HCL Technologies (HCLTech) has significantly expanded its collaboration with NetApp, the Intelligent Data Infrastructure Company, to deliver enhanced hybrid cloud storage-as-a-service (STaaS) solutions. According to reports from Business Standard, this expanded partnership aims to help enterprises scale AI and data-driven workloads through a flexible, consumption-based model that supports both AI and GenAI applications alongside traditional enterprise systems. As reported by ANI, the initiative is specifically designed to accelerate enterprise AI adoption by assisting organizations in scaling artificial intelligence alongside traditional enterprise data workloads.
The new solution integrates HCLTech's Utility for Everything (U4X) digital infrastructure framework with NetApp Keystone, the pay-as-you-go storage service. As reported by HCLTech press release, this integration enables organizations to align infrastructure with evolving workload requirements and scale storage, performance and data services on demand. The architecture allows enterprises to align data storage requirements with shifting operational demands while utilizing HCLTech's AI Factory offerings to handle the development, deployment, and operation of generative AI applications. The model links consumption-based infrastructure with data management functions to shift enterprise systems from early AI test phases to full-scale operations, permitting organizations to run workloads near their storage locations to address data governance requirements and operational turnaround times.
According to the partnership announcement, the combined offering helps accelerate the transition from AI pilots to enterprise-scale adoption by combining HCLTech's consumption-led operating model with NetApp's data management capabilities. As reported by ANI, the solution strengthens data readiness and governance while enabling organizations to run workloads closer to where data resides, improving efficiency and time to-value for enterprise customers. Rampal Singh, Senior Vice President of the Hybrid Cloud Business Unit at HCLTech, emphasized the operational focus: "Our collaboration with NetApp reflects our focus on helping enterprises scale AI in a pragmatic and efficient way. By combining flexible infrastructure models with strong data management capabilities, we are enabling clients to unlock the value of their data and accelerate their AI journeys."
The combined offering incorporates deployment frameworks previously implemented across several commercial sectors, demonstrating proven real-world success. As reported by ANI, these previous operations include a global food and beverage enterprise that used the consumption model to reduce upfront infrastructure investments, alongside a European telecommunications firm that applied the systems across distributed environments to meet regional regulatory mandates. Alvaro Celis, Chief Partner and Ecosystem Officer at NetApp, highlighted the co-created technology approach: "We believe strong partnerships are built by co-creating technology offerings, business models, solutions and services that deliver meaningful customer value. This collaboration gives customers access to NetApp's intelligent data infrastructure through a flexible, accessible business model, backed by HCLTech's hands-on expertise."
