Quixi, let me be clear about this. NTAP has its own proprietary OS whose functions all focus on one thing--serving data (from storage to network) fast, simply and reliably. It is not an NT OS, nor is it a UNIX OS.
Now, NTAP's filers do serve as data servers for NT and UNIX -based systems. For NT, NTAP supports the CIFS (Common Internet File System)file protocol. For UNIX, NTAP supports the NFS (Network File System) file protocol. So to Windows clients, NTAP looks like an NT file system; to Unix clients, NTAP looks like a Unix file system.
I believe that Linux supports NFS, therefore NTAP already does and always has supported Linux.
NTAP will never "adopt a Linux based software platform". That would be a giant step backwards and take one of their biggest competitive adavantages away--a skinny, fast, reliable, multiprotocol, easy to administer OS with its own specialized file layout, the Write Anywhere File Layout (WAFL).
Please understand this, Quixi. It is essential in understanding 1) the "appliance" concept, 2) NAS versus SAN, and 3) NTAP's unique competitive advantage over all of its competitors. |
