Analyst(s): Camberley Bates
Publication Date: February 11, 2025
On February 11, 2025, NetApp announced new ASA models, enhancing its cyber resiliency upgrades.
What is Covered in this Article:
- The ASA success in Block Storage for NetApp
- Continued Cyber Resiliency focus for primary storage
The News: NetApp’s winter release included new models for ASA and expanded support for Cyber Resiliency.
NetApp Introduces New Members to the ASA Block Storage Family
Analyst Take: On February 11, 2025, Netapp rolled out its new entry and mid-range ASA block storage, building on the success of the ASA all-flash models. One may wonder why a separate system for block storage is making headway, when the ONTAP code supports both file and block. Initially it was to call attention and price to NetApp SAN capabilities, even when most touted ‘unified, unified’ was the only way to acquire systems. And today, the call is for platform, all-platform. Yet, the ASA has seen considerable success as just a block device.
It is our contention that the enterprise still purchases and sets in place separate systems for block, file, and object. Once in place, these systems typically do not change their personality. It is too risky to move and change. There are definitely cases where systems will be redeployed as secondary systems, as they age. And perhaps in this case, the personality will change. This may be different for mid-enterprises that have embraced the ‘unified’ concept. So, why the entry and mid-range? Because there is still a strong market for specified personality deployments and NetApp wants to answer that call.
In this case, the A20 comes in at $25K with the capacity ranging from 15TB to 734TB. It is accompanied by the A30 and A50 to scale to 1.8PB raw. Of course with data reduction and clustering, the systems can top out at 11PB raw and 48PB effective. It has all the goodness of the larger units, with snaps, replication, application aware protection, etc.
To address the simplicity often required by this market, NetApp has demonstrated (and well done at their NetApp Insight 2024 conference) the 60 second provisioning and simplicity of management. Now add in the BlueXP that delivers a platform experience for streamlined management of all the storage personalities in their portfolio. So while there are separate systems to address application needs, administratively, the combination of ONTAP and BlueXP simplifies management and operational processes.
Cyber Resiliency
With the continued exploits of the bad actors, vendors keep adding to their services and capabilities to combat the threats and up their recoverability. NetApp announced their AI-Powered Autonomous Ransomware detection for file in the summer of 2024. This is now announced for shipping with blocks in CY25. This capability detects an attack with 99% accuracy (third-party validated) and kicks off a snapshot immediately without the administrator intervention.
The second part of the announcement is additional cyber attack recovery services. If NetApp fails to detect the attack, they will provide assistance at no initial cost to the customer. The initial means
“Recovery activities must be performed in conjunction with Customer participation. NetApp and Customer will develop the RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) model to identify Customer and NetApp teams to participate in recovery activities. NetApp to assist in ensuring data is in place to meet customer recovery needs. Restore volumes and/or files from available sources, if any. Snapshot and/or volume roll back to data available prior to attack. Volumes to be restored based on Customer-communicated priority. Mount snapshots for restore using SnapCenter plug-ins or native host tools, then copy to data restore directory.”
NetApp will cover the cost of these services from Professional Services. This is substantial commitment and a nod to their belief in abilities to detect the attack.
BlueXP is also enhanced to simulate an attack and set up a readiness drill to test your recoverability. This is increasingly important, as management is now more focused on recoverability, understanding that attacks are not ‘if’ but more ‘when’ it happens.
More from NetApp
There were more items in the announcement, with upgrades to FAS, hybrid SSD/HDD offering. Still popular for secondary storage requirements. EF-Series got a lift with QLC capacity offering. EF-Series has gained in importance as HPC/AI increases requirements and BlueXP provides disaster recovery between ASA devices for VMware with VMFS.
Looking Ahead
NetApp has been on a strong path of technology announcements and, as we have seen in the past few quarters, strong growth on all aspects of its portfolio. As we come into this year, we expect to see them roll out more AI integration and capabilities and build on their foundation. They have remained competitive in the block market, and this rollout will further their strength.
What to Watch:
- New AI technologies as part of ONTAP in Q2 25.
- How NetApp’s relationship with Lenovo rolls out, as NetApp is a key OEM partner and Lenovo acquires Infinidat.
- Continued price competition in the SAN market, especially at the entry-level systems.
Disclosure: The Futurum Group is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of The Futurum Group as a whole.
Other insights from The Futurum Group:
Lenovo + NetApp Making Moves, The Feds on Security, and Dion’s Predictions – Six Five Webcast
Cloud, Complexity, AI: Threats to Cyber Resilience – Six Five On The Road
Author Information
Now retired, Camberley brought over 25 years of executive experience leading sales and marketing teams at Fortune 500 firms. Before joining The Futurum Group, she led the Evaluator Group, an information technology analyst firm as Managing Director.
Her career spanned all elements of sales and marketing including a 360-degree view of addressing challenges and delivering solutions was achieved from crossing the boundary of sales and channel engagement with large enterprise vendors and her own 100-person IT services firm.
Camberley provided Global 250 startups with go-to-market strategies, creating a new market category “MAID” as Vice President of Marketing at COPAN and led a worldwide marketing team including channels as a VP at VERITAS. At GE Access, a $2B distribution company, she served as VP of a new division and succeeded in growing the company from $14 to $500 million and built a successful 100-person IT services firm. Camberley began her career at IBM in sales and management.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in International Business from California State University – Long Beach and executive certificates from Wellesley and Wharton School of Business.
