Revise Azure Files vs NetApp Files comparison

Updated the comparison between Azure Files and Azure NetApp Files, including changes to migration tools and tiers.

Author: netapp-manishc

articles/storage/files/storage-files-netapp-comparison.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ author: khdownie
 services: storage
 ms.service: azure-file-storage
 ms.topic: concept-article
-ms.date: 10/07/2025
+ms.date: 10/22/2025
 ms.author: kendownie
 recommendations: false
 # Customer intent: "As a cloud architect, I want to compare Azure Files and Azure NetApp Files, so that I can choose the best file storage solution to meet my workload scalability and performance requirements."
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ Most workloads that require cloud file storage work well on either Azure Files o
 | Encryption | All protocols<br><ul><li>Encryption at rest (AES-256) with customer or Microsoft-managed keys</li></ul><br>SMB<br><ul><li>Kerberos encryption using AES-256 (recommended) or RC4-HMAC</li><li>Encryption in transit</li></ul><br>NFSv4.1<br><ul><li>Encryption in transit</li></ul><br>REST<br><ul><li>Encryption in transit</li></ul><br> To learn more, see [Security and networking](files-nfs-protocol.md#security-and-networking). | All protocols<br><ul><li>Encryption at rest (AES-256) with Microsoft-managed keys</li><li>[Encryption at rest (AES-256) with customer-managed keys](../../azure-netapp-files/configure-customer-managed-keys.md)</li></ul><br>SMB<ul><li>Encryption in transit using AES-CCM (SMB 3.0) and AES-GCM (SMB 3.1.1)</li></ul><br>NFSv4.1<ul><li>Encryption in transit using Kerberos with AES-256</li></ul><br> To learn more, see [security FAQ](../../azure-netapp-files/faq-security.md). |
 | Access Options | <ul><li>Internet</li><li>Secure VNet access</li><li>VPN Gateway</li><li>ExpressRoute</li><li>Azure File Sync</li></ul><br> To learn more, see [network considerations](./storage-files-networking-overview.md). | <ul><li>Secure VNet access</li><li>VPN Gateway</li><li>ExpressRoute</li><li>[Virtual WAN](../../azure-netapp-files/configure-virtual-wan.md)</li><li>[Global File Cache](https://bluexp.netapp.com/global-file-cache/onboarding)</li><li>[HPC Cache](../../hpc-cache/hpc-cache-overview.md)</li><li>[Standard Network Features](../../azure-netapp-files/azure-netapp-files-network-topologies.md#configurable-network-features)</li></ul><br> To learn more, see [network considerations](../../azure-netapp-files/azure-netapp-files-network-topologies.md). |
 | Data Protection  | <ul><li>Incremental snapshots</li><li>File/directory user self-restore</li><li>Restore to new location</li><li>In-place revert</li><li>Share-level soft delete</li><li>Azure Backup integration</li></ul><br> To learn more, see [Azure Files enhances data protection capabilities](https://azure.microsoft.com/blog/azure-files-enhances-data-protection-capabilities/). | <ul><li>[Azure NetApp Files backup](../../azure-netapp-files/backup-introduction.md)</li><li>Snapshots (255/volume)</li><li>File/directory user self-restore</li><li>Restore to new volume</li><li>In-place revert</li><li>[Cross-region replication](../../azure-netapp-files/cross-region-replication-introduction.md)</li><li>[Cross-zone replication](../../azure-netapp-files/cross-zone-replication-introduction.md)</li><li>[Cross-zone-region replication](../../azure-netapp-files/cross-zone-region-replication.md)</li></ul><br> To learn more, see [How Azure NetApp Files snapshots work](../../azure-netapp-files/snapshots-introduction.md). |
-| Migration Tools  | <ul><li>Azure Data Box</li><li>Azure File Sync</li><li>Azure Storage Mover</li><li>Storage Migration Service</li><li>AzCopy</li><li>Robocopy</li></ul><br> To learn more, see [Migrate to Azure file shares](./storage-files-migration-overview.md). | <ul><li>[Global File Cache](https://bluexp.netapp.com/global-file-cache/onboarding)</li><li>[CloudSync](https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/occm38/concept_cloud_sync.html), [XCP](https://xcp.netapp.com/)</li><li>Storage Migration Service</li><li>AzCopy</li><li>Robocopy</li><li>Application-based (for example, HSR, Data Guard, AOAG)</li></ul> |
-| Tiers | <ul><li>Premium</li><li>Transaction Optimized</li><li>Hot</li><li>Cool</li></ul><br> To learn more, see [storage tiers](./storage-files-planning.md#storage-tiers). | <ul><li>Ultra</li><li>Premium</li><li>Standard</li><li>Flexible</li></ul><br> All tiers provide sub-ms minimum latency.<br><br> To learn more, see [Service Levels](../../azure-netapp-files/azure-netapp-files-service-levels.md) and [Performance Considerations](../../azure-netapp-files/azure-netapp-files-performance-considerations.md). |
+| Migration Tools  | <ul><li>Azure Data Box</li><li>Azure File Sync</li><li>Azure Storage Mover</li><li>Storage Migration Service</li><li>AzCopy</li><li>Robocopy</li></ul><br> To learn more, see [Migrate to Azure file shares](./storage-files-migration-overview.md). | <ul><li>[Global File Cache](https://bluexp.netapp.com/global-file-cache/onboarding)</li><li>[CloudSync](https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/occm38/concept_cloud_sync.html), [XCP](https://xcp.netapp.com/)</li><li>Storage Migration Service</li><li>AzCopy</li><li>Robocopy</li><li>Application-based (for example, HSR, Data Guard, AOAG)</li><li>[Migration Assistant](../../azure-netapp-files/migrate-data.md)</li></ul> |
+| Tiers | <ul><li>Premium</li><li>Transaction Optimized</li><li>Hot</li><li>Cool</li></ul><br> To learn more, see [storage tiers](./storage-files-planning.md#storage-tiers). | <ul><li>Ultra</li><li>Premium</li><li>Standard</li><li>Flexible</li><li>[Cool Access](../../azure-netapp-files/cool-access-introduction.md)</li></ul><br> All tiers provide sub-ms minimum latency unless you are using cool access.<br><br> To learn more, see [Service Levels](../../azure-netapp-files/azure-netapp-files-service-levels.md), [Performance Considerations](../../azure-netapp-files/azure-netapp-files-performance-considerations.md), and [Performance considerations for Azure NetApp Files storage with cool access](../../azure-netapp-files/performance-considerations-cool-access.md). |
 | Pricing | [Azure Files Pricing](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/details/storage/files/) | [Azure NetApp Files Pricing](https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/details/netapp/) |
 
 ## Scalability and performance