Today we use it for replication of our transaction data, and for storing data, for which we use the snap mirror feature. Primary and disaster recovery storage centers are connected. Snap mirror backup software does block level copy from primary site to the disaster recovery.
Chief General Manager at SVC Bank
The controllers are faster so we have more processing efficiency, and we're going onto the cDot platform, which is already an improvement.
What is most valuable?
What needs improvement?
We’re going onto the cDot platform, which is already an improvement. The controllers are faster so we have more processing efficiency.
For how long have I used the solution?
We’ve been using it for the last six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability has been very good. As far as we’re concerned, we update our systems (firmware, OS) consistently, so we don’t face any problems in that regard.
Buyer's Guide
NetApp FAS Series
April 2025

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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We've had no problems scaling. Our business has grown two and half times in size over six years, and we’ve added more disks and shelves, as well as upgrading controllers. We’ve done it without any down time.
How are customer service and support?
Quite good. Recently we deployed micro-clusters with cDot, the first bank in India to do it.
How was the initial setup?
It was complex because we experimented by keeping data and system volumes separate. We don’t replicate the system volumes frequently. We were able to do it, although we used only 1/10 of the bandwidth with a combination of FAS and vSphere.
What other advice do I have?
Configure it properly. Today we have HA with any data loss because we did it nicely, and took our time for the beginning. We got terrific support.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

IT Manager at a maritime company with 51-200 employees
Excellent and proactive support, reliable, easy to set up, and you can scale as many as you have
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features are the NAS features and NetApp's excellent support."
- "There is no NetApp infrastructure set up here in Greece."
What is our primary use case?
We are mainly using this solution for file sharing, virtualization, and database storage.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are the NAS features and NetApp's excellent support.
It's user-friendly, and I am happy with the dashboard, customization, and security.
What needs improvement?
For the most part, we don't have any problems. There is no NetApp infrastructure set up here in Greece. We don't have a representative with a technical department and someone who will help you in order to understand the product better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's scalable. You can scale as much as you can have.
We have approximately 500 end-users in our organization.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have contacted technical support either by phone or via email, and sometimes they have contacted me first because they have noticed something in their systems.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We used an integrator to help us with the deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't recall the price, but in general, pricing can always be better.
What other advice do I have?
I would definitely recommend this solution to others who are interested in using it.
I would rate NetApp AFF (All Flash FAS) an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
NetApp FAS Series
April 2025

Learn what your peers think about NetApp FAS Series. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
849,335 professionals have used our research since 2012.
VP Systems Integrator at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
We can add additional heads with the same IOPS, but we need better documentation for customers to understand automation of APIs.
Valuable Features
The flexibility to use in OpenStack with multiple data types, Cinder, Swift, etc.
Improvements to My Organization
Feasibility to use multiple protocols to talk to device, be it direct attached or Cinder/Swift, and the ability to use it as storage behind guest instances on cloud (commonly known as boot-from-disk).
Room for Improvement
When speaking with the NetApp CEO, we told him that we need better documentation for customers to understand automation of APIs. We want it all there and robust. Boot-from-disk allows me to use disk from Netapp, and understand how to set that up should be documented so I can teach my staff how to do that.
Use of Solution
We've been using NetApp products for 15 years.
Stability Issues
No issues encountered.
Scalability Issues
As we continue forward, we can add additional heads with same IOPS.
Customer Service and Technical Support
I've never had to call tech support, but we’ve had them call us to tell us we were about to have a problem.
Initial Setup
It was very straightforward with OpenStack, very well-documented, and supported. I wasn’t an OpenStack admin when I started, so the ease of use was critical to me. Straight from the horizon dashboard from OpenStack and I was up and running in 15 minutes
Other Advice
- Define use cases because we’ve come across where we didn’t do so correctly, and we had to go back and re-architect everything. This was our failure.
- Really engage with NetApp to understand how you use the nuances of things like the APIs.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Software & Services Advisor at a tech company with 10,001+ employees
Exceeded clients needs
What is most valuable?
SyncMirror (for legacy to new platform migration, prior to CDOT availability), SnapManager Suite (for application aware data protection features, namely Oracle and Microsoft), FlashCache & FlashPools (for accelerating workloads, volumes and/or entire aggregates).
How has it helped my organization?
A customer was running legacy FAS3140's, 5+ years old, and began deploying VDI clients on their 10GbE network. Their storage became a bottleneck and seamlessly migrated to FAS8020's w/ FlashCache and all performance concerns have been removed, and users have complimented the performance improvement of their desktops!
For how long have I used the solution?
I'm a VAR and have been recommending FAS for 4+ years
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
None
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
None
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
None
How are customer service and technical support?
Customer Service:
Very high. Local field support came onsite to the customer not to sell anything, but to introduce the support system at NetApp, and how everything works under the covers.
Technical Support:Not much was needed for this particular client; however, tech support when needed has been very responsive and knowledgeable.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
No
How was the initial setup?
Client handled, but very straightforward.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Long time NetApp customer, very happy with the solution.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: I am a consultant and reseller who works very closely with this client.
Consultant
Very easy to expand disks and manage CIFS
Pros and Cons
- "It is very easy to expand disks and manage CIFS."
- "Has rock solid reliability and is easy to use."
- "Needs to add wizards for newer, inexperienced users."
What is our primary use case?
Enterprise Storage for:
- Block and file
- SQL Server LUNs
- Exchange LUNs
- VM Storage.
Backup of above via Snap products.
How has it helped my organization?
- Rock solid reliability
- Easy to use
- Very easy to expand disks and manage CIFS.
- It has been over seven years with no outages.
What is most valuable?
- SnapManagers for SQL
- Exchange and Oracle
- SnapMirror for DR
- CIFS management for shares/permissions
What needs improvement?
- Add wizards for newer, inexperienced users.
- More modern GUI, not that it's bad.
- ONTAP upgrades need to be much easier.
For how long have I used the solution?
More than five years.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Storage Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Enables us to handle business critical data with HA
Pros and Cons
- "NAS stability"
- "Good for NAS and unified solutions."
- "Needs more SAN support."
How has it helped my organization?
Enables us to handle business critical data with HA.
What is most valuable?
- NAS stability
- Simple customer support
What needs improvement?
Needs more SAN support.
For how long have I used the solution?
One to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
No stability issues yet.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
No scalability issues yet.
How is customer service and technical support?
Eight out of 10.
How was the initial setup?
Works on administration, not implementation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Not overrated, though there are products available in market with comparatively lower costs.
What other advice do I have?
Good for NAS and unified solutions.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
ICT Network Administrator at a maritime company with 501-1,000 employees
The initial setup was quite easy and pleasing. Just enter some key values and there you go.
Pros and Cons
- "A reliable and easily managed storage system is a key performance factor. The system also has more features than we require."
- "As I see it, there could be more interfaces, more cache, etc."
What is most valuable?
- Reliability
- Rich features
- Ease of management
- Excellent support
A reliable and easily managed storage system is a key performance factor. The system also has more features than we require.
What needs improvement?
Naturally, there would be room for improvement. As I see it, there could be more interfaces, more cache, etc., but those challenges are solved by just getting some other model.
For how long have I used the solution?
Four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
None whatsoever.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
No issues, as expansion was a breeze.
How are customer service and technical support?
We do use third party support. On a scale of one to 10, I would rate the support to be an eight.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
During the years, we have had quite a few storage solutions, none of which did give us the same level performance, reliability, and manageability as the FAS-series has.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was quite easy and pleasing. Just enter some key values and there you go.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
For a number of years now, purchasing a storage system has been actually purchasing software. There is no plain storage anymore, more or less intelligent software solutions. Thus, licenses are required to fulfill the business demands. One considering between different storage system should carefully investigate what software options they get bundled in and what optional software they actually would need. Most storage vendors also have software, or licensing bundles, which may offer the required licenses considerably cheaper, but do also maybe offer licenses, which are not needed.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
No other solutions were evaluated at the time. Actually, this system was familiar to use and fulfilled the business demands.
What other advice do I have?
You really can't go wrong with NetApp products, They perform well, are rock solid, offer good space saving technologies, and the support is above par.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Works at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Organizationally, it changed the way we do DR around NetApp replication
Pros and Cons
- "It changed the way we do Disaster Recovery (DR) around NetApp replication."
- "Cluster mode needs to be more ubiquitous."
How has it helped my organization?
It changed the way we do Disaster Recovery (DR) around NetApp replication.
What needs improvement?
- Cluster mode needs to be more ubiquitous.
- The process for going to cluster mode is expensive.
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
Unexpected costs and some systems were not compatible with cluster mode.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Yes, we encountered stability issues with the LDAP integration and with user logins on the web front-end.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Nope.
How is customer service and technical support?
Customer Service:
The customer service is awesome.
Technical Support:The technical support is great. The partner company (Bytes) has a close relationship with us.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward, though there were a lot of hidden costs going to cluster mode and the amount of usable data was way lower than expected.
What about the implementation team?
We used a vendor team, and they were excellent.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
EMC.
What other advice do I have?
Double up on the amount of storage that you expect to buy.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

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Updated: April 2025
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