Azure NetApp Files - Simplifying VMware workloads on Azure

At first glance, Azure VMware Solution is a fantastic tool for migrating and managing your VMware workloads on Azure. However, because both storage and compute must be scaled together, data-intensive workloads larger than 300GB per VM can increase complexity. You may find yourself wanting to scale yet constantly weighing overprovisioning and rising costs with the question of the best way to secure all your data.

Luckily, the integration of Azure NetApp Files datastores for Azure VMware Solution has resolved the remaining cloud adoption obstacles. Certified and fully supported by Microsoft with VMware, Azure NetApp Files provides enhanced functionality and increased scalability for enterprises to migrate and run storage-heavy VMware workloads in Azure.

“Azure NetApp Files helps deliver the performance, flexibility, scalability, and cost optimization customers need to migrate any VMware workload, including ‘un-migratable’ storage-intensive VMware applications, to the Azure cloud, and to securely back up on-premises VMware applications to Azure,” said Ronen Schwartz, Senior Vice President and General Manager, NetApp Cloud Storage.

Azure NetApp Files datastores for Azure VMware Solution decouple storage from compute, enabling you to scale each independently. You can lay to rest any worries about wasted resources and their associated costs. Additionally, you get the streamlined simplicity of the most powerful file storage solution for VMware environments today.

By removing barriers to migration, Azure NetApp Files datastores help simplify data management. And because you don’t have to manage storage separately from your Azure environment, you can focus on your core business without having to become a storage expert. Isn’t that what everyone wants?

With the seamless first-party integration into Azure, you can easily scale your datastores as desired,​ right through the Azure portal​. Thanks to the decoupling, you can swiftly expand Azure VMware Solution datastore capacity independent of compute to scale apps and accommodate development and testing workflows as your requirements change.

With its submillisecond latency, there’s no lag in your system performance as you scale with your choice of three service levels: Standard, Premium, and Ultra.

Thanks to the familiar Azure portal experience, CLI, PowerShell, or REST API, it’s easy for you to set up in just minutes and to manage seamlessly. Azure NetApp Files also supports multiple file storage protocols in a single service. Support for NFSv3, NFSv4.1, and SMB 3.1.x enables a wide range of application lift-and-shift scenarios with no need for code changes.

With Azure NetApp Files datastores for Azure VMware Solution, you get operational symmetry with on-premises environments to accelerate storage-intensive VMware workload migrations so that you can realize the benefits of the cloud faster.

Because this first-party Azure-native service is certified and fully supported by Microsoft with VMware, you can rest easy knowing that your data is in an optimal environment. With its 99.99% availability SLA, you can rely on your data being safe and accessible when you need it.

You can also count on Azure NetApp Files to have your back when disaster strikes. You’re covered with fast, highly efficient NetApp^® Snapshot™ copies; instant dataset cloning; and cross-region replication and backup​. Because Azure NetApp Files is an Azure service that’s quickly scalable, you can use it as a disaster recovery endpoint for business continuity. So, even in the face of the unexpected, you can have peace of mind knowing that your data is secure.

Simplicity has a wonderful side effect—saving on TCO. With increased efficiency, you save on time and energy. And the decoupling of storage from compute means no more wasted resources, slashing your Azure VMware Solution cloud costs by as much as 30%. You can easily calculate your savings with our TCO estimator, or you can read more about savings in our blog post.

With Azure NetApp Files datastores for Azure VMware Solution, it has never been easier—or more cost-effective—to manage and run your VMware workloads in the cloud. Say goodbye to the complexity of managing storage and compute resources, and say hello to a renewed focus on your business.

If you’re ready to take your VMware workloads to the next level, the combination of Azure NetApp Files datastores and Azure VMware Solution is what you have been looking for. To get your personalized plan started, book a 1:1 strategy session with one of our Azure specialists. Not ready for a conversation just yet? No problem, check out our VMware on Azure resources to see how we can help surpass your cloud goals.