NetApp acquires Instaclustr

NetApp Inc., a data storage company, has acquired the open source database startup Instaclustr Pty Ltd for an undisclosed sum.

Enterprises who don’t want to handle their own software can use Instaclustr to get fully managed versions of the most popular open source databases. Its ‘database as a service’ platform hosts and supports a variety of open source technologies, including Apache Cassandra, Apache Kafka, Apache Spark, Apache Lucene, and ScyllaDB, among others.

NetApp, which provides companies with hybrid cloud data services and data management, said it will merge Instaclustr into its CloudOps offering after the deal closes, subject to customary closing conditions.

In a blog post, NetApp executive vice president and general manager Anthony Lye stated that the transaction is all about improving client experiences by making opensource software installation easier. “The acquisition of Instaclustr is a strategic next step for NetApp -- to do more for the customer, simplify the experience, continuously optimize and secure the platform so customers don’t have to do it themselves,” he wrote.

NetApp has been on a buying spree of late, acquiring startups like Spot, CloudCheckr Inc., and, most recently, Fylamynt, in order to expand its reach into areas like cybersecurity, cloud cost control, and cloud automation. The purchases are all part of NetApp’s strategy to transition from a legacy storage supplier to one that is more relevant to organisations that manage the majority of their workloads in the cloud.