NetApp® , a leader in Intelligent Data Infrastructure, has announced a new partnership with Cisco, marking a significant step forward in converged infrastructure. Building on two decades of collaboration, the new NetApp AFX architecture now integrates seamlessly with Cisco Nexus switches, enhancing connectivity within AI clusters. This partnership aims to deliver a robust foundation for enterprise AI, with future plans to extend to FlexPod AI, providing organizations with the performance and scalability they need for next-generation workloads.
Powered by NetApp’s industry-leading ONTAP storage operating system, the AFX platform leverages Cisco Nexus 400G switches to deliver ultra-high bandwidth, low-latency, and lossless networking, critical for scaling AI applications. This integration ensures businesses can meet the rigorous demands of AI networks, offering enterprise-level reliability and simplicity.
“NetApp’s platform provides the intelligent data infrastructure needed to support advanced workloads like AI,” said Dallas Olson, Chief Commercial Officer at NetApp. “By partnering with Cisco, we’re offering a unified solution that combines cutting-edge storage and networking, setting a new standard for performance and simplicity in AI-ready data centers.”
Murali Gandluru, Vice President of Data Center Networking at Cisco, emphasized the collaboration’s potential: “Integrating Cisco Nexus switches into NetApp AFX highlights our shared commitment to AI innovation. Customers want simplicity without compromising performance, and together with NetApp, we’re making this a reality, driving industry progress and enabling a new era of AI-driven transformation.”
Looking ahead, the collaboration will soon extend to FlexPod AI, which offers a flexible and secure foundation for hybrid cloud and AI workloads. The integrated solution will bring together NetApp AFX disaggregated storage, Cisco UCS, and Nexus switches, all managed centrally through Cisco Intersight. This seamless ecosystem will enable customers to optimize their infrastructure for specific AI workloads while maintaining the necessary security and simplicity to accelerate AI adoption across enterprises.
At NetApp INSIGHT 2025 in Las Vegas, held from October 14–16, attendees had the opportunity to explore how NetApp is reshaping industries with its innovative solutions. To catch up on the keynotes and demos, visit: NetApp INSIGHT.
NetApp has been at the forefront of helping organizations navigate digital transformation for over 30 years. As the pioneer of Intelligent Data Infrastructure, NetApp continues to drive innovation, resilience, and growth, providing enterprise-grade solutions that support everything from AI to hybrid cloud environments.
The NetApp platform, powered by ONTAP and AI Data Engine, ensures the highest levels of resilience, observability, and intelligence at scale. The disaggregated design enables enterprises to modernize faster, innovate freely, and scale without being locked into specific vendors or technologies. As the only enterprise storage platform natively embedded in the world’s largest clouds, NetApp offers unmatched performance and governance across any environment, helping businesses turn their data into a competitive advantage. With NetApp, organizations can confidently embrace the future of AI, knowing their data infrastructure is ready to tackle today’s challenges and power tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
