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SAN JOSE, Calif. — TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team is teaming up with the cloud data software company NetApp.
TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team and NetApp entered into a multi-year partnership for NetApp to provide the sportscar maker with hybrid cloud solutions, according to NetApp this month.
Tapping into NetApp’s real-time data services, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team helps deliver on sustainable mobility, while enabling the real-time adjustments that deliver race performance with the next-generation of Porsche electric vehicles.
NetApp’s hybrid cloud solutions enable TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team to access their data trackside to support driver and team performance. This helps them make data-driven decisions in real-time, such as when to use the Formula E Attack Mode, which unlocks an additional 30 kw of engine power.
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Team data requirements
With data at the core of their racing, business, and engineering decisions, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team requires modern data management technology, according to NetApp:
Data and systems availability: at the racetrack and to fulfill demanding race performance requirements.
Digital data collection: during the ePrix, data must be uploaded to the cloud for analysis while the race is running.
Cloud data processing: by the team at Porsche Motorsport headquarters in Weissach, Germany for R&D.
Data transfer: to the cloud after the race, so it can be used in the future and to support critical data services, such as backup and archiving.
Hybrid cloud solution
NetApp and Porsche designed a hybrid cloud solution that combines cloud network-attached storage (NAS) services with Global File Cache to ensure data can flow seamlessly and quickly between dispersed locations. It also integrates NetApp data services to ensure version consistency, manage and monitor cloud resources, and protect Porsche’s intellectual property:
Cloud Volumes ONTAP: primary storage platform for the team; multicloud solution deployed on Azure acts as a hub that consolidates the team’s data.
Global File Cache: cloud volume edge capability provides local edge instances, enabling low-latency access to a common dataset, at the on-premises development center and the racetrack.
Cloud Manager: delivers centralized orchestration across hybrid cloud storage infrastructure and data management services; team can manage, monitor, and automate their data software and hardware consumption.
Cloud Backup: integrates as a backup and archive layer for the consolidated cloud data.
“Data at high speed”
“Joining forces now, we are working to make our mark on the future of racing,” said James Whitemore, EVP and chief marketing officer, NetApp.
“Digital data is collected by the cars’ many sensors as they dart along the track and is processed synchronously to predict outcomes to aid the trackside team. Data equals speed.”
Friedemann Kurz, head of motorsport IT at Porsche, said, “Formula E is a technology showcase and R&D backbone for Porsche and preserves our strong motorsports heritage on the road and on the track.”
“Data is the defining element here, but it is not easy to harness when the racing team is always on the road,” Kurz said.
Kurz added that the solution created by NetApp can “move huge amounts of data at high speed, while delivering an intuitive experience across edge, core, and cloud, so we can design better, faster cars for our race car drivers and car enthusiasts everywhere.”
NetApp in the storage market
NetApp held 9.9% of the enterprise external OEM storage systems market in Q2 2021, according to IDC. Dell Technologies held the No. 1 position with 26.8%, and HPE held the No. 2 spot with 10.9%.
NetApp reported revenue of $6.32 billion in fiscal year 2022, a year-over-year increase of 10%.
The company is focusing on being a “cloud-led, data-centric” software company that helps enterprises build data fabrics and deliver data and applications.
The growing storage market
The global data storage market was estimated to be valued at $65.28 billion in 2020, and it is projected to reach $118.22 billion in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.5%, according to Grand View Research.
The storage market’s growth is being driven partly by growth in the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing sectors as well as the “massive rise” in the volume of digital information across industries, Grand View Research reports.
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