NetApp and Intel partner

NetApp has released the NetApp AIPod Mini with Intel, a joint solution designed to streamline enterprise adoption of AI inferencing. This collaboration addresses the unique challenges businesses face when deploying AI, such as cost and complexity, at the department and team level.

To thrive in the era of intelligence, enterprises have adopted AI to enhance efficiency and data-driven decision making across their businesses. A study by Harvard Business School found that consultants given access to AI tools were able to increase their productivity, completing 12.2 percent more tasks and completing them 25.1 percent more quickly. However, individual business units may find that the broadly available general purpose AI applications are not able to meet their specific needs, but do not have the technical expertise or budget to customize an AI application from scratch. NetApp and Intel have partnered to provide businesses with an integrated AI inferencing solution built on an intelligent data infrastructure framework that allows specific business functions to leverage their distinct data to create outcomes that support their needs. NetApp AIPod Mini streamlines the deployment and use of AI for specific applications such as automating aspects of document drafting and research for legal teams, implementing personalized shopping experiences and dynamic pricing for retail teams, and optimizing predictive maintenance and supply chains for manufacturing units.

“Our mission is to unlock AI for every team at every level without the traditional barriers of complexity or cost,” said Dallas Olson, Chief Commercial Officer at NetApp. “NetApp AIPod Mini with Intel gives our customers a solution that not only transforms how teams can use AI but also makes it easy to customize, deploy, and maintain. We are turning proprietary enterprise data into powerful business outcomes.”

NetApp AIPod Mini enables businesses to interact directly with their business data through pre-packaged Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) workflows, combining generative AI with proprietary information to deliver precise, context-aware insights that streamline operations and drive impactful outcomes.

By integrating Intel® Xeon® 6 processors and Intel® Advanced Matrix Extensions (Intel® AMX) with NetApp’s all-flash storage, advanced data management, and deep Kubernetes integration, NetApp AIPod Mini delivers high-performance, cost-efficient AI inferencing at scale. Built on an open framework powered by Open Platform for Enterprise AI (OPEA), the solution ensures modular, flexible deployments tailored to business needs. Intel Xeon processors are designed to boost computing performance and efficiency, making AI tasks more attainable and cost-effective, empowering customers to achieve more. To best serve customers, this solution is designed to be:

Affordable: Designed for departmental or business-unit budgets, NetApp AIPod Mini delivers enterprise-grade performance at a low entry price. Designed with scalability in mind, the solution enables organizations to achieve AI advancements without wasting resources on unnecessary overhead or costs.

Simple: With a pre-validated reference design, NetApp AIPod Mini makes AI implementation streamlined and effective. Its pre-packaged workflows enable quick setup, seamless integration, and customization without extra overhead. By focusing on ease of use and reliability, the solution helps enterprises deploy AI faster and more confidently, enabling smarter and more efficient operations.

Secure: By leveraging NetApp, the most secure storage on the planet, and processing data on-premises, NetApp AIPod Mini enhances privacy and protects sensitive data. Customers can leverage the built-in cyber resiliency and governance capabilities of NetApp ONTAP®, including access controls, versioning, and traceability, to embed compliance directly into AI workflows with traceability and ethical safeguards.

“A good AI solution needs to be both powerful and efficient to ensure it delivers a strong return on investment,” said Greg Ernst, Americas Corporate Vice President and General Manager at Intel. “By combining Intel Xeon processors with NetApp’s robust data management and storage capabilities, the NetApp AIPod Mini solution offers business units the chance to deploy AI in tackling their unique challenges. This solution empowers users to harness AI without the burden of oversized infrastructure or unnecessary technical complexity.”

NetApp AIPod Mini with Intel will be available in the summer of 2025 from strategic distributors and partners around the world. These initial launch partners will include NetApp distributor partners Arrow Electronics and TD SYNNEX as well as integration partners Insight Partners, CDW USA, CDW UK&I, Presidio and Long View Systems, who will provide dedicated support and service to ensure a seamless purchasing and deployment experience for customers’ unique AI use cases.