Google Cloud Introduces Cost-Effective Arm-Based Axion N4A Instances
Google Cloud is expanding its Arm-based computing offerings with the new Axion N4A instances, currently in preview. These instances aim to reduce reliance on x86 architecture and provide enterprises with more economical computing options.
Performance and Target Use Cases
The N4A instances belong to Google Cloud's N series, designed for general-purpose workloads. Typical applications include:
- Low-to-medium traffic web and application servers
- Containerized microservices
- Virtual desktops
- Back-office, CRM, and business intelligence applications
- Data pipelines
- Small-to-medium databases
Technical Specifications
The N4A instances offer configurations of up to 64 vCPUs, support for 512GB of DDR5 memory, and a network connection speed of 50 Gbps.
Cost Efficiency and Performance Advantage
Google Cloud claims N4A provides “up to 2x better price-performance and 80% better performance-per-watt than comparable current-generation x86-based VMs.”
This cost efficiency is possible because Google designs its Arm-based Axion processors in-house and sources them directly from manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), significantly cutting hardware costs.
Brandon Hoff, research director at IDC, stated that this strategy “effectively halves the cost of the underlying hardware,” making Google's Arm-based instances an attractive option for enterprises.
Author's Summary
Google Cloud’s Arm-based Axion N4A instances offer significantly improved price-performance and energy efficiency, presenting a strong alternative to traditional x86 VMs for a broad range of enterprise workloads.