NetApp and Google Cloud expand storage integration to support AI workloads without data migration

New unified storage service allows enterprises to run file and block workloads in the cloud without rebuilding existing environments

Pravjit Tiwana, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cloud Storage and Services at NetApp.

NetApp has expanded its collaboration with Google Cloud to simplify how enterprise data is stored and used across cloud environments, with a focus on enabling AI workloads without requiring data movement or system redesign.

The update centers on the general availability of a unified storage service within Google Cloud NetApp Volumes, introduced during Google Cloud Next 2026. The service allows organizations to manage both file and block storage within a single pool, supporting applications such as databases, high-performance computing and virtualized environments without changes to existing architectures.

The approach addresses a common constraint in enterprise environments, where data is distributed across multiple systems and formats. Instead of moving or duplicating data to make it usable for AI or analytics, the integration enables workloads to run directly where the data already resides.

“Customers can move their enterprise data, whether block or file, into Google Cloud NetApp Volumes easily, and once it’s there, they can use Google Cloud services, including for AI, directly on that data without needing to move or duplicate it again,” said Pravjit Tiwana, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cloud Storage and Services at NetApp. “With these updates, NetApp and Google have removed a major source of cost, delay, and complexity in AI adoption.”

As part of the same initiative, NetApp introduced NetApp Data Migrator, a service designed to move data across cloud and on-premises environments without requiring specialized expertise. The tool is intended to support organizations operating in multi-cloud setups, where data mobility remains a technical and operational challenge.

The collaboration also reflects a broader effort to align storage infrastructure with the requirements of AI-driven applications, which depend on consistent access to large volumes of structured and unstructured data.

“The key to AI innovation is AI-ready data, which requires flexible, unified architecture that enables data to be fluid, not siloed,” said Sameet Agarwal, Vice President and General Manager, Storage, for Google Cloud. “Our continued collaboration with NetApp removes the traditional friction of data migration, enabling organizations to quickly drive business innovation with Google Cloud’s advanced data and AI services.”