Introduction to NetApp storage

The NetApp storage system is a hardware- and software-based data storage and retrieval system. It responds to network requests from clients and fulfills them by writing data to or retrieving data from its disk array. It provides a modular hardware architecture running the Data ONTAP operating system and WAFL (Write Anywhere File Layout) software.

For information about all of the models of NetApp storage systems, see the NetApp Products and Technologies page.

Data ONTAP is the operating system for all NetApp storage systems. It provides a complete set of storage management tools through its command-line interface, through the FilerView interface, through the DataFabric Manager interface (which requires a license), and—for storage systems with a Remote LAN Module (RLM) or a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) installed— through the RLM or the BMC Ethernet connection to the system console.

• Components of a storage system
  In general, a storage system includes a main unit, which is the hardware device that receives and sends data, and disk shelves, which hold disks and associated hardware.
• Data ONTAP features
  Data ONTAP provides features for network file service, multiprotocol file and block sharing, data storage management, data organization management, data access management, data migration management, data protection system management, and AutoSupport.