NetApp AFF A-Series: all-flash arrays from A20 to A1K
The current AFF A-Series is NetApp’s all-flash line, running from A20 at the entry to A1K at the top, with the family rated up to 40 million IOPS, 1 TB/s of throughput and 99.9999% availability. NetApp is the platform most often specified where file services and data management matter as much as raw block performance.
Technical specification
| Brand | NetApp |
|---|---|
| Product group | Storage |
| Capacity / format | Up to 40M IOPS, 1 TB/s, 99.9999% availability |
| Model codes | AFF A20, A30, A50, A70, A90, A1K |
Which one should you choose?
Choose on the data services, not only the media
Every vendor in this class sells fast flash. What separates NetApp in most evaluations is the data management layer: snapshots, replication, tiering and the way the same volume is presented to different protocols. If those features are in your requirement, the comparison is not really about IOPS.
Where each model sits
A20, A30 and A50 cover the entry and mid range and suit a single site or a departmental estate. A70 and A90 are the mainstream enterprise models. The A1K is the top of the family and is specified where the headline figures for the family actually apply. Size for the end of the refresh cycle.
The published maxima are family figures
40 million IOPS and 1 TB/s describe what the family can reach in its largest configuration, not what an A20 delivers. Read them as the ceiling of the platform rather than as a per-model promise, and ask for the figure at your configuration before comparing vendors.
Availability is a design, not a model number
A 99.9999% figure assumes a correctly designed and correctly operated installation, including the network, the power and the operational procedures. Buying the array does not deliver the number by itself. If the availability target is contractual, the design conversation has to happen before the purchase.
What we need from you
Usable capacity, protocols, performance target, replication requirement and whether this is a new estate or a refresh. On a refresh, the current array’s utilisation, snapshot policy and replication topology are the details that decide the sizing.
Request a Quote
Send the usable capacity, the protocol your hosts speak and the performance target. A priced quote comes back within 48 hours with the raw and usable figures separated.
