History 2004: NetApp Virtualizes

NetApp is entering into storage virtualization with the new 7G version of its Data Ontap OS to increase storage utilization and decrease operational expenses.

FlexVol and FlexClone are the 2 fundamental blocks of this new offering.

FlexVol allows for the creation of dynamically virtualized and flexible data pools, in contrast to the notion of storage volumes statically tied to specific physical or logical disks, for a better use of data and storage resources, by integrating the features of dynamic and non-disruptive thin provisioning (growing or shrinking), as well as snapshot and replication. In provisioning mode, there is no more pre-allocation of free space available for use by new or other volumes, and these free spaces are no longer fragmented across volumes unavailable to other volumes. At the same time, FlexVol can manage volumes within only 1 storage array, which somewhat limits its appeal. Improving on that will be NetApp’s next stage in the virtualization process.

With FlexClone, it is possible to create multiple images of data sets without affecting the initial data, and while storing only the changes, a highly useful functionality for testing, development and simulation.

This enhanced OS is the result of certain IP acquired in NetApp’s purchase of Spinnaker Networks back in 2003, for $300 million.

FlexVol is included in Data Ontap 7G, while FlexClone is sold separately for $6,000.

In summarizing the recent spate of announcements, NetApp stated that it “powers up storage Grid,” using the letter G for grid. Virtualization of the NAS/SAN/DAS, yes, but storage grid? We’re not so sure. A true storage grid, which HP’s RISS most resembles, should use low-cost standardized storage building blocks – whereas NetApp is not at all in the low-end storage unit market – and an exclusively open, general-purpose standard of protocols and interfaces is still a long way off for the storage industry.

NetApp also announced that its gFiler solution, which runs inside its FAS machine – designed to manage multi-vendor environments in a common virtualization- now provides FC data access and has been extended to support HP StorageWorks XP (but not EVA), as well as all HDS disk arrays, Sun StorEdge 9900 and IBM ESS (Shark, DS4000 and then DS8000). It also handles all Brocade, McData or Cisco switches.

Conspicuously absent, however, is EMC.

“EMC has refused to cooperate with us. Technologically, we can support them, but they refuse to support customers,” said Keith Brown, NetApp’s director of technology and strategy.

This article is an abstract of news published on issue 203 on December 2004 from the former paper version of Computer Data  Storage Newsletter.