Trident 26.06 introduces Volume Move, letting you relocate iSCSI-backed Kubernetes volumes to a different ONTAP node and aggregate without interrupting application I/O. In this hands-on guide, you’ll learn the requirements, how to identify source and target placement in ONTAP, how to start a move with tridentctl , and how to monitor progress through each stage. ... View more

Enterprise organizations have been storing enterprise file‑based data for decades. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has introduced a range of AI and analytics services that unlock new ways to extract insights, automate decisions, and build differentiated applications. There is value in making on-premises file data available to these services, in terms of unlocking deeper insights. However, implementing this effectively requires a more nuanced approach. When line of business (LOB) teams ask their storage colleagues to use existing file datasets, they often aren't aware that these services use Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) as their underlying storage infrastructure, and that the file data will need to be copied to this storage. This introduces new governance challenges, and responsibility for addressing those requirements lands squarely with the storage team, who need to turn a simple request to “use the data” into a solution that’s secure, auditable, and defensible over time. In this post, we look at a “governance‑first” approach that gives application and analytics teams a compliant path for allowing Amazon S3‑based services to consume file data without the added governance hassle, while keeping auditability and control front and center. ... View more

Overview The NetApp Cyber Resilience Suite delivers comprehensive recovery assurance against any disruption—whether caused by human error, infrastructure failure, or cyberattack. Built on three complementary pillars—Backup & Recovery, Ransomware Resilience, and Disaster Recovery—the suite empowers enterprises to safeguard their most critical data with confidence. In this blog, we spotlight NetApp Backup & Recovery, the next evolution in NetApp’s data protection journey. Expanding beyond SnapCenter, it supports a broader range of workloads and modern deployment models. Designed for unified, scalable, and future‑ready protection, it secures mission‑critical environments including NAS volumes, Kubernetes, OpenShift, VMware, Hyper‑V, KVM, Microsoft SQL Server, and Oracle databases. With active innovation, simplified workflows, built‑in 3‑2‑1 backup compliance, and enhanced cyber resilience, NetApp Backup & Recovery helps enterprises move beyond the limitations of legacy frameworks. It enables organizations to embrace a next‑generation data protection strategy with confidence. Let’s explore the latest features that were released this month for VMware protection.   Seamless Integration with the New ASA Platform The introduction of support for NetApp’s All SAN Array (ASA) platform marks a significant milestone in VMware data protection. ASA is celebrated for its high-performance capabilities, making it the go-to choice for enterprises managing demanding SAN workloads. With NetApp’s Backup and Recovery suite now fully compatible with ASA, organizations can: Effortlessly back up VMware datastores and virtual machines (VMs) across the ASA platform. Restore entire VMs or individual virtual disks with precision. Recover specific files or folders, saving time and storage space by avoiding full VM restores. This integration ensures that enterprises leveraging ASA can enjoy unparalleled efficiency and flexibility in protecting their VMware environments.   Automating Protection with Tag-Based Policies Managing thousands of VMs across an enterprise can quickly become overwhelming, especially when it comes to ensuring consistent protection. NetApp’s tag-based protection simplifies this challenge by introducing automation into data protection strategies. Administrators can now create policies that automatically apply protection rules based on predefined VM tags. Why this matters: Scale: Protect hundreds of VMs and datastores with a single tag selection instead of managing individual resources. Dynamic coverage: Newly tagged VMs/datastores are automatically discovered and included in future backups without editing protection groups. Reduced operational error: Eliminates manual per-VM/per-datastore selection, lowering the chance of missed or incorrectly protected resources. Familiar model: Reuses existing vSphere tag taxonomy that admins already maintain and understand. Centralized visibility: A dedicated Tags inventory tab surfaces protection status, associated policies, and protection groups per tag. Tag-based protection is a game-changer for enterprises looking to reduce complexity and improve operational agility.   Granular File/ Folder Recovery for Linux & Windows Systems Granular file and folder recovery in VMware allows you to restore individual files, directories, or folders (depending on the OS) directly from VM / datastore backups without recovering the entire virtual machine. Key Benefits: Quick & efficient Data Retrieval: Restore specific files or folders without a full VM recovery, significantly saving storage space by leveraging FlexClone technology for live mount. Minimized Downtime: Retrieve critical data in minutes, ensuring business continuity. Flexibility with Restore to Alternate location/ Storage Disaster recovery is all about flexibility, and NetApp backup and recovery’s new restore-to-alternate-storage feature delivers just that. This capability allows organizations to restore VMs to different vCenter, ESX Host, and storage systems, providing greater control and adaptability during recovery scenarios. Key Advantages: Disaster Recovery Preparedness: Restore backups to alternate storage systems in case of primary and secondary storage failure or data center disruptions. Testing and Validation: Use alternate location for testing purposes without impacting production environments. This feature empowers organizations to build resilient disaster recovery strategies that can adapt to unexpected challenges.   Support for Amazon Elastic VMware service Customers running VMware workloads on Amazon EVS backed by FSxN datastores can now protect both their VMs and datastores with NetApp Backup & Recovery. This ensures enterprise‑grade backup, recovery, and cyber resilience for hybrid cloud VMware environments. Key Benefits Unified Protection: Backup both VMs and datastores presented via FSxN. Cloud‑Native Integration: Seamless with AWS EVS and FSxN, leveraging NetApp’s native snapshot and SnapMirror technologies. Granular Recovery: Restore entire VMs or drill down to files/folders inside VM backups. Cyber Resilience: Immutable snapshots and 3‑2‑1 backup strategy protect against ransomware. Operational Simplicity: Same workflows as on‑premises VMware, extended to AWS EVS.   Conclusion: Elevate Your VMware Protection Strategy Data is the backbone of business success, and protecting VMware environments is no longer optional. Yet as enterprises expand their virtualized workloads, VMware licensing costs continue to climb. Every additional core, socket, or VM protected without optimization drives up expenses. NetApp Backup & Recovery helps organizations break this cycle by reducing total cost of ownership. With built‑in technologies — Snapshot, SnapMirror, FlexClone, and SnapDiff — combined with granular VM recovery and seamless hybrid cloud integration, customers eliminate VM sprawl, cut storage overhead, and avoid costly licensing tiers. The outcome: faster recovery, lower infrastructure spend, and a smarter, more efficient way to safeguard VMware workloads without inflating licensing costs.   Next Steps For tailored solutions that fit your business needs, connect with your NetApp representative. You can also explore on your own with a 30‑day free trial — offering unlimited capacity and full capabilities — by visiting the NetApp console URL at console.netapp.com and navigating to Protection → Backup and Recovery. For any assistance, reach us at [email protected]. In addition, we are running an exclusive campaign for existing SnapCenter customers, offering comprehensive transition support and special discounts when moving to NetApp Backup & Recovery. Register here to avail this benefit NetApp Cyber Resilience & Data Protection Program - Register your interest now!! – Fill out the form ... View more

NetApp Trident Protect introduces powerful enhancements for safeguarding virtual machines (VMs) running on OpenShift Virtualization or KubeVirt. These updates enable seamless backup and restore operations, offering two flexible methods to define VM protection: by namespace or by targeting specific VMs using the new includedVirtualMachines field. With dynamic protection based on label selectors, users can easily adapt protection policies as VMs are added or modified.   The latest features also support selective VM restores, allowing granular recovery of individual VMs from backups or snapshots, minimizing downtime and resource usage. Practical examples demonstrate protection setup, snapshot creation, and dynamic VM management using both CLI commands and YAML manifests.   These advancements solidify Trident Protect as a robust, efficient solution for managing virtual environments. For users seeking advanced capabilities like incremental backups, change block tracking, and a graphical interface, NetApp Backup and Restore for Kubernetes offers an even more comprehensive solution. Sign up for a free trial today via the NetApp Console! ... View more

Storage assessments are often overlooked in cloud migration planning, despite their significant impact on performance, cost, and operational efficiency. Discover why a data-driven storage assessment should be a foundational step in your AWS migration strategy and how Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP can support your modernization journey. ... View more