Transcribed
Azure NetApp Files - Simply Explained
Jul 17, 2026 ·
15m 24s
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Azure NetApp Files - Simply Explained
Description
Some workloads simply cannot wait on storage: SAP HANA logs, large simulations and VDI logon storms. This episode explains for Azure architects and IT pros what Azure NetApp Files is,...
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Some workloads simply cannot wait on storage: SAP HANA logs, large simulations and VDI logon storms. This episode explains for Azure architects and IT pros what Azure NetApp Files is, where it beats Azure Files, and how the flexible service level keeps high performance storage affordable.
In this episode
Key takeaways
Worth quoting
“The issue isn't that Azure files is bad. It's a great service for what it's designed to do. But it's optimized for cost. Not peak performance.” – Mirko Peters (02:54)
“Flexible service level changes that completely. It decouples capacity from throughput, two independent knobs instead of one. You decide how much storage you need and separately how much performance you need.” – Mirko Peters (11:44)
Explore more on M365.FM
Follow and rate M365.FM in your podcast app, and join the free M365 community at m365con.net.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/m365-fm-microsoft-365-azure-cloud-power-platform-ai--6704921/support.
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In this episode
- 00:00 – Why Azure NetApp Files exists
- 00:48 – What Azure NetApp Files is
- 02:05 – Problems regular storage can't solve
- 03:20 – Use case: SAP HANA
- 05:09 – Use case: high performance computing
- 07:05 – Use case: virtual desktops
- 09:12 – Azure NetApp Files vs. Azure Files
- 11:06 – Flexible service level
Key takeaways
- Azure NetApp Files is a first-party, fully managed Azure file service on NetApp technology that delivers sub-millisecond latency and very high throughput over SMB and NFS.
- Its sweet spots are SAP HANA, high performance computing and VDI profile storage, while Azure Files remains the cost-effective choice for general file shares.
- The flexible service level decouples capacity from throughput, so you no longer over-provision storage just to get the performance a workload needs.
Worth quoting
“The issue isn't that Azure files is bad. It's a great service for what it's designed to do. But it's optimized for cost. Not peak performance.” – Mirko Peters (02:54)
“Flexible service level changes that completely. It decouples capacity from throughput, two independent knobs instead of one. You decide how much storage you need and separately how much performance you need.” – Mirko Peters (11:44)
Explore more on M365.FM
- Episode page: the full episode with chapters, key quotes and an FAQ on Azure NetApp Files
- Azure NetApp Files – the high performance file storage service this episode explains, from SAP HANA to VDI
- Azure Files – the cost-optimized comparison point, still recommended for general file shares and everyday workloads
- Microsoft Azure – the platform offering Azure NetApp Files as a first-party service beside blob, files and disk
- Related episode: Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop: Choosing the Right Cloud PC Model
Follow and rate M365.FM in your podcast app, and join the free M365 community at m365con.net.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/m365-fm-microsoft-365-azure-cloud-power-platform-ai--6704921/support.
Information
| Author | Mirko Peters M365, Azure & AI |
| Organization | m365 FM |
| Website | www.m365.fm |
| Tags |
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