance, governance, and billing within Azure. It targets standardised operations for complex AI workloads with unified storage, cataloguing, and database services.
VAST AI OS will be available to Azure customers soon, with a focus on predictable scale, data mobility, and security aligned to Azure regions that host GPU infrastructure.
AI Infrastructure Cloud: What You Need to Know
- VAST AI OS on Azure delivers unified data and compute for agentic AI, training, and inference with enterprise-grade reliability.
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VAST Data and Microsoft Azure: a strategic collaboration
The VAST Data Microsoft Azure collaboration brings the VAST AI Operating System to Azure infrastructure with native integration into Azure governance, security, identity, and billing.
The design supports unified management and consistent performance across regions, presenting a practical AI infrastructure cloud for organisations standardising on Azure services.
Both companies aim to simplify scale for agentic AI. As Microsoft advances its AI infrastructure, including custom silicon initiatives, VAST targets an operating system that drives performance and simplicity, regardless of model or processor.
The approach supports AI infrastructure cloud deployments that can adapt as architectures evolve.
Built for agentic AI workflows
VAST InsightEngine and AgentEngine bring data-centric execution to where information resides. InsightEngine offers stateless high-performance compute and database services for vector search, retrieval, augmented generation pipelines, and data preparation.
AgentEngine orchestrates autonomous agents across real-time data streams, enabling continuous reasoning in hybrid and multi-cloud. This directly supports agentic AI workflows that depend on fast access to accurate data.
Performance at scale for model builders
VAST AI OS is engineered for model training and inference at a predictable scale. It drives Azure GPU and CPU clusters with high-throughput data services, intelligent caching, and metadata-optimised I and O.
The platform is tuned for consistency from pilot projects to multi-region rollouts. It benefits from the latest Azure infrastructure, including the Laos VM Series with Azure Boost Accelerated Networking, enabling sustained throughput for demanding AI jobs within an AI infrastructure cloud.
Seamless hybrid data mobility and unified access
An exabyte-scale DataSpace offers a global namespace to break down silos and support instant bursting from on-premises environments to Azure GPU regions without data migration or reconfiguration.
VAST DataStore provides file protocols such as NFS and SMB, object via S3, and block access, while VAST DataBase combines transactional performance with warehouse speed queries and data lake economics. This stack streamlines hybrid pipelines in an AI infrastructure cloud.
Teams planning migrations can reduce risk with structured playbooks and validation. Practical steps for minimising disruption are outlined in this guidance on smooth transitions during data migration.
Elastic architecture and cost efficiency
VAST uses a Disaggregated Shared Everything architecture that allows independent scaling of compute and storage inside Azure. Built-in Similarity Reduction compresses redundant data to reduce footprint and cost.
The combination supports precise scaling for large AI infrastructure cloud environments without sacrificing performance or reliability.
Governance, security, and reliability on Azure
Running VAST AI OS on Azure lets enterprises apply existing policies, governance, and spend controls while extending on-premises pipelines to GPU-enabled regions. Security teams should watch evolving threats such as prompt injection risks in AI systems and recent activity targeting Azure AI services.
Staying current with Microsoft patch cycles supports secure operations across any AI infrastructure cloud.
For broader context on AI risk and resilience, see our coverage of major AI security flaws and the region-wide effort to strengthen digital infrastructure.
Upcoming joint appearances
Renen Hallak, VAST Data founder and chief executive, will attend Microsoft Ignite in San Francisco for joint customer meetings focused on operationalising agentic AI at a global scale.
At Supercomputing 2025 in St Louis on 19 November, VAST Data will host Andrew Jones for a session on Azure AI and modern data strategies. Technical demos and presentations will run at VAST Booth #3204 and Microsoft Booth #1627, underscoring momentum behind this AI infrastructure cloud partnership.
Implications for enterprise AI adoption
Enterprises gain a unified data and compute layer that spans on-premises, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments, which reduces integration burden and accelerates deployment. DASE and Similarity Reduction support precise scaling and storage efficiency.
The DataSpace model and broad protocol support enable flexible end-to-end pipelines in an AI infrastructure cloud with simplified access patterns for developers and data scientists.
However, success still hinges on strong governance, observability, and workload planning. Teams must assess data gravity, egress patterns, and operational runbooks for agentic AI workflows.
Security posture and cost controls should be tuned for sustained training and inference, as data volumes and model sizes expand within an AI infrastructure cloud.
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Conclusion
The VAST Data Microsoft Azure partnership brings a comprehensive data platform to a global cloud, aligning compute, storage, and governance for AI production.
By unifying storage, databases, cataloguing, and orchestration, VAST AI OS standardises complex pipelines across environments and supports agentic AI workflows with predictable performance.
For vector search, RAG, training, and inference, the platform targets repeatable scale while keeping governance, security, and billing within Azure. It offers an AI infrastructure cloud that enterprises can operate with familiar controls.
Questions Worth Answering
What is launching on Azure?
- VAST AI Operating System, which unifies storage, cataloguing, and database services to run complex AI workloads in an AI infrastructure cloud.
How does this support agentic AI workflows?
- InsightEngine accelerates compute and database tasks, while AgentEngine orchestrates autonomous agents on real-time data streams across hybrid and multi-cloud.
How is performance improved for model builders?
- High throughput data services, intelligent caching, and metadata optimised I and O keep Azure GPU and CPU clusters fully utilised at scale.
What enables hybrid bursting without reconfiguration?
- An exabyte-scale DataSpace that unifies the namespace so teams can burst from on-premises to Azure GPU regions seamlessly.
Which Azure features does it leverage?
- The Laos VM Series with Azure Boost Accelerated Networking, plus Azure native governance, security, and billing.
How does the architecture lower cost at scale?
- DASE enables independent scaling of compute and storage, while Similarity Reduction compresses redundant data to reduce the storage footprint.
Where can customers see demos?
- At Microsoft Ignite in San Francisco and at Supercomputing 2025 in St Louis, including VAST Booth #3204 and Microsoft Booth #1627.
About VAST Data
VAST Data builds the VAST AI Operating System, a platform that unifies storage, data cataloguing, and database services for AI and high-performance data.
The company focuses on predictable scale, performance, and simplicity across on-premises, hybrid, and public cloud environments.
VAST delivers an elastic data infrastructure that supports training, inference, and agentic AI workflows with enterprise-grade reliability.
About Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Azure is a global cloud platform for compute, data, networking, and AI that serves enterprises across industries.
Azure provides governance, identity, security, and billing frameworks that support compliance and cost control at scale.
Microsoft continues to invest in next-generation AI infrastructure and silicon to improve performance and efficiency for customers.
About Jeff Denworth
Jeff Denworth is the co-founder of VAST Data and a long-standing advocate for simpler data infrastructure for AI.
He has shaped product strategy around unifying storage, databases, and data services to accelerate AI outcomes.
In this collaboration, he champions a common operating foundation that standardises data and AI pipelines on Azure.
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