NetApp unveils ONTAP cluster-shuffler: Do it with any vendor, in public or private

NetApp is hoping to turn cloud agnostics into ONTAP believers with its new "seamless cloud data management" product, Clustered Data ONTAP. The new "universal data platform" works across any type of cloud infrastructure with "seamless data portability and management across all clouds – public, private and hybrid." The …

[Lorddraco]

Nothing New .. some startup already done it and got acquire

Nothing new on this aspects. Storsimple already done it. Store data into cloud and data data caching at local. AWS, Azure and etc.

Got acquired by Microsoft. Market segment is different. Will see how Netapp work it out with their cumbersome Ontap (legacy codes full of limitation)

[Hapkido]

Re: Nothing New .. some startup already done it and got acquire

"...cumbersome Ontap (legacy codes full of limitation)"

Cumbersome and limited as in the first to have de-duplication on primary storage (not backup), first of the big vendors to have thin provisioning, first to provide broad use snapshots (including application aware), one of the first to provide practical asynchronous replication services. How about Unified that everyone and his dog is now selling 10 years later. What about cluster scaling for both file and block services and the list goes on.

Just saying - a different view of the facts.

[Pascal Monett]

"seamless cloud data management"

Every time I hear of a new product that eliminates all issues I automatically think "snake oil".

The only way for a product to "seamlessly" manage anything is for said product to be very stringent on what it can manage - which means very little leeway for exceptions and heterogenous environments.

Either that, or it is a nightmare to configure before getting it to work, and when it does work, it does so in fits and spurts, with unexplainable holdups which cannot be resolved in a satisfactory manner.

[Lorddraco]

First with all the caveats

First to have snapshot with application aware integration? I dont think so seriously.

First to have snapshot with caveats .. yes? roll back to a point in time snapshot but cannot roll forward after that... how cool is that.

First to have deduplication in block storage yes... then again with limitation and caveats

First to have asynchronous replication ? maybe yes and maybe not.. argumentative. But sure have tons of problem with Exchange 2003 in heavy load scenario that cannot even successfully do a failover. I have seen it.

First to have thin provisioning but with tons of overhead and much lesser raw to usable ratio... whats the use of thin provisioning?

First to have the slower system after a period of use .. and require constant de-fragmentation

Cluster scaling .. yes but still restricted to dual-controller sub-system. It is just moving of one to another set of dual-controller nodes. and very different function when use in cluster mode versus classic mode.

But I do admire Netapp capability to mixed up all their feature in their ontap OS. But not all the feature is available in all the modes.