NetApp is intensifying its focus on data management for artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, a strategy it elaborated on during its Insight 2024 event in Las Vegas this week.
At the heart of this initiative is a global metadata namespace integrated into its Ontap storage operating system, designed to simplify the processes of discovering, classifying, exploring, processing, and storing data for AI modeling and inference. The company also unveiled new block storage ASA and file-oriented FAS arrays, enhanced ransomware protection features in the Ontap OS and BlueXP control plane, and additional NetApp storage services available in Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.
AI Data Management Vision
NetApp articulated its vision for AI innovation, positioning itself more firmly in the realm of AI data management. The approach revolves around a suite of services that enable data collection based on custom criteria, applicable both on-premises and in cloud environments. Users can employ natural language queries to gather relevant datasets for AI processing.
CEO George Kurian remarked, “We’re at a pivotal moment in the intersection of the business and technology landscape, where data meets intelligence. There exists a disparity between what AI systems can achieve—through their chips and architectures—and the data systems in play. NetApp aims to infuse intelligence into the infrastructure and the data it houses, providing tools to better analyze and utilize data.”
Kurian also highlighted the necessity of enhancing model management along with ensuring data traceability, versioning, and security throughout the data lifecycle with applicable policies. Krish Vitaldevera, NetApp’s Senior Vice President and General Manager for Platform, underscored that AI constitutes a significant data challenge that is intricate and costly. He pointed out the issue of vector database bloat, where data dimensions multiply during retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) use cases, potentially leading to data size increases of eight to tenfold. Vitaldevera indicated that new functionalities in Ontap are geared towards addressing this through effective data reduction.
New Block and File Storage Solutions
In addition, NetApp introduced new offerings to its ASA and FAS storage array families. Sandeep Singh, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Enterprise Storage at NetApp, noted, “Our goal is to provide customers with solutions that eliminate the need to choose between straightforward block storage and scalable storage with advanced data management capabilities. We aim to deliver complexity and power without compromise.”
To this end, the company launched the ASA A70, A90, and A1K block storage arrays, boasting performance enhancements of 109% for the A70, 88% for the A90, and 50% for the A1K compared to their predecessors. Furthermore, these products are positioned to offer lower initial costs—ranging from 20% to 35% less than competitors—making modernization accessible for a wider range of budgets. Targeted workloads include VMware, Oracle, SAP, SQL databases, and Epic healthcare record systems.
New FAS arrays have also been introduced to cater to secondary workloads like backup; the FAS70 shows an 85% speed improvement over the FAS8300, while the FAS90 offers a 35% boost compared to the existing FAS9500. The new ASA A series complements the previously launched AFF file-oriented A series, while the FAS arrays add a hybrid flash tier featuring lower-capacity quad-level cell (QLC) flash-equipped models.
Ransomware Protection Enhancements
NetApp announced significant upgrades to its ransomware protection and response capabilities within Ontap and the BlueXP control plane. With Ontap now at version 9.16.1, the autonomous ransomware protection feature has reached general availability, providing automated updates to ransomware profiles, AI-driven detection with 99% accuracy claims, and the ability to create immutable snapshots as a response to threats.
In BlueXP, a new dashboard will enable customers to scan their data for potential vulnerabilities, such as the presence of personally identifiable information (PII), categorize workloads, and prioritize protection levels. The platform will also feature alert capabilities for suspicious user activities, with full functionality expected by the end of 2024. Additionally, users can integrate ransomware alerts into their security ecosystems to expedite detection and response times.
Enhanced Cloud Offerings
In Azure, NetApp Files will introduce a new Cool Access option, allowing data tiering to more affordable Azure Blob storage during infrequent usage, facilitating restoration as needed by applications or users. For Google Cloud, the NetApp Volumes Flex option is now available in 40 regions, with auto-tiering features available to transition data from higher-cost service tiers to lower-cost storage options.
VMware Cost Auditing Service
Amid rising concerns about VMware costs following licensing changes from Broadcom’s acquisition, NetApp now provides an automated service through BlueXP for auditing VMware environments. This service compares customer performance and cost metrics with Amazon EC2 alongside NetApp storage, enabling the formulation of tailored migration plans.
AI Collaborations
On the AI front, NetApp announced that testing will soon commence on Nvidia’s DGX SuperPod in tandem with the NetApp AFF A90 storage system. The event also marked the general availability of the new NetApp AIPod, developed in partnership with Lenovo, featuring Lenovo servers, NetApp storage, and Nvidia’s OVX platform, as well as a new NetApp FlexPod converged infrastructure solution aimed at AI RAG workloads.