AI deployment: NetApp and Intel launch AIPod Mini – News

NetApp Inc. and Intel Corp. recently unveiled a jointly developed solution to reduce customer friction in AI deployment. The offering, AIPod Mini, removes the need for deep data science familiarity and reduces complexity through a combination of Intel Xeon 6 processors, an integrated artificial intelligence software stack and NetApp’s data management technology.

“What’s unique about this whole joint venture that we’re doing is it’s the product at the right price,” said Jenni Flinders (pictured, right), senior vice president, partner and channel, at NetApp. “It’s a full stack offering … and it’s actually something where customers can get instant results. You put it in there and it works.”

Flinders spoke with theCUBE’s Rebecca Knight at the “Architecting Outcomes in the Era of Intelligence” event, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, News Media’s livestreaming studio. She was joined by Bill Pearson (center), vice president of data center and AI at Intel, and Jessica Yeck (left), senior vice president for AI, data and business apps at TD SYNNEX Corp., and they discussed solutions to make AI easier to build and deploy. (* Disclosure below.)

Cost-effective AI deployment

NetApp AIPod Mini integrates Intel’s Xeon 6 processors and the chipmaker’s Advanced Matrix Extensions with NetApp’s all-flash storage, Kubernetes compatibility, and advanced data management. The goal is to make AI tasks more attainable and cost-effective, according to Pearson.

“Advanced Matrix Extensions [are] fancy words for saying more power efficient and more performance,” Pearson said. “Along with that, we’ve taken the open platform for enterprise AI; this is an open-source software stack. We’ve tuned it, hardened it and integrated it with NetApp’s own offerings to create basically a turnkey solution.”

For solutions providers such as TD SYNNEX, the AIPod Mini adds another option for clients seeking to maximize efficiency from AI deployment. It also represents a key opportunity for solutions providers, according to Yeck.

“Generative AI is the largest opportunity in the channel right now, and companies are looking to tap into the efficiency gains they are seeing as a result of the innovations brought by AI,” Yeck said. “They’re looking to essentially make their teams more productive and bring more productive outcomes. This is an opportune time for solutions providers to be able to bring their expertise and their consultation to their customers to help them accelerate to AI outcomes much faster.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of News’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the “Architecting Outcomes in the Era of Intelligence” event:

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the “Architecting Outcomes in the Era of Intelligence” event. Neither NetApp Inc., the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or News.)

Photo: News