NetApp has introduced new updates to its AFF all-flash storage arrays with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI) workloads and reducing energy consumption in data centers. The company aims to attract more customers for its block access arrays and has made QLC drives available across its Storagegrid object storage family. Additionally, NetApp has made improvements to its Ontap OS and introduced product bundles for Nvidia-based workloads.
The refreshed AFF family now includes the AFF A70, which replaces the A400, the A1K, which targets the high-end market previously served by the A900, and the A90, which replaces the A700 and caters to the high to mid-end market. Grant Caley, NetApp’s director for solutions engineering, described the new hardware as “unified storage for the AI era,” with the ability to handle any data type, workload, protocol, and location while prioritizing security.
The high-end AFF arrays can now handle capacities of hundreds of petabytes, with options for up to 30TB QLC drives for capacity configurations and 15TB TLC drives for performance-focused arrays. Despite the marketing emphasis on AI workloads, NetApp aims to serve a broader market, including VMware deployments and databases. Caley highlighted NetApp’s capabilities for data scientists, such as efficient cloning and copying of large datasets for AI use.
NetApp also intends to target block workloads, an area where it believes it has untapped potential. Caley stated that although many customers already use NetApp arrays as SANs, there is room for growth in this market segment.
The new AFF arrays offer significant performance improvements over the previous generation, including lower cost per IOPS, throughput, effective TB, and density. Beyond performance, NetApp positions itself as an “intelligent data infrastructure company” that enables seamless data movement across different systems and locations, tiering of data, and integration with various cloud platforms.
In addition to the array updates, NetApp announced a collaboration with Lenovo to provide “generative AI in a box” through the AIPod with Lenovo for Nvidia OVX. This follows previous product releases in partnership with Nvidia, including the AIPod with Nvidia DGX, Ontap with Nemo Retriever, and FlexPod for AI.
Lastly, NetApp revealed that its Ontap operating system has been upgraded to version 9.15.1, and its Storagegrid object storage family now includes five models equipped with high-density QLC flash drives. The company also emphasized its commitment to sustainability by addressing energy waste in data centers and promoting responsible data management practices.