Learn about Azure's next-generation block storage architecture in this technical conference talk from the Storage Developer Conference 2022. Explore the innovative Direct Drive architecture that powers Azure's Ultra Disk offerings, discovering how it addresses the challenges of providing durable, highly-available, and high-performance disk storage at cloud scale. Dive deep into the software and hardware innovations, including custom data plane protocols, RDMA implementation, and non-volatile memory utilization. Master key concepts like slice management, replica sets, fault domains, and throttling mechanisms that ensure optimal performance. Understand the architectural components including VDC Proxy, Gateway Service, and the DDX layer, while gaining insights into error handling, diagnostic support, and performance optimization strategies. Follow along as Microsoft's Greg Kramer breaks down the technical implementation details, design principles, and rationales behind Direct Drive's departure from industry standard practices, providing a comprehensive look at the future of Azure's block storage capabilities. Read more