Where must the NetApp Service Connector software reside for tiering cold data from an ONTAP cluster to Azure Blob storage?

In the context of tiering cold data from an ONTAP cluster to Azure Blob storage, the NetApp Service Connector software must be deployed within an Azure Virtual Network. This requirement facilitates a secure and efficient connection between the ONTAP cluster, which typically resides on-premises, and Azure's Blob storage.

The Service Connector manages the data movement and interactions between these two environments, ensuring that data is tiered appropriately based on the policies defined by the user. Operating within an Azure Virtual Network allows the Service Connector to leverage Azure's networking capabilities, including security settings such as Network Security Groups (NSGs) and firewall rules, to maintain data integrity and security throughout the data transfer process.

This cloud-based placement of the Service Connector makes it possible to utilize Azure's scalable resources for data storage while ensuring that the communication with the on-premises ONTAP cluster is optimized for performance and security.