NetApp to Acquire PEAK:AIO to Scale AI Storage

NetApp announced its intent to acquire PEAK:AIO, a United Kingdom-based firm specializing in parallel file systems and metadata architecture for AI infrastructure. The acquisition aims to integrate PEAK:AIO's parallel namespace technology and metadata services into the NetApp ONTAP software platform, enabling support for multi-exabyte AI deployments.

This integration allows metadata services to scale independently from data, providing parallel NFS-based access for AI workloads. PEAK:AIO developed its technology through collaborations with Los Alamos National Laboratory and Carnegie Mellon University. The technology is currently utilized by several research institutions, including the University of Liverpool and the Oxford Robotics Institute.

NetApp Chief Executive Officer George Kurian stated that AI clouds need high-performance shared storage that can scale alongside growing GPU clusters while maintaining resilience, security, and operational simplicity. PEAK:AIO Founder and Chief Technology Officer Mark Klarzynski noted a shared belief between the two companies regarding AI data management. Financial terms were not disclosed, and the deal is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.