F5, a US-based provider of application delivery and security solutions, said on Thursday it has expanded its collaboration with NetApp, a multinational data storage and management company, to support high-performance AI workloads and help organisations prepare for emerging cybersecurity risks linked to quantum computing as more data moves into large-scale storage and AI pipelines.
The companies said the partnership combines F5’s application delivery and security platform with NetApp’s data infrastructure for AI to improve throughput and resilience when moving large datasets, including those stored in S3-compatible environments.
The joint approach is aimed at customers running AI and machine-learning workflows that require high-speed transfers, traffic optimisation and real-time analytics.
F5 said the collaboration also focuses on helping enterprises protect sensitive data from “harvest now, decrypt later” threats, a tactic in which attackers steal encrypted information with the intention of decrypting it once quantum computing becomes capable of breaking existing cryptographic standards.
The company said its BIG-IP system supports hybrid key agreement and algorithms approved by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology for quantum-resistant communications.
“Enterprises are increasingly faced with balancing demand for both unprecedented application performance and robust cybersecurity,” F5 Chief Marketing Officer John Maddison said.
F5 and NetApp joint solution to secure AI workflows
He added the expanded partnership is intended to simplify AI data delivery and allow businesses to adopt post-quantum measures without major operational disruption.
NetApp said the joint solution is designed to secure AI workflows on its StorageGRID platform, which is used for large-scale object storage.
Spencer Sells, vice president for global alliances, NetApp, said combining StorageGRID with F5’s encryption and traffic management tools would help customers “unlock the full potential of their AI workflows and protect critical data.”
F5 said the companies are encouraging organisations to migrate universally to TLS 1.3 to improve performance and provide a foundation for quantum-safe encryption. They added that hybrid cryptography can help enterprises maintain interoperability during the transition to new standards.
Both the companies said the updated integration aims to support sectors that handle sensitive information, including finance, healthcare and manufacturing, as they adopt more AI-driven processes and modernise their data security frameworks.
