Google Cloud and NetApp continue to fuel their AI ambitions by expanding their strategic partnership, debuting a new integration of NetApp’s data storage and services into the Google Distributed Cloud.

Google Cloud and NetApp continue to expand their strategic partnership with a strong focus on customer enablement and innovation around AI and generative AI.

The two tech giants recently unveiled a new integration where NetApp’s data storage and services have been injected into the Google Distributed Cloud architecture.

“Anytime Google and NetApp come together, it’s good for our customers,” said Jason Geis, CEO of Google Cloud partner CloudWerx (pictured). “AI is on top of everyone’s mind so it’s comforting to see these two companies join forces to make AI implementation or planning or AI development easier and more seamless for them. It’s a home run.”

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NetApp recently announced that its OnTAP and StorageGRID solutions have been integrated with Google Distributed Cloud, a platform that enables customers to build, deploy and scale applications on premises with secure AI infrastructure.

The Google Distributed Cloud extends customers’ cloud infrastructure and services to the places customers need them, including on-premise data centers and network edges.

“We’re always glad to see Google continue to invest in AI infrastructure to make it more consumable and available for customers. It’s a hybrid cloud world for many businesses,” said Geis at CloudWerx. “This [NetApp partnership] will help us in regulated industries. It will help customers get a better grasp on data sovereignty, local privacy laws and regulations, that are areas that everyone needs help with right now in the AI world.”

NetApp’s annual revenue run rate currently stands at $6.16 billion, while Google Cloud has a $41.2 billion run rate.

Google Cloud And NetApp ‘Putting AI-Innovation In Reach’

NetApp’s new collaboration with Google Cloud provides the foundational data storage for Google Distributed Cloud offerings will help customers manage data effectively, boost regulatory compliance as well as application development, according to the companies.

Google Cloud’s storage leader Sameet Agarwal said the two tech giants are equipping organizations in regulated sectors to effectively address their need for data-driven innovation as they tap into AI.

“Our partnership with NetApp on Google Distributed Cloud has enabled us to provide customers with a platform such that organizations can benefit from localized processing, rapid scalability to meet changing demands, and enhanced security,” said Agarwal, general manager and vice president of storage for Google Cloud, in a statement.

NetApp, for its part, said the Google Cloud collaboration will help customers reduce their reliance on disparate solutions across cloud, data center and edge environments with stronger compliance and cybersecurity.

“By working together, Google Distributed Cloud and NetApp are putting AI-innovation in reach, even as organizations navigate new regulatory requirements that make data security and compliance more challenging,” said NetApp’s President Cesar Cernuda, in a statement. “With solutions powered by NetApp intelligent data infrastructure, Google Distributed Cloud can offer AI-ready solutions tailored for the public sector and regulated industries.”

Google Cloud’s Partnership With NetApp

Google Cloud’s partnership with NetApp has been growing in recent years as both companies collaborate to enable artificial intelligence.

In April, the two companies expanded their partnership to help customers and partners better leverage data for generative AI and hybrid cloud workloads.

NetApp and Google Cloud partnered to develop a new Flex service level for Google Cloud NetApp Volumes. The new joint offering lets new and existing NetApp customers get NetApp cloud storage as a Google service that operates and runs as Google.

Additionally in 2024, NetApp unveiled a new GenAI toolkit reference platform for RAG (retrieval augmented generation) operations on the Google Cloud Vertex AI platform.