NetApp Integrates Clustered Data ONTAP With Citrix

At Citrix Synergy, NetApp, Inc. announced integrated solutions between its clustered Data ONTAP software and Citrix Systems, Inc.‘s technologies for desktop and application virtualization, mobile collaboration, and cloud services.

Mobile work styles, powered by the cloud, have transformed business. Data needs to always be available to be delivered to end users at a moment’s notice while minimizing business disruption. To address this need, NetApp and Citrix have collaborated on new technologies that enable non-disruptive operations and increase storage efficiency throughout a Citrix environment. This announcement solidifies NetApp’s position as a strategic storage provider for Citrix, and continues a multi-year history of a global relationship.

Desktop and Application Virtualization
Desktop and application virtualization has matured and gained traction; however, IT still struggles with reducing deployment times and lowering overall costs. NetApp is introducing new designs and a management plug-in that enable customers to deploy and scale a desktop virtualization solution. It can deliver applications instantly while reducing overall cost expenditures.

• Citrix XenDesktop 7 on NetApp FAS storage systems is a validated design providing configuration guidance, and storage sizing for a simplified and optimized storage solution. This initial integration of clustered Data ONTAP to XenDesktop 7 offers designs built on an efficient, flexible, and nondisruptive platform.
• Citrix XenDesktop 7 on FlexPod from Cisco and NetApp with clustered Data ONTAP allows faster infrastructure deployment, reduces design requirements, and provides end-to-end storage management software for the latest release of XenDesktop. This includes expanded clustered Data ONTAP support for existing CloudStack based infrastructures to enable desktop and application delivery.
• NetApp Virtual Storage Console 2.0 for Xenserver is a new plug-in for XenCenter that enables self-service data management. Citrix administrators can now monitor, optimize, and provision storage directly from one management console.

Mobile Collaboration
IT needs to respond to user behavior and support mobile employees. Real-time communication is vital to collaboration and clustered Data ONTAP helps employees stay connected and reduces work disruption. Citrix ShareFile enables IT to deliver a robust data sharing and sync service that meets the mobility and collaboration needs of users and the data security requirements of the enterprise. NetApp and Citrix have collaborated to deliver NetApp Recovery Manager for ShareFile. This new software automates the recovery of user files and folders from NetApp storage array-based Snapshot copies directly from inside the ShareFile user interface.

Cloud Technologies
Organizations are looking for efficient and effective ways to harness the benefits of cloud services without disrupting business. Citrix CloudBridge with NetApp SnapMirror replication technology helps customers achieve faster data replication for NetApp storage solutions. Working together, NetApp and CloudBridge offer enterprises a cloud-ready storage environment that delivers, optimizes maintenance, and accelerates IT agility.

Earlier, NS Solutions Corp., Citrix, and NetApp announced that All Nippon Airways (ANA) has adopted NS Solutions’ VDI service that is offered through collaboration of the three companies. ANA will use the VDI service for its 11,000 desktops to help realize work-life balance and enable its employees to use their personal devices for work.

The NetApp Virtual Storage Console 2.0 for Xenserver plug-in and NetApp Recovery Manager for Citrix ShareFile are available worldwide as free downloads. Citrix CloudBridge with NetApp SnapMirror is available worldwide. The joint solution for Citrix XenDesktop 7 with vSphere will be available worldwide in August.

Bob Schultz, group VP and GM, enterprise desktops and applications, Citrix, said: "Enterprises are under growing pressure to improve IT flexibility and mobilize their employees and leverage private and public clouds. Through our relationship with NetApp, we are driving a shared vision to transform the way our customers manage, deliver and consume IT services with collaboration around desktop virtualization, mobility and cloud."

Patrick Rogers, VP, data center platforms, NetApp, said: "NetApp and Citrix share a vision to provide a simple, easy-to-deploy architecture for transitioning enterprises to private and hybrid clouds. We are looking to transform the role of IT in organizations through technologies such as clustered Data ONTAP, which enable an efficient, flexible, and non disruptive storage platform. With today’s announcement, organizations can now support the increasingly mobile workforce with a cloud-ready infrastructure."

Tim Haynes, director of IT, Best Best & Krieger, LLP, said: "Best Best & Krieger is a full-service law firm with more than 200 attorneys nationwide and a growing practice. We needed an IT foundation that addressed our new mobile work style, including remote sites and on-demand access to user desktops and applications. The IT solution from Cisco, NetApp, and Citrix increased the security, speed and efficiency, allowing our attorneys and staff to access their data and applications from any office and delivering results to our clients."