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New cloud-integrated solution enables direct, secure connections through Azure ExpressRoute – unlocking the power of the hybrid cloud

SUNNYVALE, Calif. — July 15, 2014 — NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) today introduced NetApp Private Storage (NPS) for Microsoft Azure, a solution that enables customers to extend their IT Infrastructure to Microsoft Azure, creating a seamless hybrid cloud environment. This solution builds on NetApp’s portfolio of Microsoft Cloud solutions, which include FlexPod with Microsoft Private Cloud, and enables customers to harness the power of Microsoft Azure.

The combination of NetApp Private Storage and Microsoft Azure provides customers dedicated, enterprise storage with the elasticity and savings of Microsoft Azure public cloud. Azure ExpressRoute, connects these resources to provide a secure, high-speed, low-latency connection. With more organizations turning to hybrid cloud to extend the value of their IT infrastructure, NetApp Private Storage for Microsoft Azure allows enterprises to build an agile infrastructure that bridges private and cloud resources to optimize business value.

"Modern enterprises require a flexible IT infrastructure that can scale on demand, and our portfolio of Microsoft Cloud solutions enable this," said Phil Brotherton, vice president, Cloud Solutions Group, NetApp. "NetApp Private Storage for Microsoft Azure enables organizations to simply and securely extend into the cloud, expanding options for enterprises, without adding complexity. First with FlexPod for Microsoft Private Cloud and now with the addition of private storage for Microsoft Azure, our vision is to enable workloads to move seamlessly across a portfolio of cloud resources."

"Customers need choice and flexibility to navigate this mobile-first, cloud-first world," said Garth Fort, general manager, Cloud and Enterprise Partner Marketing, Microsoft. "Our work with NetApp, around its expanded portfolio of Microsoft Cloud OS solutions, makes it easier for customers to drive maximum business benefit through their hybrid cloud strategy."

With NetApp Private Storage located at a co-location facility, customers can connect directly to Microsoft Azure. Equinix (NASDAQ: EQIX), the global interconnection and data center company, is the first co-location facility to offer direct, high-speed connections to Microsoft Azure with ExpressRoute. NetApp Private Storage for Microsoft Azure has demonstrated that ExpressRoute provides 36 percent better performance versus VPN over public Internet connections.

Key Benefits of NetApp Private Storage for Microsoft Azure

• Microsoft Azure and NetApp for enterprise workloads: combines the elasticity and savings of Microsoft Azure compute with the speed, reliability and availability of NetApp storage for enterprise workloads such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle and SAP.
• Peak workload management: match Azure compute resources to utilization and avoid large CAPEX investments required for peak, unforecasted, or seasonal workloads while maintaining data control on NetApp.
• Disaster recovery at a lower cost: cost-effective single or multi-region disaster recovery, activating Azure only in DR test and failover scenarios.
• Data "next to" vs "into" the cloud: Data stays under control of the customer while offering performance similar to on-premise infrastructure stacks but with savings and elasticity of Azure.
• Compliance and sovereignty regulations: customer control of storage helps meets customer requirements. Advanced compliance features include: SnapLock data permanence functionality and NetApp disk encryption.
• Hybrid cloud accelerates innovation and time-to-market: leverage the speed and flexibility of Azure compute for development and test.
• Optimize cloud resources with System Center: System Center and NetApp PowerShell Toolkit enables management and mobility of data between private cloud, and private storage connected to Azure.