Storage News: NetApp, SAP Expand Partnership

Here’s a roundup of some of some of this week’s headlines from the storage industry:

NetApp and SAP deepen partnership. NetApp and SAP announced an expanded partnership with the intent to support next-generation solutions, including the SAP HANA platform and SAP NetWeaver Landscape Virtualization Magement software. NetApp storage and data management solutions, including the Cisco and NetApp-developed FlexPod, complement SAP NetWeaver Landscape Virtualization Management in the automation of routine administration tasks; reduction of costs, hardware resources and power; and simplification of landscape management of SAP solutions.  “SAP is recognized worldwide for innovation and providing collaborative business solutions that help our customers compete and adapt to their fast-changing business needs,” said Rob Enslin, president of SAP Global Customer Operations and member of Global Managing Board, SAP. “Expanding our partnership with NetApp provides our customers with increased scalability and data protection, while at the same time allowing for greater management of data growth and adaptability to our customers’ changing on-demand needs.” SAP and NetApp plan to explore other areas in the future, including SAP database solutions, further integrations around SAP NetWeaver Landscape Virtualization Management and cloud-based system management automation, and optimizing performance and availability of data management solutions for SAP HANA.

Quantum announces new i6000 tape library. Quantum (QTM) announced the new Scalar i6000 HD enterprise tape library, offering 5 petabytes of data available in a single 19 inch rack. Targeting big data and archive needs with slot densities that are twice those offered by competitors, the i6000 can scale to over 75 petabytes of capacity. Quantum has also added new high-availability and management features to the Scalar i6000, as well as greater access capabilities for storing big data archives on tape. "85 percent of the Fortune 100 have turned to Quantum to meet their storage needs, and we're continuing to deliver innovative new solutions to address the challenges that large enterprise customers face," said Robert Clark, senior vice president, Data Protection, Quantum. "This includes adding new offerings such as the Scalar i6000 HD to our tape automation portfolio, which not only is unmatched in its breadth and depth but also reflects the unique benefits tape technology provides in today's evolving data protection environment."

Nimble Storage exceeds $100 million run rate. Nimble Storage announced that the company surpassed a $100 million run rate in bookings in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year ending January 31, 2013, after just two-and-a-half years of commercially shipping its products. With more than 2,000 systems shipped to date the company has achieved annual sales growth of over 400 percent and quadrupled its number of customers. Global expansion has taken the company to Europe, Australia and Singapore. “This was a significant milestone for us in both sales and customer momentum,” said Suresh Vasudevan, CEO of Nimble Storage. “Our customers have validated the growing demand for hybrid flash storage arrays and the strength of Nimble Storage's position against large incumbent vendors. Our founding premise, and the philosophy that every Nimble employee has held from the very beginning, is that we have the potential to build the next great storage company. Following that belief, Nimble has built not only groundbreaking products but also the infrastructure and sales funnel needed to deliver on its mission to make the world’s most efficient data storage solution for enterprises."