NetApp has announced that ONTAP, its storage operating system, is the first enterprise storage and data management platform to achieve Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) validation for a data-at-rest (DAR) capability package.

CSfC validates commercial IT products that have met the highest level of strict encryption standards and rigorous security requirements for both hardware and software solutions. Recently, the NSA has recommended that federal agencies hosting secret or top-secret data utilize storage solutions that have been CSfC validated.

 “This unique achievement is an example of innovation in commercial technology addressing critical national security issues,” said Admiral Michael S. Rogers USN (Ret.), former Director, National Security Agency (NSA) and Chief, Central Security Service (CSS).

With this CSfC validation, organizations can expect NetApp ONTAP to:

• Allow agencies and enterprises to natively store top-secret data, confidently and reliably
• Save time by making it easier to buy pre-approved solutions, reducing audits, and limiting the processes required to move or store data securely
• Offer cost savings via reduced monitoring, lowering physical data transport and logistics costs, and providing the cost-optimal solution for storing data
• Protect data at both hardware and the software layer for enhanced cyber-resilient data-centric security – a key component to zero-trust security architectures

NetApp has been in the data protection business for nearly 30 years and is a leading data storage and management supplier to federal government, delivering storage innovation and data solutions, including data encryption, both in-flight and at rest, compliance, and protection. The latest release of ONTAP claims to be enabling enterprises to use machine learning to protect against cyber-attacks with integrated preemptive detection and accelerated data recovery.

Michelle Rudnicki, Vice President, US Public Sector at NetApp said, “with NetApp’s world-class data security capabilities and this CSfC validation, government organizations, as well as companies in highly regulated industries like financial services, healthcare, energy or any organization with valuable intellectual property, can be reassured that their most sensitive data is secure with NetApp ONTAP.”