NetApp is continuing its strong focus on data management for artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, as highlighted during its Insight 2024 event in Las Vegas. Central to this strategy is the use of a global metadata namespace within its Ontap storage operating system, designed to streamline the discovery, classification, exploration, processing, and storage of corporate data for AI modeling and inference.

New product announcements included the introduction of block storage ASA arrays and file-oriented FAS systems, enhancements to ransomware protection in the Ontap operating system and BlueXP control plane, and expanded NetApp storage services in Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Advancing Data Management for AI

NetApp reinforced its commitment to AI innovation, emphasizing the need to bridge the gap between AI systems and data infrastructures. The company’s vision includes a range of services enabling data gathering based on custom criteria, whether on-premises or in the cloud, with AI-ready collections accessible through natural language queries.

CEO George Kurian spoke of the intersection of data and intelligence, noting the gap between AI capabilities and data management systems. He emphasized NetApp’s goal to bring intelligence to infrastructure and data, providing tools to understand, explore, and select data for use in AI systems. Kurian also highlighted the importance of enhancing AI model management, model traceability, versioning, and securing data throughout its lifecycle with policies that accompany the data.

Krish Vitaldevera, NetApp’s SVP and GM for platform, identified the challenges posed by vector database bloat, particularly in retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines. He explained how Ontap’s new features aim to tackle these issues by focusing on data reduction.

New ASA Block and FAS File Storage Arrays

NetApp also introduced new additions to its ASA and FAS storage array lines. The ASA A70, A90, and A1K block storage arrays deliver significant performance boosts—109%, 88%, and 50% respectively—over previous models, and offer 20% to 35% lower upfront costs than competitors. These arrays are designed for workloads such as VMware, Oracle, SAP, SQL databases, and Epic healthcare systems.

New FAS arrays, targeting secondary workloads like backup, were also announced. The FAS70 provides an 85% speed increase over the FAS8300, while the FAS90 boasts a 35% improvement over the FAS9500.

These announcements add a block-optimized ASA A series to NetApp’s existing AFF file-oriented A series, while the new FAS arrays present a lower-tier hybrid flash option.

Enhanced Ransomware Protection

NetApp has strengthened ransomware protection in its Ontap operating system and BlueXP control plane. Ontap version 9.16.1 now includes autonomous ransomware protection with automated ransomware profile updates, AI-based detection with 99% accuracy, and the creation of immutable snapshots.

In BlueXP, users can scan for risks, categorize workloads, and prioritize protection levels. BlueXP also integrates with security ecosystems to streamline ransomware detection and response, with additional alert features coming by the end of 2024.

Cloud Storage and AI Partnerships

In the cloud, NetApp has expanded its offerings. In Azure NetApp Files, a new Cool Access option tiers data to lower-cost Azure Blob storage when usage decreases, while in Google Cloud NetApp Volumes, the Flex value option is now available in 40 regions.

NetApp also announced upcoming testing of Nvidia DGX SuperPod and NetApp AFF A90 storage, and the general availability of a new NetApp AI Pod with Lenovo, combining Lenovo servers, NetApp storage, and the Nvidia OVX platform. A new NetApp FlexPod converged infrastructure option for AI RAG workloads was also launched.

Article Credit: Computer Weekly