Scaling Sovereign Private Cloud and AI with Disaggregated Lenovo Infrastructure for Microsoft Azure Local

Hybrid cloud and AI are reshaping infrastructure requirements, with growing emphasis on data sovereignty, governance, and control. As AI‑accelerated workloads increase data volume and sensitivity, organizations must modernize virtualization platforms and support data‑intensive operations while maintaining cloud‑consistent experiences, without compromising compliance or long‑term investment protection. Maximizing the performance, efficiency, and scalability for these environments demands a flexible, secure, and integrated end-to-end infrastructure with business-critical support.

At Microsoft Ignite 2025, we announced the ThinkAgile Disaggregated Solution for Microsoft Azure Local, enabling hybrid S2D + SAN deployments using ThinkAgile MX Series HCI compute and ThinkSystem storage arrays via Fibre Channel networking. Today, Lenovo is expanding this collaboration with Microsoft to support SAN‑only deployments, delivering fully disaggregated architectures that allow compute and storage to scale independently, designed for sovereign private cloud environments and AI‑driven workloads. Learn more about today's announcement.

Microsoft Azure Local provides a robust platform for running workloads with cloud-consistent operations on‑premises, but infrastructure design remains critical in an AI‑driven world. Lenovo is addressing this need by expanding its Azure Local hardware portfolio with configurations that support disaggregated architectures that give customers greater control over how compute and storage are deployed, scaled, and governed.

At the center of this portfolio expansion is the ThinkAgile Disaggregated Solution for Microsoft Azure Local, which combines ThinkAgile MX Series HCI compute with ThinkSystem DM, DS, and DG Series enterprise storage arrays. Together, these platforms form a modular foundation designed for virtualization, hybrid cloud, and AI‑ready workloads.

The ThinkAgile MX Series delivers Azure Local compute with automated deployment, integrated lifecycle management, and enterprise‑class support providing customers with a cloud-consistent environment, on-premises. When coupled with ThinkSystem DM, DS or DG Series storage arrays, customers gain access to advanced data services, high‑performance SAN storage, and scalable capacity, without forcing data migration or architectural complexity. This integration enables consistent operations across new and existing Azure Local environments.

To further expand deployment choice, Lenovo is introducing new compute‑only configurations on the ThinkAgile MX Series. These configurations allow customers to deploy ThinkAgile MX as dedicated Azure Local compute nodes while integrating external storage for SAN only deployments. This configuration delivers the same consistent experience with simplified deployments, Solution Builder Extensions (SBE) integration for simplified updates in Azure Portal, and enterprise‑class support through Lenovo Premier Support.

With compute‑only configurations, organizations can:

• Integrate Lenovo ThinkSystem DM, DG, and DS Series storage arrays into new or existing Azure Local deployments, or
• Bring their own Azure Local‑validated third‑party SAN arrays into their ThinkAgile MX Series environments.

This expanded capability enables fully disaggregated architectures where compute and storage scale independently, helping customers maximize the value of their SAN investments, modernize compute platforms, and align infrastructure growth with business priorities.

Figure 1. Broad selection of compute & storage solutions for Microsoft Azure Local

With this addition, Lenovo now offers one of the broadest and most flexible Microsoft Azure Local portfolios in the market, giving customers the freedom to choose the right model without tradeoffs:

• ThinkAgile MX Series, an Azure Local Premier Solution, for proven turnkey HCI simplicity
• ThinkAgile Disaggregated Solution for Microsoft Azure Local enabling compute and storage for independent scaling
• NEW ThinkAgile MX Series compute only configurations for external SAN only deployments
• ThinkSystem DM Series, DG Series & DS Series Storage Arrays
• ThinkSystem DB Series Fibre Channel Switches

The ability to independently scale compute and storage is increasingly critical for sovereign private cloud deployments and emerging AI workloads, where data locality, performance, and governance are essential. Lenovo’s solutions for disaggregated architectures within Azure Local provide a future‑ready foundation that supports these requirements while maintaining the consistency and validation expected of enterprise infrastructure.

“By expanding support for disaggregated architectures within Azure Local, Lenovo and Microsoft deliver greater flexibility without compromising reliability or supportability,” said Scott Patti, VP Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG), Lenovo. “The combination of ThinkAgile MX Series and ThinkSystem Enterprise Storage enables organizations to modernize with confidence, using enterprise‑class Lenovo solutions designed to adapt as workloads, data, and business demands evolve.”

Lenovo’s disaggregated solutions for Microsoft Azure Local help customers turn infrastructure constraints into strategic advantages across private cloud, AI, and regulated environments. By independently scaling compute and storage, organizations can leverage their SAN investments, unlock the value of data where it resides, and modernize legacy environments without disruption or prepare for future growth. When combined with Lenovo’s TruScale consumption models and Lenovo enterprise services, customers can confidently deploy their Microsoft Azure Local infrastructure with the same variable OPEX model they have in the cloud. This approach empowers customers to evolve confidently, on their terms and at their pace, aligned with business and sovereignty requirements.

Learn more about today's announcement.

Stuart McRae is Executive Director of Lenovo’s Enterprise Storage, Software, and Solutions Offering Group, responsible for product strategy and product management. He brings deep leadership experience in the server and storage industry, delivering mission critical infrastructure for enterprises worldwide.