Strengthening your defenses

Data is the lifeblood of any modern organization, and securing your data is your top priority. That’s not simple: Your data is a prime target for cyberthreats. Ransomware, insider risks, and evolving compliance demands make securing your storage layer more critical than ever.

At NetApp, we understand that robust security isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. That’s why our Professional Services team offers tailored expertise, including our new NetApp® Data Protection and Security Assessment and NetApp Security Hardening Configuration Service to help you lock down your data and stay ahead of risks. Here’s how we partner with you to build cyber resilience with the most secure storage on the planet.

Before you can fortify your defenses, you need to know your starting point. The NetApp Data Protection and Security Assessment is the foundation of our approach, delivering a detailed snapshot of your storage layer’s security posture. Think of it as a health check for your data environment. Our experts dive into your NetApp ONTAP^® software settings to evaluate configurations, policies, and potential gaps. We assess how your current environment is configured, as well as relevant information related to NetApp Snapshot™, SnapVault^®, SnapMirror^®, and SnapLock^® policies and relationships. We’ll deliver a report on gaps in your data protection and help align strategies to meet best practices.

The assessment isn’t just a technical audit; it’s a business-focused exercise. We look at how your storage security affects operations, customer trust, and your bottom line. Are your backups tamperproof? Could a ransomware attack halt productivity? Are you exposed to penalties from misconfigured access controls? By answering these questions, we provide a prioritized action plan that ties security improvements to tangible outcomes—less downtime, lower recovery costs, and stronger resilience. For anyone serious about security, this is the critical first step to understanding risks and setting the stage for ONTAP hardening.

After we map your security posture, our Professional Services team shifts gears to ONTAP security hardening for on-premises NetApp environments. Keep in mind that security solutions cannot protect your organization from infiltration if your systems are misconfigured—or simply not configured at all to take full advantage of ONTAP capabilities. NetApp ONTAP is packed with powerful security features—encryption, multifactor authentication (MFA), multi-admin verification (MVA), file protection (NetApp FPolicy), tamperproof Snapshot copies, and more—but these tools need expert tuning to deliver maximum protection. Our hardening process transforms your ONTAP environment into a fortress, tailored to your unique needs.

We start by aligning your configuration with the NetApp Security Hardening Guide for ONTAP. In our “initiate” phase, our specialists work with you to understand your security requirements. Then, in the “discover” phase, we identify relevant NetApp components, so we can move to the “design” phase, which entails a worksheet that establishes policies and scope configurations. Our service follows guidelines from the various authorities such as the Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG), Security Requirements Guide (SRG), Network and Information Security Directive 2 (NIS2), or National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). During the “implement and test” phase, we configure each storage VM for MFA, MVA, FPolicy, encryption, SMB, and FIPS, according to the applicable guidelines. Then you’ll be ready to close out the project and receive a certificate of completion.

The result? Your business gains operational continuity even under attack. Hardened ONTAP systems reduce the risk of data breaches, speed up recovery if incidents occur, and keep you compliant with regulatory mandates.

Everyone’s security story starts somewhere. With the NetApp Data Protection and Security Assessment, you get clarity on your risks and a roadmap to resilience. Follow it with ONTAP hardening, and you’re not just protecting data—you’re safeguarding your future. Ready to see how secure your storage really is? Let’s start with an assessment and build a stronger tomorrow, together. Contact your NetApp representative to get started today.