Enterprises want Microsoft Azure-consistent operations without giving up control of their data. Azure Local with NetApp® external storage brings Azure-native services into your data center with the scale, performance, and data protection that your enterprise relies on.
Microsoft announced today support for external storage, and NetApp has been selected as a key partner, integrating NetApp ONTAP® based solutions. With NetApp technology, your organization can scale compute and storage independently; protect workloads; and use the same Azure tools, such as Azure Policy, Monitor, and Update Manager, for unified management across core, edge, and cloud.
If your organization is reevaluating VMware due to licensing changes, this collaboration brings together Microsoft’s modular compute platform and NetApp’s resilient storage, to offer a credible path forward for your evolving virtualization strategies.
Microsoft and NetApp are bringing the flexibility of Azure to where your data lives. Whether you are modernizing your data center, preparing for hybrid cloud, or operating at the edge, Azure Local with NetApp can help you move forward with consistency, control, and confidence.
Joint value proposition
- Enterprise scale for Azure Local. Extend Azure Local clusters with data center–class NetApp storage to support larger, more demanding workloads.
- Hybrid consistency and choice. Manage, migrate, and protect your data seamlessly across on-premises ONTAP, NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP®, and Azure NetApp Files storage.
- Operational familiarity. Use Azure-native management and update tools while gaining the efficiencies, encryption, and cyber resilience of NetApp solutions.
Use cases
- Transitioning from VMware to Azure Local with enterprise storage continuity
- Building hybrid and edge-to-cloud strategies with consistent Azure operations
- Running large, Microsoft-centric VM estates that need high performance and predictable scaling
- Improving operations in industries such as healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and the Public Sector, and in any industry that demands compliance with data residency and other regulations, as well as low-latency performance
NetApp and Microsoft are collaborating to bring this capability to general availability. Early participants will help shape the roadmap and best practices for enterprise deployments.
Join the Azure Local + NetApp preview
- We are inviting a limited number of customers to join the preview of Azure Local with external storage from NetApp.
- If you already run (or plan to deploy) Azure Local and can validate with Fibre Channel over a short pilot window, contact your NetApp account team.
- Participants will receive guided setup, reference architecture, and direct feedback sessions with our joint engineering teams.
Safe Harbor Statement: Any unreleased services or features referenced in this blog are not currently available and may not be made generally available on time or at all, as may be determined in NetApp’s sole discretion. Any such referenced services or features do not represent promises to deliver, commitments, or obligations of NetApp and may not be incorporated into any contract. Customers should make their purchase decisions based upon services and features that are currently generally available.
