New report: Put NetApp BlueXP on your shortlist for hybrid multicloud
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Cathi Allen
“NetApp should appear on your shortlist [of hybrid and multicloud management vendors] because it has just entered this market with a new and different approach to the multicloud challenge.” That’s what Roy Illsley, chief analyst of IT operations at Omdia, recently declared.
Sometimes it takes a Universe
The global research leader Omdia has released a comprehensive report, “Omdia Universe: Hybrid and Multicloud Management Solution, 2022–23,” and NetApp is one of the new stars.
Specifically, NetApp® BlueXP™ technology is wowing analysts in all the right ways. Introduced in 2022, BlueXP is a unified control plane that simplifies hybrid multicloud management experiences for storage and data services across on-premises and hyperscaler cloud environments.
Not only did Omdia classify NetApp as a Market Leader in the report, but it also gave BlueXP top scores in three subcategories and the second-highest score in yet another subcategory.
So, what does this recognition mean for you? It means that BlueXP is “worthy of a place on most technology selection shortlists,” according to Omdia. “The vendor has established a commanding market position with a product that is widely accepted as best of breed.” Read that last sentence again...
This one matters
Although the awards are nice, let’s back up for a minute and set the stage for why this one matters.
The world has changed. Markets are unpredictable. For businesses that are struggling to succeed, technology must be an asset, not a liability. For example, management of hybrid and multicloud environments needs to be agile yet comprehensive. The IT challenges are more complex than ever before as organizations are managing across different on-premises and cloud-led environments. As a result, vendors that deliver cloud- and location-neutral management solutions are essential. Which brings us back to Omdia’s Universe report.
NetApp clearly stands out
Omdia analyzed multiple aspects of hybrid and multicloud management, with 8 primary categories and 11 subcategories, ranking solutions in each category to determine the overall capability score.
NetApp was a new entrant to this Universe report in the 2022 and 2023 analysis, leading with BlueXP. Out of the gate, Omdia recognized its power, breadth, and excellence. It’s worth noting that BlueXP is innovative in several ways. Its intuitive interface and AIOps-enabled automation deliver simplicity, reducing both the resources and the risks associated with management of complex environments. BlueXP also provides the flexible consumption parameters and integrated protection that today’s cloud-led environment needs.
In addition to the Market Leader classification and one of the top overall scores across all entrants, Omdia awarded NetApp maximum scores in the “Market Presence” and “Strategy & Roadmap” categories, plus above-average scoring in the “Solution Capability” category. Omdia recognizes that with the launch of BlueXP, NetApp “has now expanded its offering to become a comprehensive hybrid and multicloud management vendor.”
In the Omdia Universe subcategories, NetApp’s highest score is an impressive 75% in the observability and monitoring subcategory, based on the BlueXP observability service (NetApp Cloud Insights). This score is the third highest across all 11 subcategories for all entrants. Omdia based this score on the BlueXP monitoring capabilities that provide a comprehensive metrics solution.
NetApp also has the leading subcategory score in data management. Because of NetApp’s leadership position in storage and data management, this score should be no surprise. With its advanced API calls and use of connectors, BlueXP integrates NetApp technology with third-party resources and services, which Omdia liked. And FinOps teams can be satisfied, as Omdia noted that BlueXP “makes business planning and cost optimization simpler….”
Finally, NetApp’s third-strongest area, with yet another top subcategory score, is marketplace and application management. BlueXP and other NetApp products are available in the three leading hyperscaler marketplaces. The BlueXP digital wallet integrates NetApp marketplace resource management into a single point of control. And BlueXP observability (Cloud Insights) manages application performance and monitoring, which Omdia also valued.
Conclusion
In the words of Omdia, if you’re not already considering NetApp BlueXP as a best-in-class hybrid and multicloud management solution, you should. Building upon NetApp’s past and continued leadership in data and infrastructure management, BlueXP now offers a simplified yet comprehensive way for you to manage complex hybrid and multicloud environments. Our approach is new, differentiated, and now (according to Omdia) Universe-al.
We can’t offer you a trip to Mars, but we can offer easy management and superior efficiency in your hybrid multicloud with BlueXP. Start planning your journey today!
Cathi Allen
Cathi Allen is a long-time technologist. She started as a programmer and moved on to systems engineer, network and virtualization administrator, product management, and product marketing. Cathi has three master’s degrees: MSM – Information Systems Security, MBA – Project Management, MBA – Information Technology Management. Her thirty (30) plus years in the IT industry affords her the status of subject matter expert. She is currently the product marketing manager for Cloud Data Services at NetApp. She enjoys traveling, antiquing, movies, off-roading, camping, and hanging with her four-legged children.
