Microsoft has announced several new features for Azure NetApp Files (ANF). These updates bring meaningful improvements in performance, flexibility, security, and data mobility—making ANF an even more capable solution for organizations running demanding workloads in the cloud.
Whether you're managing infrastructure, supporting hybrid environments, or navigating compliance requirements, these enhancements are designed to help your organization operate more efficiently and securely.
Improved Data Mobility and Access
Two powerful data mobility features are now available:
- Azure NetApp Files Cache Volumes
- Azure NetApp Files Migration Assistant
Cache Volumes, built on NetApp’s ONTAP® FlexCache® technology, introduce a persistent, high-performance cache in Azure for origin volumes located outside ANF. This means active data can be accessed faster and more efficiently—even across WAN connections. For distributed teams or hybrid architectures, this capability enables low-latency access to critical files without duplicating entire datasets.
The Migration Assistant streamlines the process of moving data from on-premises ONTAP environments to Azure. It preserves metadata and minimizes downtime, helping your organization reduce migration complexity and network costs.
Flexible Pricing and Performance Optimization
Three new features are now GA that give organizations more control over cost and performance:
- Flexible Service Level
- Flexible Service Level with Cool Access
- Short-Term Clones
With flexible service levels, you can dynamically adjust performance tiers based on workload needs—scaling up for high-performance tasks or scaling down to save costs during quieter periods. The addition of cool access tiers allows you to store infrequently accessed data at a lower cost, while maintaining availability when needed.
Short-term clones are ideal for development, testing, and analytics. These space-efficient, temporary copies allow teams to work with production-like data without consuming large amounts of storage, accelerating innovation while keeping costs in check.
Simplified VMware Integration
Azure NetApp Files now supports datastore integration with Azure VMware Solution (AVS) Generation 2, and notably, this no longer requires ExpressRoute.
This update simplifies deployment for organizations using AVS, making it easier to migrate VMware workloads to Azure. With ANF providing high-performance storage, teams can expect improved responsiveness and reliability for their virtualized environments—without the complexity of additional networking infrastructure.
Enhanced Security and Visibility
Security and compliance are top priorities for many organizations, and ANF’s latest updates deliver greater control and transparency:
- Cross-Tenant Customer-Managed Keys for Volume Encryption
- File Access Logs
With cross-tenant encryption, your organization can manage its own encryption keys—even in multi-tenant scenarios—ensuring data protection policies remain under your control. This is especially important for regulated industries or environments with strict governance requirements.
File Access Logs provide detailed visibility into file-level operations. These logs support audit trails, help detect unusual access patterns, and enable forensic analysis—making it easier to meet compliance standards and maintain operational integrity.
Who Benefits Most from These Updates?
These new features are particularly valuable for:
- Organizations modernizing infrastructure or migrating to AVS
The VMware integration and migration tools simplify transitions and reduce friction.
- Teams with strict security and compliance requirements
Enhanced encryption and logging capabilities support governance and regulatory needs.
- IT departments looking to optimize storage costs and performance
Flexible service levels, cool access tiers, and cache volumes deliver measurable efficiency gains.
Whether you're supporting enterprise applications, managing hybrid cloud environments, or enabling global collaboration, these enhancements to Azure NetApp Files offer practical tools to improve performance, reduce costs, and strengthen security.
Next Steps
If your organization is already using ANF or considering it as part of your cloud strategy, these new features are worth exploring. They offer tangible benefits across infrastructure, operations, and compliance—helping you get more value from your cloud investments.
Would you like help evaluating how these features could fit into your current environment or roadmap?
Let’s talk https://www.netapp.com/azure/contact/
