White Paper
Challenges and Best Practices for Storing/ Archiving Data in the Petroleum and Gas Exploration and Production Industry Peter Ferri and Erik Mulder, NetApp
Chris Bearce, Interica
May 2012 | WP-7098
Challenges and Best Practices for Storing/Archiving Data in the Petroleum and Gas Exploration and Production Industry 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................. 3
2 CHALLENGES ............................................................................................................................ 3
STORAGE VOLUME AND RETENTION .................................................................................................................. 3
DATA REMASTERING AND SYSTEM OBSOLESCENCE ...................................................................................... 4
DATA CORRUPTION .............................................................................................................................................. 4
DATA RECOVERY SPEED ..................................................................................................................................... 4
DISTRIBUTED DATA .............................................................................................................................................. 5
3 COST COMPARISON: TAPE VERSUS DISK ........................................................................... 5
4 TECHNOLOGY ENABLERS ...................................................................................................... 5
BETTER MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF DATA ............................................................................................. 6
DATA COMPRESSION ............................................................................................................................................ 6
DEDUPLICATION .................................................................................................................................................... 7
METADATA AND DATA MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................... 7
DATA ENCRYPTION FOR SECURITY .................................................................................................................... 7
IMPROVED RELIABILITY ....................................................................................................................................... 7
DATA CLASS STORAGE MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................. 7
5 NETAPP AND INTERICA SOLUTIONS ..................................................................................... 8
INTERICA PARS ..................................................................................................................................................... 8
INTERICA SMARTMOVE ........................................................................................................................................ 9
NETAPP STORAGE PLATFORM ............................................................................................................................ 9
NETAPP INTEGRATED DATA PROTECTION ...................................................................................................... 10
NETAPP EXTENDED CAPABILITIES ................................................................................................................... 10
NETAPP SOLUTIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 10
6 POTENTIAL CUSTOMER BENEFITS ...................................................................................... 12
7 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................ 12
8 FOR MORE INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 12
ABOUT INTERICA ................................................................................................................................................. 12
ABOUT NETAPP ................................................................................................................................................... 12
Challenges and Best Practices for Storing/Archiving Data in the Petroleum and Gas Exploration and Production Industry 3
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Data managers in information-intensive scientific industries such as petroleum and gas exploration and
production (E&P) understand the challenges that their rapidly growing datastores pose. Poor access to the
high-quality, complete data they need to make informed decisions can cost millions of dollars. Many E&P
geoscientists spend far too much of their time identifying, locating, and obtaining data they need for their
mission-critical analyses. This paper examines these challenges and then explores technology advances
that now enable disk-based archiving to complement tape-based solutions. In doing so it helps address
these challenges. The paper then examines the range of solutions from NetApp and Interica that enable
E&P companies to leverage these advances. Finally, it summarizes the potential benefits of
this approach.
2 CHALLENGES
A large percentage of data storage budgets in E&P operations are devoted to archiving for seismic storage,
processing, and interpretation. Every dollar saved on these critical yet passive requirements could be
redirected to proactive computing. The latter includes improving data access for seismic processing and
interpretation application for better reservoir characterization. This can facilitate real-time well operations
modeling or global collaboration, which ultimately helps reduce risk and decrease cycle times.
Tape technology has long been the archival mainstay for E&P companies and will continue to be a requisite
part of the storage hierarchy for many organizations for years to come, simply because of the vast amount of
legacy data. Yet today, some forward-thinking companies are looking at active archiving (near-line or online
archiving). They are evolving toward disk-based archiving solutions that can address growing data
management challenges associated with tape-only solutions.
At the core of this trend is the inability of tape to effectively fulfill the active archiving role and the slow
pace of data location, access, and recovery. (Active archives are those performed for storage management
reasons and that may be needed back online within a shorter term of one to two years.) In addition to these
limitations, the tape medium cannot ensure integrity of data over time and requires periodic tape remastering
at high cost, unless a robust archiving solution is in play that automates the latter.
Recent cost analyses between online storage and near-line storage technologies, such as tape-based
systems, show that online storage can be more cost effective than tape-based solutions over the lifetime of
the seismic data. As technological advances in disk storage densities increase and effective deduplication
and compression technologies become available, these new online disk-based solutions are becoming more
cost effective.
STORAGE VOLUME AND RETENTION
Seismic information continues to grow at staggering rates. This digital tidal wave includes new pre- and
poststack volumes as well as derivative attribute volumes. The challenge is magnified by requirements to
support higher-fidelity subsurface imaging and enhanced interpretation and visualization technologies that
can utilize increasingly larger data sets.
Geoscientists may use many different software applications to analyze this data, each of which generates
results for storage. Individual files generated may be as large as multiple GBs, and these tools may generate
thousands or even tens of thousands of files per project. E&P workgroups may juggle dozens of projects,
each with this large set of files. And data retention times for this staggering amount of data are the life of
the assets. Hence, E&P companies face high data storage costs and the need to scale their solutions from
terabytes to petabytes for rapid data growth.
Challenges and Best Practices for Storing/Archiving Data in the Petroleum and Gas Exploration and Production Industry 4
DATA REMASTERING AND SYSTEM OBSOLESCENCE
Over the last decade, tape technology evolutions have included DLT to super DLT, AIT to AIT 1-5, LTO to
LTO 1-4, and 3590 to 3590E, 3592, TS1120, TS1130. During the same period, tape operating systems and
applications have evolved. In addition, tape deteriorates over time and may be subject to physical damage.
For these reasons, companies are forced to periodically remaster or copy these tapes every three to five
years. The deterioration of tapes during storage and the remastering process is not only expensive but also
creates many opportunities for errors to creep into the data. During each remastering project, some of the
tapes are not readable, and therefore some or all of the data from these tapes is lost.
Remastering from large legacy tape holdings can require person-years of exacting work and can cost
millions of dollars. For example, one national oil company completed a project to make prestack data
publicly available. This involved remastering more than 500,000 tapes (9-track, 21-track, and 3,480
cartridges), which took over three years to accomplish.
Conversely, over the last decade, methods of accessing networked disk storage via CIFS or NFS have
not changed substantially. Hence, networked disk storage has proven to be more stable than tape-based
storage, with minimal migration complexity or cost. As a result, networked disk storage can reduce or
eliminate remastering costs and data loss.
DATA CORRUPTION
Precise, complete seismic data supports timely, informed decision making. Conversely, corrupted or incomplete
data can impair decision makers. Magnetic tape is a fragile medium that is highly susceptible to the
generation of errors by improper care and handling. More often than not, tape errors go unnoticed until the
data is needed, because there is no practical means to verify the integrity of the tape media and its data as
they age. There are countless stories in which tape recoveries have failed. The tape itself is intact, but the
attempt to read and recover data is unsuccessful.
By comparison, disk storage systems provide protection against failed disks utilizing RAID technology.
These systems safeguard against data corruption through the use of data checksum and can proactively
notify data storage administrators of impending failures.
DATA RECOVERY SPEED
The pace of recovery of data, either due to corruption, accidental deletion, or disaster, is also an important
consideration. When a geoscientist loses a key data volume due to corruption or accidental deletion, data
should be recoverable in minutes, not days, to maximize productivity and efficient use of field assets. Yet
data recovery from tape is lengthy (hours, days, or even weeks), complex, and costly. Restoring data from
tape can also introduce risk due to the human intervention required.
The inability to locate and restore project files quickly can incur financial losses or lead to missed opportunities
for the company. For example, if a decision that involves archived data analysis is needed for an offshore
drilling rig, indecision can cost a company as much as $500,000 per day in r ig costs (typically called
―nonproductive time‖). Traditionally, to restore a project, geoscientists were forced to wait until data centrally
off-loaded in warehouse storage was retrieved—a process that could take days or weeks. Hence, decision
makers were faced with the dilemma of waiting too long for the correct data or making the decision with
inadequate data.
Disk-based online storage solutions provide technologies that enable rapid, reliable data access in the case
of catastrophic failure or simply data loss. Already used today in business applications such as e-mail and
financial systems, these technologies are now extended to seismic data.
Challenges and Best Practices for Storing/Archiving Data in the Petroleum and Gas Exploration and Production Industry 5
DISTRIBUTED DATA
As E&P geoscientists gather and analyze data, they produce a variety of data subsets using a variety
of applications. In addition to the industry-specific, sophisticated analysis tools, personnel also store
information in the form of mainstream office productivity tools. Analyzed by different users at different times,
this data and results are often stored across multiple systems and locations across the enterprise. Subparts
of the data may be archived off site at one time or another. Yet at some time in the future, all of this relevant
project data may need to be assembled in one location for further analysis. This raises the need for a
method of storing the data for rapid, complete access.
3 COST COMPARISON: TAPE VERSUS DISK
A study commissioned by NetApp and conducted by Oliver Wyman in 2006 and updated in 20081
revealed that disk storage can be considerably less expensive than tape backup alternatives. While this
study focused on backup solutions, NetApp has seen similar potential benefits to disk-based solutions in
archiving applications.
The study interviewed data managers using tape systems and data managers using disk-to-disk solutions
to determine the difference in costs based on three cost components:
Product acquisition and ongoing vendor costs
Direct internal costs
Cost of lost productivity because of downtime
Overall, the study found that in a system with 30TB of storage, typical backup rotations, and four remote
offices, disk-based storage provided a 39% cost advantage over tape-based systems.
Even in organizations that consider only the up-front capital and ongoing vendor costs such as support and
maintenance for a backup purchase and ignore ongoing IT operation costs, including power, cooling, floor
space, and system administration, the advantage of disk-based solutions over tape was 14%. When all three
cost components were considered, disk-based storage systems were found to be 48–54% less expensive
than a tape-based solution of similar capacity and size over a typical backup product lifecycle.
Data managers focus on the ongoing costs of managing backup environments. Seventy percent of respondents
indicated that they rely on a total cost analysis, either based on internal sources or from a third party, when
making IT purchase decisions.
When costs associated with ongoing labor and business activities are included in the analysis, the overall
total cost story changes significantly: Disk-based storage becomes 70-75% less expensive than tape
solutions. The primary cost advantage is through lower direct internal costs, mainly labor. Respondents
found, on average, a fourfold reduction in systems management time compared to tape environments,
with some participants reporting even higher gains in labor efficiency.
4 TECHNOLOGY ENABLERS
A variety of technologies now enable disk-based storage to complement or, in some instances, replace
tape-based archiving in E&P applications. Not all of these technologies can be used together in all
situations. However, consideration of each enabler allows implementation of a disk archiving system
that meets the needs and policies of each specific business.
1 ―Total Cost Comparison of Back-Up Technologies: IT Decision-Maker Perspectives on NetApp SnapVault Disk to Disk Versus Traditional Tape-Based Backup Solutions.‖
Oliver Wyman, January 2008.
Challenges and Best Practices for Storing/Archiving Data in the Petroleum and Gas Exploration and Production Industry 6
BETTER MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF DATA
Project-based archiving involves grouping E&P business data into ―projects.‖ The data can include
structured, semistructured, and unstructured data—all linked by relevance to a particular project. This
approach can address storage, archival, and access of a wide range of data. The key is to preserve the
relationship of distributed data to the project so that the data can be reinstantiated without external data
requirements.
Within this project-based archiving framework, it is useful to examine how data can be better managed and
controlled using disk-based software. This software can provide—or complement features in the disk that
provide—the following capabilities:
Better data compression
Deduplication advancements
Metadata and data management for discovery, deletion, disposition
Data encryption for security
Improved reliability
Data-class storage management
DATA COMPRESSION
Data compression technology for disk storage has come a long way. Today, lossless compression solutions
significantly reduce the storage requirements for both pre- and poststack seismic data, without introducing
data integrity issues. Over the last several years, compression technologies have evolved using industry
standards. They achieve compression rates of 35–45% on SEG-Y data (see Figure 1). By deploying
compression technology in conjunction with disk-based seismic data storage, the density of storage is
greatly improved, providing savings in pure disk space, power, and air conditioning requirements as an
added benefit compared to traditional disk-based storage.
Figure 1) Storage capacity saved using digital storage with lossless compression technology.
Courtesy: Halliburton
Challenges and Best Practices for Storing/Archiving Data in the Petroleum and Gas Exploration and Production Industry 7
DEDUPLICATION
Data deduplication reduces the amount of data required to be physically stored by eliminating redundant
information and replacing subsequent iterations of it with a pointer to the original. Deduplication ratios vary
greatly according to the type of data being processed. Data that contains primarily unique information, such
as seismic files, contains very little redundancy and delivers poor deduplication ratios. However, data that
contains significant amounts of repeated information delivers the highest levels of deduplication, typically
increasing capacity by 30–70%. For example, geoscientists and other users typically begin data analysis
with E&P applications by copying files from an existing project to begin a new ―project‖ and make changes to
the data. Deduplication of files like these, which contain significant repeated information, is especially helpful
for project-based E&P archival.
METADATA AND DATA MANAGEMENT
Over the lifetime of a typical archive, knowledge of who interpreted the project, location of the project, as
well as the important horizons, faults, and well information that helped define the prospect fade over time,
and may be lost. This information about the project (metadata) is critical to locating the data again in the
future. A proper archiving system is needed to allow collection of this metadata. Once the metadata is in
place and associated with the archive, the archiving software enables users to search for the archive using
the metadata that describes it. In this way, old and potentially valuable archives can be quantified without
the need to first restore and reinstantiate them. This saves time and production disk space.
DATA ENCRYPTION FOR SECURITY
Companies must resolve the trade-off of added security versus cost to determine whether to encrypt both
data at rest and data delivered to users. An important consideration is whether encryption is needed to
protect E&P data from internal or external threats, or both. Encryption policies are best specified in corporate
security policies.
IMPROVED RELIABILITY
A RAID 6 implementation prevents data loss when two disk drives fail. This enables use of drives that
provide economical storage density, such as low-cost SATA (Serial ATA) disks, for seismic data storage,
while also providing the needed data protection. SATA drive capacities are expected to increase rapidly in
the future. In addition, the disk storage system actively reports disk failure. No such technology exists to
report a bad data block on tape as it sits in storage.
DATA CLASS STORAGE MANAGEMENT
Traditionally, E&P companies have archived data according to the type of data (e.g., field seismic data,
prestack data, poststack data, well logs, and so on). A more useful way to archive data is to use a tiered
storage solution in which data is classified and archived according to the need for the data, or patterns of its
usage. This enables access to data as a function of likely use or need. For example, data can be classified
according to classes that respond to milestone events such as divestiture of an asset, tabling of an asset, or
investigation of another area near the asset. The timing of use, number of users, types of uses, and other
parameters can also be used to classify data. This means that recently used data, data used by many, data
used in support of recent events, and so forth can be classified as ―hot storage‖ in an active archive. Data
not used for some time, rarely used, used in support of older events, and so forth can be placed in ―cold
storage.‖ And, of course, these classes can be made as granular as needed.
Challenges and Best Practices for Storing/Archiving Data in the Petroleum and Gas Exploration and Production Industry 8
5 NETAPP AND INTERICA SOLUTIONS
Interica offers two solutions to address these challenges: PARS and SmartMove.
INTERICA PARS
The Project Archive and Retrieval System (PARS) archives and restores structured, semistructured, and
unstructured data from file systems, databases, and applications (see Figure 2). Specifically constructed to
manage large data sets, Interica has further tailored the system to accommodate the particular needs of the
E&P industry during its 15 years of use in this vertical. Using the system, users can group relevant data (and
customizable metadata) from any source. They can also specify where PARS is to archive information,
verify modified data against the original, search for archives based on the metadata, and more. A policy
framework plus an Oracle® Database allow the entry and extraction of metadata. The user interface provides
point-and-click access to management features, including, of course, archive and restore.
Administrators can integrate PARS with NIS and Microsoft® Active Directory
® (via LDAP) to manage user
authentication and access control. They can also implement PARS without significant change to existing IT
infrastructure, due to the system’s out-of-band architecture. The PARS Migrator extension uses a project-
based approach to automatically move files and data sets based on company policy-based criteria. PARS
can be deeply integrated with mainstream exploration geotechnical applications such as LandMark’s
SeisWorks, OpenWorks, and CDA; Schlumberger’s GeoFrame and Petrel; Seismic Micro-Technology’s
SMT Kingdom; and many others. Similarly, PARS can be integrated with various storage systems.
Figure 2) Interica’s Project Archive and Retrieval System archives and retrieves structured and unstructured data
from file systems and applications. (Graphic provided by Interica)
Challenges and Best Practices for Storing/Archiving Data in the Petroleum and Gas Exploration and Production Industry 9
INTERICA SMARTMOVE
SmartMove is a cross-platform tiered storage management application (see Figure 3). It provides discovery
of data by name, owner, size, and time. The application allows construction and implementation of
automated file-movement policies. The data movements include copy, move, and migrate (i.e., move and
create a link in the source file location pointing to the file on the destination storage.) Verification checks are
made during file movement to provide data integrity.
SmartMove enables E&P storage administrators to regain control of spiraling data growth by providing
tools to classify unstructured data and migration policies that can be tailored to the environment. SmartMove
does not attempt to assume control of existing IT environments or insert itself between users and their data.
Instead, SmartMove migrates data to more cost-effective storage using open protocols (CIFS, NFS). It
maintains data accessibility using standard OS links and by retaining file and directory structures. When
these migrations are complete, users access their data without any intervention by SmartMove.
Figure 3) Interica’s SmartMove is a cross-platform tiered storage management application. (Graphic provided by
Interica.)
NETAPP STORAGE PLATFORM
NetApp’s storage systems provide simultaneous support for all protocols—Fibre Channel SAN, IP SAN,
NFS, and CIFS—in combination with Fibre Channel, SAS, or SATA disk with the ability to selectively utilize
additional capabilities, including data permanence and encryption. The result is that E&P organizations
can standardize on a single architecture for all archive and compliance initiatives that can be tailored to
meet the needs for scale, cost, and performance. Fundamentally, the same architecture that delivers high
performance and reliability for volume interpretation and enterprise-class applications, including Microsoft
Exchange, Oracle, and SAP®, can be utilized to deliver low-cost, massively scalable archival and compliance
initiative storage solutions for the same applications. Having a single set of software, tools, and processes
simplifies the complex world of enterprise data management. A single process for activities such as
installation, provisioning, mirroring, and upgrading is used throughout the entire NetApp storage product
line, lowering administrative costs and making it easier to deploy new capabilities across all tiers of storage.
Unifying storage and data management software and processes reduces the complexity of data ownership,
enables the ability to adapt to changing business conditions without interruption, and results in lower total
cost of ownership (TCO).
Challenges and Best Practices for Storing/Archiving Data in the Petroleum and Gas Exploration and Production Industry 10
NETAPP INTEGRATED DATA PROTECTION
The NetApp® Unified Storage Architecture also includes an embedded set of data protection services
that simplify the process of protecting against site outages and data loss. Called NetApp Integrated Data
Protection, these services are tightly integrated within the NetApp Data ONTAP® operating system and
can be enabled in minutes for rapid, easy implementation within any E&P environment. Integrated Data
Protection services include:
Snapshot™
copies that provide a local, point-in-time image of the archive that is created in seconds
Compliance locking that prevents data from being modified
Disaster recovery that replicates the archive to a remote location for system and site level recovery; NetApp leverages embedded network compression to reduce network utilization up to 70%, accelerating DR and reducing network costs
Replication-based backup that creates a remote, block-level incremental backup of the archive in minutes and reduces storage requirements up to 90%
Storage clustering that stretches up to 100 km and is designed for zero data loss and zero downtime
NETAPP EXTENDED CAPABILITIES
NetApp offers a single, complete product infrastructure that seamlessly integrates with key enterprise
applications that drive the current generation of mission-critical enterprise data for archive and compliance.
With NetApp, archive and compliance functions such as data classification and migration, data permanence,
data security, and data discovery all integrate with the core platform, extending its capabilities. The ability to
selectively apply these capabilities to any data set provides E&P organizations with the ability to meet any
particular data management requirement (see Figure 5).
NETAPP SOLUTIONS
NetApp solutions include NetApp NearStore® and NetApp DataFort.
NetApp NearStore protection software provides E&P data protection and retention applications such as
disaster recovery, archival, compliant retention, and content storage. A disk-based secondary storage
device for enterprise applications NearStore complements and improves existing tape archiving and data
protection schemes. NearStore provides economical storage and rapid disk-based access to reference data
to meet business and legal requirements. In addition, with a lower cost of acquisition and TCO than primary
storage and better performance than tape, NearStore is a proven solution for organization whose multisite
replication programs require an economical, high-capacity storage device to be located remotely.
NetApp deduplication is a fundamental component of NetApp’s core operating architecture—Data ONTAP.
NetApp deduplication can be used broadly across many E&P applications, including primary and archival
data. By eliminating redundant data objects and referencing just the original object, NetApp deduplication
combines the benefits of granularity, performance, and resiliency to provide a significant advantage in the
race to provide for ever-increasing storage capacity demands. Compression can complement deduplication
and provide additional savings, especially on data that does not deduplicate well, such as geoseismic data
(see Figure 4). The result is 1) reduced initial storage acquisition costs or longer intervals between storage
capacity upgrades, and 2) the ability to store more data per storage unit or retain online data for longer
periods of time.
Challenges and Best Practices for Storing/Archiving Data in the Petroleum and Gas Exploration and Production Industry 11
Figure 4) Deduplication complements compression to reduce storage requirements.
Networked storage speeds access to information, but it can also leave data vulnerable. Firewalls and
intrusion-prevention systems can secure assets at the perimeter, but data at the storage core can be
exposed to both internal and external attacks. NetApp DataFort Security Systems provide security
throughout the entire lifecycle of regulated and sensitive data for multiple heterogeneous storage systems
without disrupting applications, clients, servers, or user workflow. NetApp DataFort systems combine secure
access controls, authentication, storage hardware-based encryption, and secure logging to protect stored
data. E&P administrators can deploy inline or network-attached storage to reap security advantages without
impacting user workflow. NetApp DataFort fits seamlessly into existing storage environments, supporting
CIFS, NFS, IP SAN, FC disk, FC tape, and SCSI protocols. E&P companies can protect data both at rest
and in flight with encryption certified by the National Institute for Standards and Technology, even if IT
management is outsourced.
Figure 5) NetApp comprehensive data protection capabilities in the E&P environment
Challenges and Best Practices for Storing/Archiving Data in the Petroleum and Gas Exploration and Production Industry 12
6 POTENTIAL CUSTOMER BENEFITS
Advanced disk-based solutions can enable better-informed decision making using the latest data all in
one place. They can enable E&P users to identify, locate, and retrieve data quickly, accelerating mission-
critical decision making, reducing field costs, and improving utilization of field assets. At the same time, the
solutions can improve geophysicist productivity due to easier access to data anywhere and anytime. The
same technologies can also accelerate data recovery in the event of data loss, corruption, or disaster.
Advanced disk-based solutions can enable more efficient completion of asset sales, including transfer of
digital assets. They can reduce the cost of transcription and remastering of tapes due to the transfer of
some archiving to disk. This can also enable ―platform protection‖—avoiding obsolescence of data formats,
systems, operating systems, and applications. This benefit, as well as improved data integrity, can reduce
IT costs.
Looking forward, the solutions can provide flexibility and scalability to meet continued data growth and
analysis needs. They provide an outsourcing option that offers choice for firms seeking to outsource data
archiving functions.
7 CONCLUSIONS
Disk-based archiving/storage can now cost-effectively complement tape-based archival in the E&P industry.
Advances in both hardware and software technology drive this evolution. NetApp and Interica have
partnered to provide a range of solutions, including NearStore, NetApp DataFort, PARS, and SmartMove,
to enable their customers to take advantage of this trend. The result for E&P adopters of this technology is
better-informed, more rapid decision making, lower IT costs, and improved use of field assets. The solutions
also provide platform protection and offer flexibility and scalability for the future.
8 FOR MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT INTERICA
Interica is the new force in E&P data management, delivering integrity, control, access and efficiency to data
owners and users in Oil and Gas, across the globe. We provide a growing range of specialist software and
service-based solutions that help you to manage your subsurface data more effectively, to improve decision
making and hence generate value for your organisation. Interica has been created by bringing together
Enigma Data and InfoAsset. Established businesses with proven international success, securing the mission
critical data of some of the world’s largest organisations. www.interica.com
ABOUT NETAPP
NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions that deliver outstanding cost efficiency
and accelerate business breakthroughs. Discover our passion for helping companies around the world go
further, faster at www.netapp.com.
© Copyright 2012 NetApp, Inc and Interica. All rights reserved. No portions of this document may be reproduced without prior written consent. Specifications are subject to change without notice. NetApp, the NetApp logo, Go further, faster, Data ONTAP, NearStore, Snapshot, and SnapVault are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetApp, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation. Microsoft and Active Directory are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. SAP is a registered trademark of SAP AG. All other brands or products are or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as such. WP-7098-0512
NetApp provides no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, reliability or serviceability of any information or recommendations provided in this publication, or with respect to any results that may be obtained by the use of the information or observance of any recommendations provided herein. The information in this document is distributed AS IS, and the use of this information or the implementation of any recommendations or techniques herein is a customer’s responsibility and depends on the customer’s ability to evaluate and integrate them into the customer’s operational environment. This document and the information contained herein may be used solely in connection with the NetApp products discussed in this document.