Insight 2023: NetApp Unified Data Storage Across On-Premises and Public Cloud

At Insigt 2023, NetApp, Inc. announced several updates to the only unified data storage solution including new block storage products driving unmatched savings and sustainability, multiple improvements to public cloud storage services, and updates to NetApp Keystone STaaS – all designed to drive simplicity, savings, security, and sustainability for customers.

ASA block-optimized all-flash storage appliances

Over 2 decades ago, the company introduced unified storage to the industry. Today, it extends the definition of unified data storage to an entire architecture that enables file, block, and object workloads. Unified storage provides a common storage OS that spans multiple on-premises storage offerings and every major public cloud, unified by a common API set and single control plane. This includes the unified all-flash storage, AFF, the new block-optimized all-flash storage, ASA, and an only first-party, cloud-native storage solutions running on all of the 3 largest public clouds with Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP, Microsoft Azure NetApp Files, and Google Cloud NetApp Volumes.

“As we unveil updates to our enterprise-grade storage portfolio, we’re setting the stage for a transformative era in data management,” said Harv Bhela, CPO. “NetApp’s portfolio, spanning on-premises and all major public clouds, reinforces our dedication to customers to deliver unified storage solutions that meet the evolving needs of modern enterprises and provide unmatched simplicity, savings, security, and sustainability.”

Delivering unmatched savings and sustainability for block storage

Earlier this year, the company introduced the AFF C-Series system, a unified-capacity flash storage offering, and it has become the fastest ramping product introduction in company’s history.

Over 20,000 customers trust the company for block workloads running on its mission-critical SAN infrastructure. To better serve these customers and the overall block storage market, the firm introduced the All-Flash SAN Array (ASA) earlier this year. The ASA provides enterprise-grade block storage with guaranteed availability and efficiency.

“NetApp’s all-flash SAN storage made a big difference in our critical infrastructure environment, including VMware and S/4 HANA,” said Tristan Roberts, digital infrastructure leader, TasNetworks. “It greatly simplified our data management with integrated data protection and disaster recovery and enabled us to achieve simplified business continuity with MetroCluster. We are always interested in enhancements to the product set, including the greater outcomes for cost-efficiency and sustainability with ASA C-series.”

Driving capacity flash and block storage innovation even further, the company announced the ASA C-Series family at NetApp Insight 2023. The ASA C-Series uses capacity flash for the best balance of performance and cost savings, with sustainability. Delivering the speed of flash at close to disk prices, the ASA provides a 4:1 storage efficiency guarantee and a ‘Six Nines’ (99.9999%) data availability guarantee ^(*). With cyber-resilience, the ASA C-Series is also eligible for the NetApp Ransomware Recovery Guarantee ^(*), and is cloud connected to allow for DR, backup, and tiering to cloud, allowing organizations to modernize their environments, optimizing data storage for VMware vSphere, and accelerating SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL database workloads, with integrated application-aware backup.

“NetApp ASA storage provides customers with a tailored solution to deliver high-performance and guaranteed high availability (99.9999%) storage for critical applications, databases, and VMware infrastructure, without creating bespoke infrastructure silos,” said Sandeep Singh, SVP and GM, enterprise storage, NetApp. “Our ASA C-Series now redefines block storage, combining these unmatched ASA storage capabilities and capacity flash, making enterprise-grade block storage more affordable and sustainable than ever.”

To help customers make a no-regrets move to a NetApp block storage solution, a variety of services are now available at no additional cost. This includes up-front solution design assessment that includes the evaluation of any existing architecture, free data migration, software license and services, or 3 months of complimentary firm’s storage support during the migration period and free training workshops.^(*)

Ongoing enhancements to only first-party, cloud-native storage across 3 largest public clouds
The company first introduced its enterprise storage into the public cloud nearly a decade ago, in 2014. Today, the firm has the only first-party, cloud-native storage offered on all 3 of the largest public clouds.

Google Cloud NetApp Volumes was just introduced in August 2023, and already is being enhanced with a new Standard service layer, driving an over 30% reduction in cost/GB, while still supplying the same multi-protocol files services with integrated data protection, available across 14 Google Cloud regions.

Meanwhile, Amazon FSx for NetApp Ontap will lower overall TCO by taking advantage of VPC Peering to connect to VMware Cloud on AWS. The addition of unified file and object access via the Ontap S3 API simplifies data access for cloud native applications developed to utilize object storage. Microsoft Azure NetApp Files now has enhanced capacity scaling, enhanced performance for Oracle databases and support for transparent automated tiering of data to the Azure Cool Blob tier for improved cost savings.

Delivering SaaS options and improved assurance with NetApp Keystone.
The firm continues to drive new options for customers to consume the strongest enterprise storage portfolio. Earlier this month, Equinix and NetApp announced Storage on Equinix Metal, powered by Keystone, lets organizations power business-critical workloads with a full stack solution, through a single monthly invoice

Today, the company enhanced its Keystone Storage-as-a-Service, delivering a set of guarantees for a STaaS offering. Customers can take advantage of integrated performance and availability guarantees ^(*). The previously announced Keystone sustainability SLA helps companies reduce their carbon footprints with automated data tiering, sustainability monitoring, and cancellation of overprovisioning, on premises and in the cloud. The firm is also previewing a goal to offer a ransomware recovery guarantee for Keystone in the next 90 days. ^(*)

“NetApp continues to drive innovation across the enterprise and the public cloud with its unified data storage portfolio,” said Ashish Nadkarni, Group VP and GM, infrastructure systems, platforms and technologies and buyerview research, IDC. “Customer demand continues to grow for simplified storage at a lower cost and less environmental impact, and the new NetApp ASA C-Series will be a formidable option for these customers. NetApp’s Keystone program continues to grow, offering customers the guarantee they need.”

^(*) Specific terms and conditions will apply to each guarantee and offer. Previews are subject to change.

Click to enlarge