NetApp unveils enhanced storage solutions, ASA A-Series

NetApp has announced updates to its storage portfolio, which includes the expansion of the NetApp ASA A-Series designed to accommodate the increasing demands of modern workloads.

Organisations are expected to overhaul their data strategies to harness the flexibility and assurance needed to effectively enhance their IT operations.

NetApp has introduced three new systems in their enterprise storage lineup - aimed at offering a range of options for efficient and cost-effective storage solutions that are part of an intelligent data infrastructure capable of meeting specific workload needs now and in the future.

"In Australia and New Zealand, we are seeing growing demand for data storage systems capable of supporting advanced workloads such as AI and protecting business-critical databases, for organisations of all sizes," said Mark Fioretto, Area Vice President and Managing Director at NetApp Australia & New Zealand.

"NetApp's latest ASA systems can be tailored to any budget, without sacrificing on performance and operational simplicity. Organisations have the flexibility to start small and scale into the future as business operations grow, supporting long-term development."

The new NetApp ASA A20, A30, and A50 systems provide block storage solutions suitable for businesses of varying sizes, catering to essential applications like databases and virtual machines. These systems, starting at a price of USD $25,000, are particularly useful for smaller setups including remote or branch offices.

Sandeep Singh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Storage at NetApp, stated, "In less than a year, NetApp has refreshed our entire unified, block-optimised, and object portfolio and highlighted our commitment to relentless innovation."

"With the industry's most comprehensive storage lineup with built-in cyber resiliency, we offer systems that are faster, simpler, more scalable, and more affordable than the competition—tailored to any workload or budget. NetApp enables customers to rise to the challenges and opportunities of modern data management with an intelligent data infrastructure that optimises operations, reduces risks, and accelerates AI transformation."

The ASA systems promise simplicity by offering quick deployment and protection features, with consistency across management workflows in various storage environments. They also provide guaranteed data availability and protection against ransomware, aiming to minimise operational risks.

In addition to storage updates, NetApp announced that the ASA systems will be included in the FlexPod converged infrastructure. This integration is expected to benefit businesses by simplifying data centre operations and expediting the deployment of enterprise applications.

NetApp plans to enhance its cyber resiliency offerings, adding the NetApp ONTAP Autonomous Ransomware Protection with AI for Block later in the year. This will extend the company's cyber resiliency capabilities to SAN customers.

Moreover, the launch of a Ransomware Detection Program aims to aid in recovery from ransomware attacks.

This initiative is part of NetApp's ongoing commitment to enhancing data protection measures.

Fabrizio Garrone, Enterprise Solution Director at Aruba S.p.A., expressed, "As the preferred data infrastructure provider for Aruba, NetApp is enhancing our IT offerings with intelligent data infrastructure that helps us optimise data center solutions and deliver joint innovation across Europe. As we scale operations to meet the growing demand for cloud services, maintaining scalability and flexibility is critical. NetApp ONTAP stands out for its exceptional usability, simplicity, and uniformity, allowing us to devote technical resources to customer service instead of training or tedious operations."

Scott Sinclair, Practice Director, Cloud, Infrastructure and DevOps at Enterprise Strategy Group, added, "SAN modernisation is a huge opportunity as the data needs of growing businesses expand with their operations."

"Companies need a comprehensive data strategy that will carry them into the future. At the same time a shortage of IT skills and tight budget constraints means that many small businesses don't have storage specialists available to develop an intelligent data strategy. The new ASA A-Series provides a simple, powerful, and affordable foundation to carry them into the future."