During the Nutanix .NEXT Conference in Chicago, Nutanix and NetApp unveiled a strategic partnership to integrate NetApp’s Intelligent Data Infrastructure with the Nutanix Cloud Platform (NCP), including native support for the Nutanix AHV hypervisor. The combined solution is scheduled to launch later this year, aimed at enterprises seeking to unify virtualization and data management across on-premises, hybrid cloud, and container-based environments.

Nutanix cloud platform graphic

The joint solution integrates NetApp ONTAP as a primary data layer within the Nutanix ecosystem, pairing ONTAP’s mature data services with the unified operational model of the Nutanix Cloud Platform. This setup establishes ONTAP as the core storage backbone, while Nutanix continues to deliver compute, virtualization, and cloud orchestration through AHV and its full platform stack.

NetApp data platform graphic

According to Sandeep Singh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Storage at NetApp, the collaboration between NetApp and Nutanix helps streamline the modernization of virtualized environments through secure, efficient solutions. Singh stressed that Intelligent Data Infrastructure serves as the foundation for transforming virtualization and data operations, noting that the partnership simplifies enterprise-grade management of virtualized workloads.

The integration relies primarily on NFS connectivity between Nutanix and ONTAP systems. This architecture allows virtual machines to run on Nutanix while using external NetApp storage, creating a disaggregated design where compute and storage can scale independently. This model is especially valuable for organizations looking to optimize resource usage or extend existing NetApp investments into Nutanix deployments.

Migration efficiency is a central focus. The companies are aligning NetApp Shift with Nutanix Move to enable faster VM migrations into AHV environments. The tooling supports data-in-place conversions, reducing the need for full data copies and cutting migration times to minutes in certain scenarios. This approach is designed to minimize operational disruption while speeding up adoption of the Nutanix platform.

Simplified operations are another key objective. By offloading storage services to ONTAP, organizations can centralize data management functions such as snapshots, replication, and data tiering, while Nutanix handles compute and virtualization. The combined environment is expected to deliver unified visibility and control, lowering administrative overhead and simplifying end-to-end troubleshooting.

The integrated solution also brings VM-level granularity to storage operations. Administrators can apply performance, capacity, and data protection policies at the individual VM level, instead of managing resources broadly at the datastore or cluster level. This supports enterprise demands for precise control in multi-tenant and mixed-workload environments.

Cyber resilience is reinforced through native ONTAP features. The solution will include Autonomous Ransomware Protection powered by AI, along with NetApp’s ransomware resilience services, enabling real-time anomaly detection and potential data exfiltration monitoring. These capabilities enhance Nutanix’s existing security posture with deeper intelligence at the storage layer.

Dallas Olson, NetApp Chief Commercial Officer, highlighted that the partnership with Nutanix strengthens NetApp’s leadership in storage and data management for virtualization. The collaboration aims to provide enterprises with a strong foundation for building an Intelligent Data Infrastructure that delivers performance, resilience, and scalability to support expanding virtualization needs.

Tarkan Maner, President and Chief Commercial Officer at Nutanix, stated that the alliance with NetApp allows customers to modernize their virtualization platforms and adopt Intelligent Data Infrastructure at their own pace, combining infrastructure modernization with advanced data management.

Overall, the partnership signals a move toward composable infrastructure models, where best-of-breed compute and storage platforms are integrated using standard protocols and unified management layers.

The two vendors also plan to expand their cooperation into AI initiatives. Integrating ONTAP with the Nutanix Agentic AI stack will help support emerging enterprise AI use cases, with a focus on data accessibility, governance, and performance for AI-driven workflows.