SUNNYVALE, CA--(Marketwired - Jul 15, 2014) - NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) today introduced NetApp Private Storage (NPS) for Microsoft Azure, a solution that enables customers to extend their IT Infrastructure to Microsoft Azure, creating a seamless hybrid cloud environment. This solution builds on NetApp's portfolio of Microsoft Cloud solutions, which include FlexPod with Microsoft Private Cloud, and enables customers to harness the power of Microsoft Azure.

The combination of NetApp Private Storage and Microsoft Azure provides customers dedicated, enterprise storage with the elasticity and savings of Microsoft Azure public cloud. Azure ExpressRoute, connects these resources to provide a secure, high-speed, low-latency connection. With more organizations turning to hybrid cloud to extend the value of their IT infrastructure, NetApp Private Storage for Microsoft Azure allows enterprises to build an agile infrastructure that bridges private and cloud resources to optimize business value.

"Modern enterprises require a flexible IT infrastructure that can scale on demand, and our portfolio of Microsoft Cloud solutions enable this," said Phil Brotherton, vice president, Cloud Solutions Group, NetApp. "NetApp Private Storage for Microsoft Azure enables organizations to simply and securely extend into the cloud, expanding options for enterprises, without adding complexity. First with FlexPod for Microsoft Private Cloud and now with the addition of private storage for Microsoft Azure, our vision is to enable workloads to move seamlessly across a portfolio of cloud resources."

"Customers need choice and flexibility to navigate this mobile-first, cloud-first world," said Garth Fort, general manager, Cloud and Enterprise Partner Marketing, Microsoft. "Our work with NetApp, around its expanded portfolio of Microsoft Cloud OS solutions, makes it easier for customers to drive maximum business benefit through their hybrid cloud strategy."

With NetApp Private Storage located at a co-location facility, customers can connect directly to Microsoft Azure. Equinix (NASDAQ: EQIX), the global interconnection and data center company, is the first co-location facility to offer direct, high-speed connections to Microsoft Azure with ExpressRoute. NetApp Private Storage for Microsoft Azure has demonstrated that ExpressRoute provides 36 percent better performance versus VPN over public Internet connections. For additional information regarding how Equinix and NetApp have deepened their partnership, read the press release issued here.

Key Benefits of NetApp Private Storage for Microsoft Azure

• Microsoft Azure and NetApp for enterprise workloads: combines the elasticity and savings of Microsoft Azure compute with the speed, reliability and availability of NetApp storage for enterprise workloads such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle and SAP.
• Peak workload management: match Azure compute resources to utilization and avoid large CAPEX investments required for peak, unforecasted, or seasonal workloads while maintaining data control on NetApp.
• Disaster recovery at a lower cost: cost-effective single or multi-region disaster recovery, activating Azure only in DR test and failover scenarios.
• Data "next to" vs "into" the cloud: Data stays under control of the customer while offering performance similar to on-premise infrastructure stacks but with savings and elasticity of Azure.
• Compliance and sovereignty regulations: customer control of storage helps meets customer requirements. Advanced compliance features include: SnapLock data permanence functionality and NetApp disk encryption.
• Hybrid cloud accelerates innovation and time-to-market: leverage the speed and flexibility of Azure compute for development and test.
• Optimize cloud resources with System Center: System Center and NetApp PowerShell Toolkit enables management and mobility of data between private cloud, and private storage connected to Azure.

This solution builds on NetApp's portfolio of Microsoft Cloud solutions that includes FlexPod with Microsoft Private Cloud. For the past 15 years, Microsoft and NetApp have worked closely to optimize NetApp storage and data management solutions for Microsoft environments. Today, more than 30,000 global enterprise customers store, protect and manage their Microsoft application data with NetApp. To make it easier to deploy Microsoft application infrastructure, enterprises have turned to integrated infrastructure solutions such as FlexPod from Cisco and NetApp. NetApp provides the award-winning(1), Microsoft Private Cloud Fast Track validated architecture to accelerate customer deployment of Window Server 2012 R2 and System Center 2012 R2. Recently, NetApp was recognized as a "best-in-class" Microsoft partner, with two finalist spots at the Microsoft 2014 Partner of the Year Awards.

Availability
NetApp Private Storage for Microsoft Azure is immediately available through select delivery partners in North America and will be available in Europe and Asia in the near future.

Additional Resources

• Read about NetApp's Cloud Strategy
• Listen to Phil Brotherton discuss NetApp's Cloud Stratey
• Link to Microsoft case study
• Blog - NetApp, Microsoft and Equinix deliver secure, scalable hybrid clouds with private storage
• Blog - NetApp Private Storage for Microsoft Azure
• Demonstration of NPS for Microsoft Azure
• Follow NetApp on Twitter.

About NetApp
NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions that deliver outstanding cost efficiency and accelerate business breakthroughs. Our commitment to living our core values and consistently being recognized as a great place to work around the world are fundamental to our long-term growth and success, as well as the success of our pathway partners and customers. Discover our passion for helping companies around the world go further, faster at www.netapp.com.

Partner Support:

Mike Thompson, president and CEO, Groupware Technology
"Groupware is eager to bring the NetApp Private Storage solution to our cloud customers. The Groupware turnkey private cloud solution is based on Microsoft and NetApp technologies. Our Microsoft private cloud and FlexPod customers will see tremendous value in their NetApp investment by being able to further realize the benefits of NetApp technology in Microsoft Azure. NetApp Private Storage will be critical for our customers making the transition to Hybrid cloud architectures by leveraging Microsoft ExpressRoute and Microsoft Azure."

Rod Sapp, vice president for security and cloud products, Unisys Stealth
"As the frequency and sophistication of cyber threats grow, enterprises need highly secure hybrid cloud solutions to remain competitive and maintain the confidence of their customers. NetApp plans to leverage Unisys Stealth cloud security capabilities to deliver mission-critical cloud offerings to hosting service providers. With NetApp Private Storage for Microsoft Azure, NetApp can further improve the performance of hybrid cloud solutions."

Noam Shendar, vice president of business development, Zadara
"Being part of the NPS for Azure solution family allows us to help NetApp customers take business agility to the next level, with a purely OpEx solution tailor-made for the NetApp community. Our elastic NetApp Private Storage for Microsoft Azure offering provides pay-by-the-hour flexibility and fast, low-latency connectivity to the Microsoft Azure cloud -- with all the power and performance of NetApp Data ONTAP and Microsoft Azure. That's truly the best of all worlds."

¹ FlexPod with Microsoft Private Cloud recognized as 2013 Best of TechEd Winner for Systems Management and Operations