NetApp Clustered Data Ontap OS Enables Nonstop Operations

NetApp, Inc. announced solutions and technology integrations that bring together the benefits of its clustered Data ONTAP with VMware, Inc.‘s vCloud Suite and Horizon Suite.

Both companies offer integrated cloud infrastructure and mobile computing solutions that enable nonstop IT operations, increased data protection and easier infrastructure deployment.

The new solutions include the NetApp Storage Solution for vCloud Suite, and the NetApp Storage Solution for Horizon Suite. Both solutions were demonstrated at the VMware Partner Exchange Conference in Las Vegas, NE.

NetApp Storage Solution for vCloud Suite
It enables enterprises and service providers to deliver a shared storage infrastructure for private cloud environments. By virtualizing physical storage hardware, storage administrators can increase or decrease storage resources on demand and without disruption to the business. Built on clustered Data ONTAP, the solution provides the storage efficiency features and embedded data protection to reduce overall infrastructure cost, increase availability, and accelerate time to market.

NetApp Storage Solution for Horizon Suite
As workers become increasingly more mobile, IT must provide anywhere, anytime access to desktops, applications, and data, as well as give users the capability to share that data securely. The NetApp Storage Solution for Horizon Suite includes storage efficiency and data protection integration with Horizon View 5.2 and Horizon Workspace 1.0, which enable desktop and user data to be stored securely and backed up efficiently on a virtualized infrastructure built on clustered Data ONTAP. The solution also allows customers to use NetApp FlexClone technology for rapid deployment of virtual desktops, improved scalability, and simplified management of the end-user computing environment

NetApp integration support
for VMware vCloud Suite includes:

• NetApp Virtual Storage Console (VSC) Enhancements for vCloud Suite: New enhancements and capabilities for vCloud Suite offer a simple and rich capability to deploy and manage data stores within NetApp systems, including the ability to automate provisioning and clone VMs with NetApp FlexClone. The VSC for vCloud Suite 5.1 includes an expanded set of APIs and Windows PowerShell extensions that enable cloud developers to accelerate the delivery of vApp services.
• NetApp Snap Creator for vCloud Backup and Recovery: Snap Creator software offers backup and recovery integrations in VMware vCloud Suite 5.1 that can provide protection for both the VMware vCloud infrastructure and the application running inside of vApps. Snap Creator also features expanded API and UI extensibility for cloud developers, user roles, and supported applications.
• Enhanced vSphere Storage API for Array Integration (VAAI) Support: Data ONTAP 8.1 includes expanded VAAI support for  vCloud 5.1 and provides greater scalability, with the API delivering 10x faster VM operations, including provisioning, cloning, backups and migrations. There is also support for Fast Provisioning, a feature of vCloud Director with NetApp FlexClone and hardware-accelerated NetApp Snapshot backups.

NetApp integration support for Horizon Suite includes:

• Expanded Data Protection for Horizon Workspace: NetApp can deliver data protection with disk-based backup for Horizon Workspace, which now enables application-consistent backup and recovery of Horizon Workspace with a new Snap Creator plug-in.
• Enhanced Horizon View Composer API (VCAI) Support: NetApp will offer support for the new Horizon View Composer API for Array Integration (VCAI) in Horizon View 5.2. VCAI leverages FlexClone volumes to improve scalability and simplify management. FlexClone volumes can now be created from the VMware Horizon View management interface.

Brendon Howe, VP, product and solutions marketing, NetApp, said: “NetApp and VMware continue to deliver solutions that enable organizations to take advantage of shared storage in a software-defined data center. Our mutual customers can build on clustered Data ONTAP, and the deep integrations with the VMware vCloud Suite and VMware Horizon Suite, to provide dynamic, scalable, on-demand services, without compromising security or reliability. Our partnership continues a tradition of shared innovation and integration, resulting in flexible and affordable technology transitions for our customers.”

Toni Adams, VP, global partner and alliances marketing, VMware, said: “Deep collaboration with our strategic partners, such as NetApp, enables us to deliver on our software-defined datacenter vision. NetApp clustered Data ONTAP with VMware vCloud Suite and VMware Horizon Suite enables our joint customers to optimize their IT infrastructure while helping them improve operational efficiency. By continuing to partner closely with NetApp, we will continue to create simple, scalable, and secure solutions for organizations of all sizes.”