2018-07-31T15:59:00Z

What is your primary use case for NetApp AFF (All Flash FAS)?

Julia Miller - PeerSpot reviewer
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PeerSpot user
101

101 Answers

Anna Sofo - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
Top 20
2023-12-15T16:22:00Z
Dec 15, 2023

We recommend NetApp for all our clients that have traditional infrastructures with two servers and some companies that are in manufacturing or the public sector. We have many different experiences with NetApp.

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Mangalam Amriish - PeerSpot reviewer
Consultant
Top 20
2023-11-13T11:14:00Z
Nov 13, 2023

We utilize NetApp AFF to deliver data to our users per our server and application requirements. My primary responsibilities lie within the data center, where I configure and manage user access. The challenges we faced before implementing NetApp AFF were connection connectivity in our network, installations with current software, and upgrades.

KT
Real User
Top 20
2023-11-02T16:52:00Z
Nov 2, 2023

I use NetApp AFF in our cloud service infrastructure to provide data storage and management for our customers.

RN
Real User
Top 20
2023-11-02T14:27:00Z
Nov 2, 2023

We use NetApp AFF for daily maintenance. It's used to provision volumes for customers and other departments.

VinceVitro - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
Top 5
2023-04-29T10:23:05Z
Apr 29, 2023

We are using NetApp AFF primarily for file servers.

MV
Real User
Top 20
2023-04-25T12:18:00Z
Apr 25, 2023

We use the solution to host the system data for VMs.

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RaffaeleBrescia - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
Top 10
2023-04-24T13:14:00Z
Apr 24, 2023

It is used for separating locations from a network cluster and also to store the data and create a backup on another location for bigger companies.

EO
Real User
Top 5
2023-03-28T11:55:11Z
Mar 28, 2023

The solution is primarily used for various functionality. We separate storage from other companies.

ParthaBhattacharyya - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
Top 5
2023-03-28T07:32:49Z
Mar 28, 2023

This is a storage solution.

KD
Real User
Top 20
2022-11-30T15:51:00Z
Nov 30, 2022

We primarily use the solution for databases, including Oracle, SQL, PostgreSQL, and VMware. We're moving some data warehouses over as well as our main financial system.

Pedro Paz - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
Top 20
2022-06-02T09:37:00Z
Jun 2, 2022

The main service of those devices is for use at our offshore platforms and that's where they'll be heading. We have a lot of data offshore, seismic data, and it needs to be stored in a reliable system. The main use case is to store the core business data from the platform at our offshore site, so that it is safe.

JM
Vendor
Top 20
2022-04-27T08:19:00Z
Apr 27, 2022

We use them for file services, email, as LUNs for servers, Exchange, Oracle, and SQL.

Chuck Custard - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
2022-03-17T20:15:00Z
Mar 17, 2022

We were using a NetApp 2240 Filer, which was spinning disk and a mix of SATA and SAS. We were trying to put a production SQL Database load on it and the IOPS were way too immense for it, so we ended up buying this AFF box. It solved all the issues, at the time. We haven't needed it for anything else.

SJ
Real User
2022-02-22T12:51:00Z
Feb 22, 2022

The first use case is having normal CIFS and NFS shares use Active Directory integration with antivirus integration. Another use case is for VMware VCF in a TKG environment using NFS and a SAN protocol. I am implementing the NetApp product for customers. I deploy CIFS and NFS shares for file access purposes and block access for VMware infrastructures.

SA
Real User
2022-01-04T12:14:00Z
Jan 4, 2022

It's used for SAN environments and a lot of VMware utilization.

GR
Real User
2022-02-16T13:04:00Z
Feb 16, 2022

We are using it for storage.

RA
Real User
2022-01-19T16:16:00Z
Jan 19, 2022

We host data for our users via CIFS and NFS protocols. This is a physical appliance.

MB
Real User
2021-12-21T14:20:00Z
Dec 21, 2021

We are mostly using it for ESX, i.e., a mix of both CIFS and NFS shares, and NAS purposes. We have a team of four core NetApp trained people from the storage team who are managing NetApp. Two of them are in the learning stage, and I am one of them.

NK
Real User
2021-12-20T13:06:00Z
Dec 20, 2021

We use it mostly for user file data. We are also providing data stores for our VMware platform.

HM
Consultant
2021-11-25T18:03:00Z
Nov 25, 2021

The main purpose of the AFF is to work with applications that require high-intensity I/O operations. For example, we run some open-source DBs, as well as Oracle, that require high-intensity I/O. We also have a high-performance computing setup. We have two locations. In the first location, we have an AFF cluster. In the second location, we have an AFF cluster that works in combination with ASAs. Our environment is primarily made up of open-source applications.

MR
Real User
2021-11-23T14:52:00Z
Nov 23, 2021

We are using AFF for a few clients. It's a specific type of data we use for these arrays, not like a block kind of thing or regular data. A few clients have particular requirements about where we put all the data. We are primarily using FAS, and we have around four or five AFF boxes. We don't deal with AFF regularly. We're not currently using NetApp Cloud Backup, but we're planning on implementing it. I'm not sure because my architect is the one who manages the end-to-end services for NetApp. He makes all the decisions on the NetApp side whether we use AFF or FAS. AFF is a unified storage box, so we route certain data to AFF.

MD
Real User
2021-11-22T23:29:00Z
Nov 22, 2021

We host NSS as a part of a cluster. We use AFF to support data analytics, machine learning, cloud integration, and SAP workloads as well.

DR
Real User
2021-10-05T07:50:00Z
Oct 5, 2021

We use it as the backbone for all our VM and Hyper-V infrastructure. We also use it as file servers for external users, so we have a couple of users who are connected to it for file server purposes. We have everything connected to it, e.g., we have a repository from Rubrik down to AFF. We have our own customers for whom we have deployed the solution. For our hosting options, we use NetApp as well. Since we are selling hosted services and have customers connecting into our environment, the solution has definitely helped a lot from that standpoint.

BS
Real User
2021-08-12T18:08:44Z
Aug 12, 2021

I primarily use the solution for asically all my main data for all my ESXi hosts.

JG
Reseller
2021-08-12T08:49:11Z
Aug 12, 2021

The solution is primarily used for data protection and disaster recovery, business continuity, and cybersecurity.

BM
Real User
2020-12-18T14:50:17Z
Dec 18, 2020

We are using this product for performance and growth.

AB
Reseller
2020-12-06T19:29:39Z
Dec 6, 2020

We use it for different machines, Oracle Database, super server database, and a few BDI projects.

MO
Real User
2020-11-04T15:16:35Z
Nov 4, 2020

We primarily use it for storage for VMs and backup units. We use this solution on a daily basis. In Sweden, typically small to medium-sized companies use this solution.

PB
Real User
2019-11-18T10:14:00Z
Nov 18, 2019

We primarily utilize AFFs for engineering VDIs. We are utilizing it to host VDI and performance is the primary expectation from AFFs. We are satisfied with the product.

MD
Real User
2019-11-18T10:14:00Z
Nov 18, 2019

The primary use case is for customers who need absolute low latency and have low latency in their workloads. They need maximum performance in their virtualization and file storage environments.

AD
Real User
2019-11-18T10:14:00Z
Nov 18, 2019

We have been using the FAS series product, and AFF is pretty similar to the FAS products, as it still runs the ONTAP operating system. They are using AFF because that comes with all-flash disks, which gives us better performance with a smaller footprint. We use that mainly to start our block and NAS data.

SM
Real User
2019-11-18T10:14:00Z
Nov 18, 2019

The primary use case for AFF is as a SAN storage for our SQL database and VMware environment, which drives our treatment systems. We do not use our it currently for AI or machine learning. We are running ONTAP 9.6.

BC
Real User
2019-11-18T10:14:00Z
Nov 18, 2019

We use NetApp AFF products for file storage across multiple agencies in the State of Nebraska. We are a consolidated state, so all of the agencies of our state have consolidated files on NetApp products. We use AFF as our top tier solid-state storage for application and user data storage.

AH
Real User
2019-11-18T10:14:00Z
Nov 18, 2019

The primary use case for AFF is for use in our production environment. Within our production environment, we have a number of different data stores that AFF serves. We use a number of protocols from NFS to CIFS, as well from the file system protocols, and in the block level we use iSCSI. We are a fully on-prem business as far as data positioning data sets. We don't have real-time applications that we run in-house, being a law firm. The most important thing is the availability of our environments and applications that we serve to our client base. We don't have real-time applications that we could be measured in real tangible form that would make a huge difference for us. Nevertheless, the way it goes: the faster, the better; the more powerful, the better; and the more resources you can get from it, the better.

BT
Real User
2019-11-18T10:14:00Z
Nov 18, 2019

We did it for consolidation of eight file repairs. We needed the speed to make sure that it worked when we consolidated.

FK
Real User
2019-11-18T10:14:00Z
Nov 18, 2019

Currently, we are leveraging AFF for our VMware environment solution. So, we use it as a storage for our customers and are leveraging it to provide a faster storage solution for VMware customers. We are using it for block level based only storage, as of today.

it_user527175 - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
2019-11-18T10:14:00Z
Nov 18, 2019

Our primary use case for AFF is to host our internal file shares for all of our company's "F" drives, which is what we call them. All of our CIFS and NFS are hosted on our AFF system right now.

CO
Real User
2019-11-18T10:14:00Z
Nov 18, 2019

Our primary use case is that we have two areas with AFF storage

SM
Real User
2019-11-05T05:28:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

We are in the process of moving to AWS and we are using this solution to help move all of our data to the cloud, using the tiering and other functionality. We have approximately fifty AFF clusters spread across three locations. We plan to use this solution for artificial intelligence and machine-learning applications, but we are still in the PoC right now. It is something that my team is working on. Our DR and backup are done using SnapMirror.

MM
Real User
2019-11-05T05:28:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

NetApp AFF is used to store all of our data. We're a full Epic shop, and we 're running Epic on all of our AFFs. We also run Caché, Clarity Business Objects, and we love the SnapMirror technologies.

JC
Real User
2019-11-05T05:28:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

Our primary use for this solution is for production storage. We have got everything: VMware, SQL servers and file servers. It handles all of them.

DB
Real User
2019-11-05T05:28:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

We use it primarily for CIFS and NFS shares, e.g., Windows shares and network shares for Linux-based systems.

RC
Real User
2019-11-05T05:28:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

This solution provides storage for our entire company. We have a unified architecture with NAS and SAN from both NetApp ONTAP AFF clusters.

CJ
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

We primarily use NetApp AFF for file storage and VMware.

PY
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

We use NetApp AFF to support our VMware environment.

VS
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

Our primary use case for NetApp AFF is performance-based applications. Whenever our customers complain about performance, we move their data to an all-flash system to improve it. We have our own data center and don't share our network with others.

PH
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

Our primary use case of this solution is for SAN block storage. We don't use AFF for artificial intelligence or machine learning applications.

TG
Real User
Top 20
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

Our primary use case for this solution is machine learning.

CH
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

Our primary use case for NetApp AFF is unstructured data. We set up it up for high availability and minimum downtime.

MB
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

Our primary use for this solution is NFS and fiber channel mounts for VMware and Solaris.

SB
MSP
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

We use this solution for in-house data.

ML
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

Our primary use case for AFF is for file storage.

LR
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

The primary use case of this solution is for our production storage array.

DC
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

The primary use case is enterprise storage for our email database system. We have just been using on-premise. We are looking to move the workloads to the cloud, but right now it's just on-premise.

KN
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

We use AFF to serve out the Oracle and for the virtual storage VDI.

VK
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

We use NetApp AFF to host all of our on-premises applications and data.

JB
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

Our primary use case for this solution is for production storage. We don't use ONTAP for artificial intelligence or machine learning applications. We're not replicating to the cloud yet. We're replicating from on-prem to on-prem, but replicating to the cloud is probably our next step in our data center evolution.

MS
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

We use this solution for NAS and SAN.

DM
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

We use this solution for back end storage of vSphere virtual machines over NFS.

DG
Real User
2019-11-05T05:27:00Z
Nov 5, 2019

Our primary use for NetApp AFF is backup for our production. It's more for our database for all of our retail for Nordstrom. We've got to keep it running every day, so we've got to make sure that we have all the databases backed up for three years, or more.

SG
Real User
2019-10-29T09:20:00Z
Oct 29, 2019

We use NetApp AFF mostly as a NAS solution, but we do some SAN with it. Basically, we're just doing file services for the most part. We're running an AFF A300 as well as a FAS8040 that is clustered together with the AFF A300. We're not allowed to use cloud models.

RS
Real User
2019-04-25T09:07:00Z
Apr 25, 2019

We have deployed NetApp AFF with four nodes; two of these are in our primary data center, and the remaining two are in the second data center. We are using Cluster Mode configurations.

it_user1035522 - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
2019-03-12T23:01:00Z
Mar 12, 2019

VMware datastores over NFS for DL585 G7 hosts on a 10G switch.

MT
Real User
2019-03-05T09:36:00Z
Mar 5, 2019

Shared storage for virtualized environments.

RC
Real User
2019-03-04T15:10:00Z
Mar 4, 2019

Mixed sharing between Windows and Linux using CIFS and NFS is the best solution you can experiment with.

it_user1013601 - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
2019-02-15T15:29:00Z
Feb 15, 2019

VMware multi-tenant and SnapMirror destination, multi customers' filesystem too, no problem with multi AD and domain

TA
Real User
2018-12-19T07:16:00Z
Dec 19, 2018

Our primary use case for AFF is for all of the filers. We're also doing a lot of workloads for virtualization. All of our virtualization workloads are currently running on All Flash FAS.

ME
Consultant
2018-12-19T07:16:00Z
Dec 19, 2018

The primary use case of this solution is for its speed. We're using the AFF as a cache disk. We have terabytes of data that we have to move quickly off a system. The only way we could do that is with the 40 gig backbone that all-flash array provides and the speed of the disks.

JC
Real User
2018-12-19T07:16:00Z
Dec 19, 2018

Our primary usage for All Flash is for the Oracle Database.

GR
Real User
2018-12-19T07:16:00Z
Dec 19, 2018

My primary use case for All Flash FAS that we have is pretty much everything. It is the go-to storage device that we use for block fiber channel devices on our heavy SAP workloads as well as user base files and file shares for databases.

MA
Real User
2018-12-19T07:16:00Z
Dec 19, 2018

We have a pretty amazing story about using AFS. When I went into this organization, we had a 59% uptime ratio, and at the time we were looking at how to improve on efficiency, and how to bring good technology initiatives together to make this digital transformation happen. When the Affordable Care Act came out, it started mandating a lot of these health care organizations to implement an electronic medical record system. Of course, since health care has been behind the curve when it comes to technology, it was a major problem when I came into this organization that had a 59% uptime ratio. They also wanted to implement an electronic medical record system throughout their facility, and we didn't have the technology in place. One of my key initiatives at the time was to determine what we wanted to do as a whole organization. We wanted to focus on the digital transformation. We needed to determine if we could find some good business partners in place so we selected NetApp. We were trying to create a better, efficient process, with very strong security practices as well. We selected an All-Flash FAS solution because we were starting to implement virtual desktop infrastructure with VMware. We wanted to throw out zero clients throughout the whole organization for the physicians, which allowed them to do single sign-on. The physician would be able to go to one specific office, tap his badge, sign in to the specific system from there. That floating profile would come over with him, and then you just created some great efficiencies. The security practices behind the ONTAP solution and the security that we were experiencing with NetApp was absolutely out of this world. I've been very impressed with it. One of the main reasons I started with NetApp was because they have a strong focus on health care initiatives. I was asked to sit on the neural network, which was a NetApp-facilitated health care advisory group that focused and looked at the overall roadmap of NetApp. When you have a good business partner like NetApp, versus a vendor where a vendor's going to come in, sell me a solution and just call me a year later and say that they want us to sign something, I'm not looking for people like that. I'm looking for business partners. What I like to say is, "My success is your success, and your success is ours." That's really a critical point that NetApp has demonstrated.

GW
Real User
2018-12-19T07:16:00Z
Dec 19, 2018

The primary use case that we have for NetApp's All Flash FAS is for on-premise storage that we've used for presenting LANs, NFS, and SIF shares for servers for analytics and ESX data storage.

ZM
Reseller
2018-10-28T07:37:00Z
Oct 28, 2018

Whenever we face any issues with performance, particularly any performance with our high outreaching storage site, we are recommended to use an all-flash service, because we rely on our primary solution at all times. If it seem like there are issues, we have bring in different vendors as a buffer. We have adopted an all-flash primary solution with this use case.

BP
Real User
2018-10-28T07:37:00Z
Oct 28, 2018

We use it for block storage.

MV
Real User
2018-10-28T07:37:00Z
Oct 28, 2018

NetApp is introducing All Flash FAS with the all-flash array. Our customers like performance, they don't want to deal with latency. Using an all-flash array, our customers get impact from performance.

RC
Real User
2018-10-28T07:37:00Z
Oct 28, 2018

We use data storage for our big environment. It creates an environment where students and teachers can work together. We did the installation two months ago. Now, we are reviewing its affect on behavior over time, which has been incredible. We have less latency within all applications.

it_user805152 - PeerSpot reviewer
Real User
2018-10-28T07:36:00Z
Oct 28, 2018

The primary use case is availability, performance, bandwidth, and throughput with respect to our applications. We are currently using an on-premise solution.

CM
Real User
2018-10-28T07:36:00Z
Oct 28, 2018

We use it for our EHR. We have 4,000 users who need to have access to a very large EHR called Epic. We are sharing a cache database through AIX servers.

TC
Real User
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We use it for typical data center workloads: Exchange, file shares, and SQL.

JS
Real User
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We use it for data storage.

RA
Real User
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We use it in the healthcare industry.

it_user874449 - PeerSpot reviewer
Consultant
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We have a multi-tenant shared solution that we use with Quality of Service to provide bare metal as a service and IP storage to our customers. We keep it very simple. It's an automated solution which customers configure on a portal and then it automatically configures storage for them.

PH
Real User
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We use it for electronic medical record storage.

SL
Real User
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We do storage across the United States.

CW
Real User
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We use it for all of our VM storage.

SP
Real User
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We have a range of customers, from manufacturing to oil & gas, in Malaysia. We have been using NetApp for quite some time, but now performance is a big issue for our customers, along with other challenges for them, so they are opting to go to All Flash. NetApp is doing a good job of delivering to and satisfying customers. All Flash cloud technology has helped them a lot.

SS
Real User
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We are it for CIFS, NFS, and NAS. We are also using it for the cloud environment.

EA
Real User
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We use it for high performance, block storage, and file storage. The highest performance need apps are usually deployed on AFF. We're using adaptive QoS to identify what applications require higher performance and moving those volumes over to the AFF.

AM
Real User
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We use it for our VWware environment. We run virtual machines and our plan is to migrate all of them to the All Flash platform.

TF
Real User
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We use it for data storage, applications, and CIFS shares.

DS
Real User
2018-10-24T13:31:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

AFF is our primary source for our data centers. We use it for our multi-tenancy data center. We like the crypto erase function available on the SSDs and we needed the high performance, IOPs that you can get from SSDs.

MW
Real User
2018-10-24T09:09:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We are using it for VMware and Hyper-V data stores.

it_user577449 - PeerSpot reviewer
Vendor
2018-10-24T09:09:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We use it for medical systems.

VS
Real User
2018-10-24T09:09:00Z
Oct 24, 2018

We are mostly using it for NAS, CIFS, and NFS protocols.

ST
Real User
2018-10-23T08:13:00Z
Oct 23, 2018

Our primary use case is escalating a more global performance, which wasn't achievable with the regular spinning drives. We wanted to have higher breakthrough performance with a flash-based solution using all SSD drives.

KL
Real User
2018-10-23T08:13:00Z
Oct 23, 2018

NetApp is our primary storage device for our line of business. We use NetApp as our primary storage device and also for our DR. We are a workers' comp insurance company that has been in business for a 120 years.

AB
Real User
2018-10-23T08:13:00Z
Oct 23, 2018

We are a multi-cloud provider and we use NetApp All Flash as the base for providing the cloud services.

SP
Real User
2018-10-23T08:13:00Z
Oct 23, 2018

We use it for NFS and CIFS to structure data. We have about a couple of petabytes of all-flash.

PH
Real User
2018-10-23T08:13:00Z
Oct 23, 2018

We use it for data storage for Citrix VDIs.

EC
Real User
Top 20
2018-09-25T09:23:00Z
Sep 25, 2018

It's, mainly it's for storage, we have various databases with different applications and we are using it just for storage, mainly as just a storage for our systems.

DB
Real User
2018-07-31T15:59:00Z
Jul 31, 2018

* All flash * SAN and NAS server virtualization * Databases (OLTP and OLAP) * File shares * Test or development

The NetApp A-Series and C-Series are AFF storage arrays that deliver high performance, scalability, and simplified data management for a wide range of workloads. They are designed for organizations that need to improve the performance and agility of their applications, while also reducing costs and complexity. NetApp A-Series and C-Series feature a scale-out architecture that can be scaled to meet the needs of your growing business. They also support a wide range of built-in data protection...
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