INTELLIGENT data infrastructure outfit NetApp Malaysia Sdn Bhd has launched a new data platform aimed at helping companies prepare for and scale artificial intelligence (AI) workloads across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
The offering brings together NetApp AFX – an all-flash storage system – and the AI Data Engine (AIDE) which manages data services for AI pipelines.
According to NetApp, the platform provides enterprises with secure, scalable performance and built-in integration with NVIDIA’s accelerated computing technology.
NetApp chief product officer Syam Nair said the new systems provide enterprises with “a trusted, proven choice in on-premises storage built on a comprehensive data platform to rapidly propel AI innovation forward”.
Moreover, AIDE is expected to streamline operations by collapsing multiple data preparation and management steps into one integrated service.
Henceforth, the new data platform will come in handy given many (business) organisations are moving from “passive data storage to active data management” as they look to unlock insights.
“With our latest innovations, NetApp provides a secure, unified and future-ready environment for your data foundation across the Hybrid Cloud, thus supporting those who operationalise AI at scale to drive real business outcomes,” enthused NetApp Asia Pacific senior vice president and general manager Andrew Sotiropoulos.
As part of the roll-out exercise, NetApp also introduced new capabilities for Microsoft Azure customers.
These include an Object API that allows enterprises connect their file data directly with Azure services such as OpenAI, Fabric and Databricks without duplicating or moving data. This enables faster model training, analysis and intelligent search on existing datasets.
In addition, there is now a new remote caching FlexCache technology which extends across Azure and on-premises environments to unify global data estates.
As such, enterprises can migrate or replicate workloads more easily by supporting hybrid scenarios such as automated disaster recovery, continuous back-up and workload balancing between environments.
In the words of NVIDIA vice-president (enterprise AI products) Justin Boitano, NetApp’s platform has “transformed into an AI-native storage platform” by integrating NVIDIA software and computing while industry analyst Michael Leone of Omdia described the launch as “the speedy fulfilment of an ambitious vision” in managing data for AI.
NetApp is showcasing the new platform at INSIGHT 2025 in Las Vegas this week with sessions and demonstrations available online for audiences worldwide, including Malaysia. – Oct 15, 2025
