Innovative Partnership: Redefining Cloud Solutions

Discover the future of cloud solutions with NetApp Storage on Equinix Metal – a groundbreaking collaboration between NetApp and Equinix that offers unparalleled performance, scalability, and security.

NetApp®, a global software company with a focus on cloud and data-centric solutions, has introduced a new collaborative offering known as Bare-Metal-as-a-Service (BMaaS), under the name “NetApp Storage on Equinix Metal.” This innovative solution seamlessly integrates NetApp Storage with Equinix Metal and is presented as an as-a-service model within the framework of NetApp Keystone®. NetApp Keystone® empowers users to embrace a genuine hybrid cloud experience through a single subscription, allowing them to tailor their storage capacity and performance to their exact needs without overcommitting resources. This approach significantly reduces initial costs while affording the flexibility to augment storage as business requirements evolve.

NetApp Storage on Equinix Metal furnishes customers with a comprehensive suite of computing, networking, and storage infrastructure, featuring low-latency interconnectivity to all major public cloud platforms. This environment can be configured as either a single-tenant or dedicated setup, accommodating stringent performance criteria, scalability, and a unified pricing structure that simplifies billing and support within a single agreement.

Sandeep Singh, Senior Vice President and GM of Enterprise Storage at NetApp, observed, “Today’s rapid cloud innovation pace allows organizations to migrate diverse workloads to hybrid multi-cloud environments with unprecedented ease and scale. NetApp is at the forefront of delivering native cloud and first-party solutions across the three major public clouds, providing a cohesive hybrid multi-cloud experience for customers. The introduction of NetApp Storage on Equinix Metal underscores the value of our partnership and our mutual commitment to delivering as-a-service hybrid multi-cloud solutions that offer superior performance, scalability, and streamlined management.”

Matthew Swinbourne, CTO, Cloud Architecture, NetApp Asia Pacific, added, “As organizations in the Asia Pacific region accelerate their cloud journey, they need a robust data infrastructure to support a flexible and secure hybrid multi-cloud experience across on-premises, cloud, and everything in between. We are excited to introduce this enterprise-grade flash as-a-service solution that seamlessly integrates with Equinix Metal, enabling organizations to focus on driving innovation and critical business tasks.”

Key advantages of NetApp Storage on Equinix Metal encompass:

1. Integrated Solution: NetApp Storage harmoniously combines with Equinix Metal’s infrastructure, delivering a cohesive experience for storage (covering file, block, and object), compute, and networking, all under a unified subscription model.
2. Cloud Adjacency: Customers have the flexibility to design their hybrid multi-cloud strategy while maintaining control over their data in a low-latency, high-performance environment—whether it’s on-premises, in the cloud, or anywhere in between, spanning all three major public clouds.
3. Enhanced Performance for Demanding Workloads: The combination of NetApp Storage and Equinix Metal’s high-performance dedicated bare metal servers unlocks swift data access, minimal latency, and the capability to effortlessly handle the most resource-intensive workloads.
4. Scalable Capacity and On-Demand Performance: NetApp Storage on Equinix Metal allows customers to scale their storage resources according to their evolving business needs.
5. Superior Data Security: NetApp Storage delivers top-tier encryption, ransomware protection, and security features, supported by Equinix International Business Exchange (IBX®) data centers’ physical and environmental security, ensuring the safeguarding of customer data. NetApp’s proactive ransomware detection capabilities provide additional peace of mind.
6. Global Reach: Equinix’s extensive global presence enables users to leverage NetApp Storage on Equinix Metal in Equinix IBX data centers across the world, with 250 IBX data centers globally in 71 metros and 26 Equinix Metal locations as of June 2023.
7. Streamlined Management: NetApp’s unified control plane for storage and data services empowers customers with comprehensive control and visibility over their data, regardless of its location. Equinix Metal’s automated provisioning platform simplifies deployment and management.

Brian Stein, Senior Vice President, Edge Infrastructure Services at Equinix, highlighted the growing pressure on customers to optimize data management to gain a competitive edge in light of cloud adoption, AI acceleration, and the desire for real-time insights. He emphasized that the integrated, full-stack solution serves as a pivotal milestone, offering enterprise customers low-latency access to multiple clouds while maintaining data control. This cloud adjacency transforms how companies deploy applications, design solutions, generate new revenue streams, simplify operations, and control costs.

NetApp Storage on Equinix Metal represents a strategic expansion of NetApp’s cloud strategy, introducing a true hybrid multi-cloud experience. This solution now allows NetApp to provide the entire stack within Equinix IBX data centers equipped with Equinix Metal, delivering an optimized connection to leading public cloud platforms through high-speed, local connectivity. Users have complete access to NetApp cloud services, including Cloud Volumes ONTAP, on Equinix’s global dedicated bare metal infrastructure.