Storage specialist NetApp unveiled unified, scale-out products designed to enable enterprise customers to manage and control their data through a single storage and data management platform, the FAS8000 series scale-out enterprise storage systems.
The FAS8000 series unifies storage-area network (SAN), network-attached storage (NAS) and storage virtualization into a single hybrid array.
It is the company’s first fabric-attached storage (FAS) platform designed for scale-out storage environments built on clustered Data ONTAP.
The FlexArray virtualization software enables existing storage to be managed by Data ONTAP, enables the FAS8000 to virtualize and manage third-party arrays, and delivers a nine-month payback guarantee.
Additional improvements with the FAS8000 include a new storage I/O–optimized architecture, including the Intel microarchitecture, formerly code-named Sandy Bridge, expanded memory, and improved flash support to deliver low-latency performance for enterprise-class workloads.
FlexArray supports SAN and NAS, without add-ons, and it is designed to help customers unify their IT architecture under a common data management umbrella that is easy to manage and offers application integration and data protection.
“CIOs and IT executives are constantly looking to simplify operations, make infrastructure decisions that can scale to demand, and deliver a solid return on investment for their organizations,” Ashish Nadkarni, research director of storage systems and big data research at IT analytics firm IDC, said in a statement. “Building or implementing cloud-supported infrastructures however, requires storage and data management product and solutions that satisfy cloud requirements. With the introduction of its new enterprise storage systems and software, NetApp is innovating the underlying storage infrastructure in such a way that enables this type of flexible and efficient data storage infrastructure.”
The release of clustered Data ONTAP, version 8.2.1, extends nondisruptive operations (NDOs) and is designed to improve data security and management of CIFS environments.
With clustered Data ONTAP, organizations can help eliminate planned downtime and service their infrastructure without disrupting access to user data and applications.
Businesses also have the ability to add or replace storage shelves without disruption to operations and access improved data security and the management of Microsoft common Internet file system (CIFS) environments.
Clustered Data ONTAP is designed to simplify and automate the delivery of IT services to users and applications, making it an ideal foundation for private, public and hybrid clouds.
“As they adapt their IT operations to improve service delivery and embrace cloud mandates, CIOs recognize the advantages of shared storage infrastructures. Our proven, flash-accelerated FAS enterprise storage systems combine scale-out innovation and rich data management capabilities in a single unified platform,” George Kurian, executive vice president of product operations for NetApp, said in a statement. “Our new FAS8000 series and enhanced software offerings allow customers to respond quickly to changing business needs, move seamlessly to an era of unbound clouds, and eliminate the overprovisioning of people, time and money.”