Microsoft has made a significant stride in enhancing its Windows Server 2025 build by introducing native NVMe SSD support, now available as an opt-in feature for users. This development marks a notable milestone, occurring 12 years after the inception of NVMe and following years of support in Linux-based operating systems. Previously, Microsoft had relied on converting NVMe drive commands into SCSI commands, a process that introduced processing latency and overhead, ultimately hindering read/write speeds in high-performance storage environments.
Transforming Storage Performance
With the advent of native NVMe support, Microsoft has reengineered the entire stack and I/O processing to optimize SSD performance. System administrators can readily appreciate the substantial performance enhancements that this new feature brings. The native NVMe support in Windows Server 2025 fundamentally redefines storage capabilities by allowing direct multi-queue access to modern hardware. This advancement enables impressive performance metrics, delivering up to 3.3 million IOPS on PCIe Gen 5 SSDs and exceeding 10 million IOPS on Host Bus Adapters (HBAs). Furthermore, it significantly reduces latency through streamlined, lock-free I/O paths.
This leap in efficiency is particularly crucial, as traditional SCSI-based processing was originally tailored for rotational disks, operating on a single-queue model limited to just 32 commands. Such limitations prevent full utilization of flash storage’s potential. In stark contrast, NVMe was engineered specifically for solid-state media, featuring native support for 64,000 queues, each capable of managing 64,000 simultaneous commands. This design allows Windows Server 2025 to eliminate outdated translation layers, enhance CPU utilization, and unlock next-generation storage capabilities.
Microsoft heralds this development as a storage revolution, describing it as “a new foundation for Windows Server storage, built for the future.” In an effort to foster user engagement and gather feedback, the company has established a dedicated email address, nativenvme@microsoft.com, which is expected to serve as a hub for user inquiries and bug reports.
While there is currently no information regarding the timeline for native NVMe support in Windows 11, it is reasonable to anticipate that this feature will gradually become available in the months to come.
