With the release of NetApp Flash Accel, the storage virtualization vendor has confirmed it will extend the company’s Virtual Storage Tiering strategy.
NetApp also plans to expand its Technology Alliance Program to include server caching hardware and software partners.
NetApp believes this strategy will enable end-to-end storage management for customers with physical and virtualized environments, from the user-accessible Flash memory on the server to the cost-effective hard-disk storage on the back end.
Flash memory continues to gain momentum as storage capacity requirements increasing.
Flash memory has the ability to dramatically break through the input/output latency barrier over traditional hard disk solutions.
NetApp also announced they will be partnering with virtualization flash memory vendor Fusion-IO in an alliance reseller relationship.
The Fusion-IO partnership is looked up to bring NetApp the ability to provide customers with a single source for Virtual Storage Tier technologies.