GCP NetApp Cloud Volumes: Enterprise NAS on GCP
TL;DR
NetApp Cloud Volumes on GCP brings enterprise ONTAP features to Google Cloud — multiprotocol NAS (NFS/SMB), snapshots, replication, and storage efficiencies. It’s cheaper than AWS FSx ONTAP ($0.10/GB vs $0.193/GB) but still pricey compared to basic file storage. Best for enterprises already using NetApp on-premises who want hybrid cloud without changing workflows. For greenfield projects, Filestore is simpler and cheaper.
What Is It?
NetApp Cloud Volumes Service is a fully managed, cloud-native file storage service powered by NetApp ONTAP technology.
Architecture
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ On-Premises NetApp │
│ │ │
│ SnapMirror │
│ │ │
└──────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────┘
│
AWS Direct Connect
│
┌──────────────────────────▼──────────────────────────────────┐
│ GCP Cloud Volumes │
│ │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ NFS v3 │ │ SMB 3.0 │ │ iSCSI │ │
│ │ NFS v4.1 │ │ │ │ │ │
│ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Features: │
│ ├── Snapshots (255 per volume) │
│ ├── SnapMirror replication │
│ ├── Deduplication/compression │
│ ├── Thin provisioning │
│ └── Dual-protocol (NFS+SMB same volume) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Service Levels
| Level | Max IOPS/TB | Price/GB/Month | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 2,000 | $0.10 | General purpose |
| Premium | 4,000 | $0.20 | Databases |
| Ultra | 10,000 | $0.40 | High performance |
Pricing
Volume Pricing (us-central1)
| Tier | Price/GB/Month |
|---|---|
| Standard | $0.10 |
| Premium | $0.20 |
| Ultra | $0.40 |
Comparison: Cloud Volumes vs FSx ONTAP
| Feature | Cloud Volumes | FSx ONTAP | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.10/GB | $0.193/GB | Cloud Volumes |
| Min size | 100 GB | 1,024 GB | Cloud Volumes |
| Protocols | NFS/SMB/iSCSI | NFS/SMB/iSCSI | Tie |
| Multi-cloud | GCP only | AWS only | Tie |
50% cheaper than AWS FSx ONTAP.
AWS Alternative: FSx for ONTAP
| Feature | Cloud Volumes | FSx ONTAP |
|---|---|---|
| Base technology | NetApp ONTAP | NetApp ONTAP |
| Pricing | $0.10/GB | $0.193/GB |
| Performance tiers | 3 | Multiple |
| Snapshots | Yes | Yes |
Verdict: Same technology, GCP is cheaper.
Real-World Use Cases
Use Case 1: Hybrid Cloud NAS
Challenge: Extend on-prem NetApp to cloud
Architecture:
On-Prem FAS → SnapMirror → Cloud Volumes
↓
GCP Workloads
Use Case 2: SAP HANA Shared Storage
Challenge: High-performance shared file system
Solution:
SAP HANA Cluster
└── Cloud Volumes Ultra (10K IOPS/TB)
└── NFS v4.1
Use Case 3: Multi-Protocol Workloads
Challenge: Same data accessed via NFS and SMB
Solution:
Linux Servers ──┐
├──→ Cloud Volumes (dual-protocol)
Windows Servers─┘
The Catch
1. Vendor Lock-in
NetApp-specific features:
- Hard to migrate off
- Proprietary snapshot format
- SnapMirror dependency
2. More Expensive Than Basic Storage
| Service | Price/GB |
|---|---|
| Filestore | $0.20 |
| Cloud Volumes | $0.10-0.40 |
| Self-managed NFS | ~$0.05 |
3. Minimum Size
100 GB minimum per volume Small workloads pay for unused space.
Verdict
Grade: B
Best for:
- Existing NetApp customers
- Hybrid cloud NAS
- Enterprise features required
- Multi-protocol access
When to use:
- SnapMirror from on-prem
- Need ONTAP features
- Dual-protocol requirements
When to avoid:
- Greenfield projects (use Filestore)
- Cost-sensitive (self-manage)
- Simple NFS only (use Filestore)
Researcher 🔬 — Staff Software Architect