2 min

NetApp recently acquired CloudJumper, a provider for running virtual desktops in a cloud environment. With the acquisition, the storage provider wants to provide more services for working remotely.

With its cloud platform, CloudJumper enables companies to set up virtual Windows desktops remotely. This means the company is a direct competitor of Citrix, VMware en Microsoft, which provide similar services. According to Netapp, the reason for the takeover is that the company wants to focus more on desktop virtualization. This is mainly because companies want to enable their employees to work more remotely, even before the current corona crisis.

NetApp already supplies various versions of its HCI (Hyper-Converged Infrastructure) systems, which are specially designed to run virtual desktops. Through the acquisition, NetApp hopes to increase the sales of these solutions by bundling the hardware with the specific virtual desktop software.

Technology from CloudJumper

CloudJumper’s software makes it possible to host virtual desktop environments in public cloud environments such as AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. The software can also be rolled out within on-premise environments.

Furthermore, the software offers a management interface to manage the deployed virtual desktops. The platform has autoscaling functionality that automatically scales hardware capacity based on demand.

Integration within NetApp

NetApp is planning to release the platform of CloudJumper under its own name; NetApp Virtual Desktop Service. The solution will primarily integrate with the Azure NetApp Files and Cloud Volumes products. These solutions offer storage management options for a variety of public cloud environments.

No unexpected acquisition

The acquisition of CloudJumper is not entirely unexpected. The specialist already worked with NetApp to make the virtual desktop software suitable for the storage vendor’s platforms. CloudJumper also worked closely with Talon Storage Solutions, which was recently acquired by NetApp. Details of the acquisition have not been disclosed.