NetApp integrates security, adds hardware for GenAI future
NetApp executives see a disaggregated future for its storage hardware and software into data management, but industry analysts question how storage admins will handle these duties.
Storage vendor NetApp sees its customers making further inroads into generative AI workflows in the coming years with a demand for data management and data integrity features.
NetApp conveyed this future-forward message and debuted several updates and new features for its BlueXP hybrid cloud management console today at the NetApp Insight conference in Las Vegas. The new features are designed to improve security for the OnTap OS and new lines of storage hardware.
The company is adjusting its storage approach in the near future by developing a new disaggregated storage architecture to its future products and releases, NetApp executives said.
This approach will enable the creation of a NetApp-centered AI ecosystem using the company's OnTap storage OS, they said. Specific planned capabilities to support the disaggregated platform will include data policy engines, metadata search through a single namespace and data collection creation.
The approach fits with the direction of storage as duties of data storage administrators are blurring into data management and data security, said Simon Robinson, an analyst at TechTarget's Enterprise Strategy Group. NetApp's approach appears to serve these future amalgamated needs through the current slate of releases and future platform development, he said.
There's this growing interest in not just managing storage, but understanding data.
Simon RobinsonAnalyst, Enterprise Strategy Group
Many organizations likely have enough useful data for generative AI initiatives, Robinson said, but software and hardware that can show the specific location of data and break down departmental silos would speed up development.
"There's this growing interest in not just managing storage, but understanding data," Robinson said.
Data safety
New features NetApp added to BlueXP and OnTap are centered around security and cyber resiliency against ransomware, with BlueXP ransomware protection now generally available today after a preview launch earlier this year.
BlueXP, the vendor's management console for its products, was built from cloud technology acquisitions by NetApp, including Spot and Fylamynt.
The BlueXP ransomware protection service now integrates with security information and event management tools, launching with support for Splunk and AWS Security Hub, and sends storage ransomware protection alerts directly to these security team platforms. The service offers sensitive data assessment tools directly through BlueXP, flagging personally identifiable information or other information an organization deems a liability, and provides anomalous activity alerts with Cloud Insights Storage Workload Security.
OnTap also now automates ransomware profiles and definition updates without the need to disrupt operations through shutdowns or human intervention.
Ransomware definitions and mutations can change almost daily, so having the capability for NetApp to quickly push updates is a useful addition to storage and security teams, said Johnny Yu, an analyst at IDC.
"They're doing this in a way that's not disruptive," Yu said. "It doesn't seem you need to be deeply entrenched in the world of security to use these security tools."
What does jump out to Yu is how security duties, backup duties and storage roles have begun to blur across IT infrastructure careers. Sharing knowledge and information on possible threats is useful, but organizations should ensure their IT employees are taking on roles that fit their strengths and avoid making decisions on topics they're less experienced about, he said.
"The more of these tools that you're making native to the storage software itself, the more you have to make sure people using this software aren't taking on duties beyond their job description," Yu said.
Such a merger of duties isn't just more work for the sake of more work, Robinson said. Each of the three roles contributes to a strong security posture, so increasing communication through automated services and tools that simplify some of the more technical specifics could help, he said.
"We can't just be in our silos. Everybody has a responsibility to be on top of the security aspects that could impact their security part of the architecture," Robinson said.
These risk assessment and alert additions support NetApp's further push into data management capabilities, said Brent Ellis, an analyst at Forrester Research.
"They're starting to build in actual data infrastructure services that are stored within their [customers'] environments," Ellis said. "You'll get a hybrid storage infrastructure system that is able to source the data it needs."
Speeds and feeds
NetApp's hardware line expanded today with the new all-flash block storage-focused ASA A-Series and the new mixed-media FAS storage combining flash and hard disks for colder storage needs.
The ASA A-Series focuses on increased performance and hardware specifications compared with the more capacity-minded ASA C-Series, which launched last fall. The line will be available in three models: A70, A90 and A1K, increasing in specifications and price accordingly, according to NetApp spokespeople.
The ASA A-Series aims to take on offerings from the likes of Pure Storage or Hewlett Packard Enterprises' Alletra line, Ellis said, but it targets larger enterprises that demand high performance for very specific and mission-critical workloads.
"It's not meant to be block storage for everything," Ellis said. "It's for workloads like VMware or production databases."
New additions to the NetApp FAS line include the FAS70 and FAS90, mixed-media storage hardware targeting colder storage or cyber-vault needs.
NetApp's cloud offerings also received updates today, including improved cost optimization for Microsoft Azure NetApp Files, improvements to Google NetApp Cloud Volumes and a new migration tool for converting VMware virtual machines into AWS Elastic Compute Cloud instances through BlueXP.
On-premises block storage needs will likely continue for databases and virtualization platforms, said Ray Lucchesi, president and founder of Silverton Consulting. Hybrid cloud deployments might change what is prioritized for on-premises, but NetApp's target here will likely demand low latency and high uptime, he said.
"That's not going to go away until those applications are refactored," Lucchesi said.
Tim McCarthy is a news writer for TechTarget Editorial covering cloud and data storage.
