NetApp intros Project Astra to develop application-integrated Data Management for Kubernetes

NetApp introduced Project Astra, a vision for a software-defined platform that is currently in development with the Kubernetes community. Project Astra will deliver the most robust, easy-to-consume, enterprise-class storage and data services platform for Kubernetes that enables both application and data portability for stateful applications.

Although companies everywhere are rapidly adopting Kubernetes, many organizations lack reliable data and application services, and have difficulty making application data as portable as the applications themselves are in Kubernetes. Yet to meet the standards that CIOs expect, IT teams and site reliability engineers must find a way to store, govern, protect, and replicate the data for both stateless and stateful cloud-native applications with enterprise-class cloud storage and data services.

Project Astra is being purpose-built for and in collaboration with Kubernetes developers and operations managers to help bridge the fundamental gap that exists between the popularity of containers today, the capabilities and user experience they require, and their ability to deliver true, comprehensive portability. NetApp’s vision for Project Astra is to enable companies to work seamlessly with their choice of Kubernetes distribution, on any cloud.

Project Astra leverages the underlying technology delivered through NetApp’s public cloud partners and enhances it through Kubernetes-native integration of data services with applications.

NetApp is working with the Kubernetes community to further develop technology that advances the user experience and extends the promise of Kubernetes to data-rich workloads. Together, NetApp and the Kubernetes community are building a platform:

Discover applications with user’s Kubernetes of choice, whether on premises or in any cloud

Integrate and unify applications and data management

Deliver NetApp’s expertise in data and Kubernetes both as a service and as built-in capabilities

Extend the promise of portability for all workloads, including stateful, data-rich apps

Project Astra builds on NetApp’s experience in enabling customers to manage petabytes of container data with NetApp Trident and NetApp Kubernetes Services and adds a specific focus on the developers and operations managers who are innovating with containers today.

“Kubernetes platform is the gold standard for container deployment for a number of use cases, across edge to core to cloud environments,” said Puneet Gupta, Vice President for Sales, NetApp India and SAARC. “NetApp recognizes the reality of organizations’ needs to shift priorities, and Project Astra ensures to deliver on the promise of portability, while still making all data well managed and protected wherever it exists. Project Astra reiterates NetApp commitment towards innovation, customer-centricity and time to market.”