EVO: RAIL – Is NetApp sleeping with a SAN killer?

Automation and single call support

FlexPod, on the other hand, is built-to-order to the customer specification by our channel partners, supports a wide variety of virtualisation platforms and scales from branch office to multi-data centre configurations

El Reg: In the NetApp Integrated EVO: RAIL Solution how are the VSAN (if used) and ONTAP storage resources both managed and protected?

Amelia Vierra: Both VSAN and ONTAP are managed through the VMware management interface. NetApp storage is integrated into the EVO:RAIL automated setup and configuration software to enable the system to be ready for production very quickly. NetApp advanced data management tools are deeply integrated into the VMware management framework. With this Data ONTAP integration, the VMware management interface is able to provide backups, DR, cloning, and replication without performance penalties.

It also provides multi-protocol, storage efficiency, and storage QoS services along with IO offloading from the host to the storage. Customers can also use the application aware storage integration capabilities of Data ONTAP for features such as individual email restores, instant database clones, and application consistent backups.

El Reg: How does this differ as a hyper-converged system from a (converged) FlexPod system? Is there a higher degree of integration for example? A single SKU vs multiple SKUs for the customer?

Amelia Vierra: The NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution has automated setup and configuration integration to rapidly bring the system online, including the FAS storage. It is ordered as a single SKU in a fixed size. The NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution is targeted at branch and departmental IT sites while FlexPod is targeted across branch to data centre. FlexPod is also custom sized, supports a broad variety of virtualisation technologies and leverages our partners to setup, configure and deliver the solution.

NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution complements FlexPod by providing a small, easy-to-deploy, VMware-only solution for branch offices and departmental IT. By sharing a common data management infrastructure, NetApp Integrated EVO:RAIL Solution can easily interconnect with NetApp storage and FlexPod systems running in the data centre as part of an enterprise-wide data fabric.

El Reg: How is the NetApp Integrated EVO: RAIL Solution supported for customers. Is there a single throat to choke?

Amelia Vierra: Single call support is provided for the system and provided by NetApp.

El Reg: NetApp is a most ingenious company, recently making a couple of moves that no other array player is doing. IT has placed ONAP arrays in Amazon centres to provide faster cloud data access. Then, not content with providing a mere cloud back-end to its arrays, it extends ONTAP so that it can manage data in Amazon's S3 cloud.

Now, faced with VSAN and VMware's EVO: RAIL concept, which many people think of as a physical SAN killer, it goes and integrates its networked FAS arrays with VSANs.

Some would say this is not just flirting with the enemy, it's partnering with them – and not only letting but helping its customers adopt Amazon cloud storage (if they wish) - and now server-side SAN/converged EVO: RAIL systems too. You have to admire it, seeing value enhancement where others might see value destruction. ®