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Azure Batch

Azure Batch enables organizations to process large volumes of data and run compute-intensive tasks at scale. It is suitable for batch jobs, high-performance computing (HPC), and parallel workloads.

Scenario

A media production company needs to render high-definition videos, a compute-heavy task. On-premises servers are slow and costly to scale. Azure Batch distributes rendering jobs across many virtual machines (VMs), accelerating delivery and optimizing costs.

Challenges

Challenge On-Premises Azure Batch
Scalability Limited Elastic
Cost High Optimized
Speed Slow Fast
Monitoring Manual Built-in
Resource Usage Fixed Dynamic

Solution Overview

Azure Batch is a cloud-native job scheduler for large-scale parallel and HPC workloads. It automates VM provisioning, job distribution, monitoring, and diagnostics. Low-priority VMs can be used for further cost savings.

Key Features:

  • Automatic scaling of compute resources
  • Job scheduling and orchestration
  • Built-in monitoring and diagnostics
  • Support for low-priority (discounted) VMs

Implementation Steps

  1. Provision resources

    • Create an Azure Batch account
    • Set up an Azure Storage account for input/output data
    • Configure a pool of VMs (choose VM size and count)

  2. Secure credentials:

    • Store secrets in Azure Key Vault
    • Use managed identities for secure access

  3. Submit jobs:

    • Upload rendering tasks to Azure Batch
    • Monitor progress via Azure Monitor and diagnostics

  4. Optimize costs:

    • Use low-priority VMs for non-urgent jobs
    • Scale pools dynamically based on workload

Benefits

  • Scalability: Instantly scale up or down based on demand
  • Cost Efficiency: Use low-priority VMs and pay only for what you use
  • Speed: Distribute workloads for faster completion
  • Security: Manage credentials securely with Key Vault
  • Observability: Monitor jobs and troubleshoot with built-in tools

Azure Resources

  • Azure Batch Account
  • Azure Storage Account
  • Virtual Machines (VMs)
  • Azure Key Vault
  • Azure Monitor

References