Predictika · NetApp ONTAP storage and Keystone subscriptions

An AI sales agent's ONTAP and Keystone quote, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares a NetApp ONTAP storage quote, bought outright or as a Keystone storage-as-a-service subscription: array model, drives, HA pairs, licensing, discount, and the capacity and price it states. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the configuration and subscription rules and returns a verdict, every reason, the figures it computed and, for a quote that can proceed, the line-item quote itself.

Source and independence. The rules in this validator come from NetApp's public documents. NetApp is not involved in this demonstration and has not endorsed it. Every price is an illustrative estimate, because NetApp does not publish prices; they are not NetApp prices.

Scope: NetApp ONTAP storage systems (AFF, ASA, FAS) bought outright or as Keystone subscriptions: configuration, licensing, efficiency guarantee, discount and the quote. See everything this validator covers

This validator handles any quote for these NetApp ONTAP systems or Keystone subscriptions — not just the scenarios shown below.

Illustrative, not NetApp's: all prices (drives, chassis and shelves, the ONTAP license and support percentages of hardware list, MetroCluster switches), the Keystone rate per TiB-month, the discount authority (10 percent for a rep, 30 or 40 percent with approval), the per-model limits on drives and raw capacity, the drive sizes allowed per model, the ASA r2 layout and mixing rules, the share of ineligible data above which the efficiency guarantee needs approval, the support level required on MetroCluster deals, and the use of one 25 TiB capacity step and one minimum commitment per Keystone service level. From NetApp's public pages: the system names, the license suites ONTAP One, ONTAP One for SAN and ONTAP Base, and the efficiency guarantee ratios (4 to 1 for SAN, 1.5 to 1 for NAS, 3 to 1 for NAS on VMware, Hyper-V or KVM). Could not be confirmed publicly: SupportEdge response times, and whether ONTAP Base may be sold with MetroCluster.

  • Systems — AFF A-Series (A1K, A90, A70, A50, A30, A20), AFF C-Series (C80, C60, C30, C250), ASA r2 SAN-only systems and FAS (FAS90, FAS70, FAS50), with per-model drive, raw-capacity and HA-pair limits.
  • Drives and RAID — NVMe SSD sizes from 1.9 TB to 61.2 TB and NL-SAS HDD, RAID-DP and RAID-TEC layout, RAID group size limits, spares, expansion shelves, and the usable and effective capacity that results.
  • ONTAP release and protocols — Minimum ONTAP release per model, NAS, SAN and S3 availability by system family, SnapLock and SnapMirror rules, and ASA-specific restrictions.
  • MetroCluster and clustering — MetroCluster IP minimum releases, drives and switches; cluster switches; HA-pair counts for scale-out.
  • Licensing and efficiency guarantee — ONTAP One, ONTAP One for SAN and ONTAP Base eligibility, the efficiency guarantee ratio by workload, and data that is ineligible for it.
  • Keystone subscriptions — Whether the performance service level (Extreme, Premium, Standard or Value) fits the system family, the minimum committed capacity per level, the 25 TiB capacity step, and the single subscription line that replaces hardware, license and support lines. NetApp's current Keystone documentation also names service levels Unified, Block-optimized, AFX and Object; this validator models the performance service levels, so the pairings and minimums here should be checked against NetApp's current terms.
  • Commercial terms — Support level and term, discount limits by deal size with an approval path, and the stated capacity and price checked against the computed ones.

Not covered: NetApp StorageGRID, E-Series, Cloud Volumes and BlueXP services, real NetApp prices, and NetApp's own CPQ rules. NetApp's Keystone pages state each minimum per performance service level instance (PSLI) and do not tie a PSLI to a number of HA pairs, so this validator checks the committed capacity of the whole quote against one minimum; that is an assumption, not a NetApp rule. Nothing here replaces NetApp's current terms or a NetApp quote.

The AI sales agentBuilds the ONTAP or Keystone quote from the conversation and says it is ready.
Predictika validatorChecks every rule at once and returns the verdict, each finding, and the computed figures.

9 scenarios in 4 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch

What the agent proposes

The AI sales agent says

Illustrative agent statement. The validator receives the structured request below.

Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)

Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run

Predictika validator


      

        
        
        
      

      
Waiting for the call.

      
    

  

  
  

    
Where rules-based CPQ gets it wrong
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Our assessment of what a typical rules-based CPQ (product rules, price rules and validation rules, as in Salesforce CPQ) does with the same cases. It is a judgment about effort and reliability, not a claim that nothing can be built.

    
What the validator caughtTypical rules-based CPQPredictika
A Keystone service level that does not fit the system family, with a second error in the same quoteOnly with care
A product rule per level and family. It works, but it fires when the level is picked, so the next error, such as the capacity step, shows up only after the first is fixed.		The level, the minimum and the capacity step are checked together on every call and returned in one answer.
Keystone minimum commitment that differs by service levelOnly with care
A lookup per level. Reliable only if the committed capacity is always a field on the quote and the minimums are kept in step when levels change.		One table of minimums; the check follows from the level chosen, in any order.
A Keystone subscription priced as one line, with no hardware, license or support linesOnly with workarounds
Hardware, license and support lines have to be suppressed and a TiB-month line built from capacity, rate and term, with price rules that behave differently from a purchase.		The subscription line comes from the same model that checked the quote, and reconciles to the total.
Effective capacity delivered vs the capacity the quote statesOnly with workarounds
Needs usable capacity from drive size, RAID parity, spares, RAID groups and file-system overhead, then an efficiency ratio, and a stated figure that is rarely a field on the quote.		Computed from the model; the stated capacity and price travel with the quote and are compared with the computed ones on every call.
Discount above a rep's limit, approvable up to a limit that depends on deal sizeOnly with care
A validation rule plus an approval rule keyed to deal size. Works, but the limits end up copied into several rules.		Block and approval are separate outcomes of the same check; the limit comes from the deal size.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as the quote is saved or a step is completed, so a rep often fixes one error and meets the next.		All findings come back together, whatever order the choices arrived in.

  

  

    
What this validator catches: findings from its test cases
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Every rule is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive; one problem never hides another. Blocking findings stop the quote; approval findings need a person to sign off; everything else is computed.

    
1The Keystone Extreme performance service level is not offered on AFF C80; Extreme and Premium are offered on AFF A-Series and ASA A-Series, Standard on AFF C-Series and ASA C-Series, and Value on FAS.
2Keystone Extreme capacity must be committed in 25 TiB increments; 60 TiB is not.
3The committed capacity of 60 TiB is below the 100 TiB minimum for the Keystone Standard performance service level.
4The quote states 2,300.00 TiB of effective capacity; the configuration gives 2,115.84 TiB.
5The requested discount of 35 percent exceeds the 30 percent authority for a deal of $152,508.00.
6A 20 percent discount is above the 10 percent a sales rep can give; it can be approved up to 30 percent for this deal.
760 percent of the data is encrypted, already compressed or otherwise ineligible for the efficiency guarantee; sales management must approve the guarantee.
8AFF A50 needs ONTAP 9.16.1.0 or later; the quote specifies ONTAP 9.15.1.0.
9ASA A50 is an ASA r2 system and supports SAN protocols only; NFS, SMB and S3 are not available on it.
10ASA r2 systems do not support MetroCluster, so ASA A70 cannot be quoted with it.
1160 drives per HA pair exceed the 48 drive maximum for AFF A20.
12The configuration gives 249.80 TiB of effective capacity; 300 TiB is required.
13The quote states 300.00 TiB of effective capacity; the configuration gives 249.80 TiB.
14The Storage Efficiency Guarantee for this workload is 4 to 1; the quote promises 5 to 1.
15MetroCluster IP on AFF C250 needs ONTAP 9.12.1.0 or later; the quote specifies ONTAP 9.10.1.0.

  

  

    
Scenarios and results
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The recorded result of the validator for each scenario on this page: the request the AI agent sent, the verdict, and every finding, in the order they appear above.

    
1. Keystone level, capacity and discount: Keystone Extreme on a C-Series system with a 35 percent discount

    
The agent's request. Please quote a Keystone Extreme subscription of 60 TiB committed on an AFF C80 with one HA pair and 48 NVMe drives of 61.2 TB per pair, for SAN, with a 35 percent discount. The customer needs 1,000 TiB effective. The quote states 9,500 TiB effective capacity and a net price of $73,008.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Quoted capacity does not match. The quote states 9,500.00 TiB of effective capacity; the configuration gives 8,676.52 TiB.
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  • Keystone level does not fit the system. The Keystone Extreme performance service level is not offered on AFF C80; Extreme and Premium are offered on AFF A-Series and ASA A-Series, Standard on AFF C-Series and ASA C-Series, and Value on FAS.
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  • Capacity not in 25 TiB steps. Keystone Extreme capacity must be committed in 25 TiB increments; 60 TiB is not.
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  • Discount above the agent’s authority. The requested discount of 35 percent exceeds the 30 percent authority for a deal of $112,320.00.
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2. Keystone level, capacity and discount: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a Keystone Standard subscription of 60 TiB committed on an AFF C80 with one HA pair and 48 NVMe drives of 61.2 TB per pair, for SAN, with a 20 percent discount. The customer needs 1,000 TiB effective. The quote states 8,676.52 TiB effective capacity and a net price of $73,008.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Quoted price does not match. The quote states a net price of $73,008.00; the validator computes $41,472.00.
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  • Below the Keystone minimum. The committed capacity of 60 TiB is below the 100 TiB minimum for the Keystone Standard performance service level.
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  • Discount above the rep limit. A 20 percent discount is above the 10 percent a sales rep can give; it can be approved up to 30 percent for this deal.
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3. Keystone level, capacity and discount: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a Keystone Standard subscription of 200 TiB committed on an AFF C80 with one HA pair and 48 NVMe drives of 61.2 TB per pair, for SAN, with a 10 percent discount. The customer needs 1,000 TiB effective. The quote states 8,676.52 TiB effective capacity and a net price of $155,520.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Quote summary. Keystone Standard performance service level subscription, list price $172,800.00 for the term, net price $155,520.00 (after a 10 percent discount). Usable capacity 2,169.13 TiB, effective capacity 8,676.52 TiB at an efficiency ratio of 4 to 1. This is an illustrative estimate; NetApp does not publish Keystone rates.
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4. Keystone minimum commitment: Keystone Standard below the minimum commitment

    
The agent's request. Please quote a Keystone Standard subscription of 60 TiB committed on an AFF C60 with one HA pair and 24 NVMe drives of 30.6 TB per pair, for NAS. The customer needs 500 TiB effective. The quote states 754.03 TiB effective capacity and a net price of $51,840.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Below the Keystone minimum. The committed capacity of 60 TiB is below the 100 TiB minimum for the Keystone Standard performance service level.
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5. Keystone minimum commitment: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a Keystone Standard subscription of 120 TiB committed on an AFF C60 with one HA pair and 24 NVMe drives of 30.6 TB per pair, for NAS. The customer needs 500 TiB effective. The quote states 754.03 TiB effective capacity and a net price of $103,680.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Quote summary. Keystone Standard performance service level subscription, list price $103,680.00 for the term, net price $103,680.00 (no discount). Usable capacity 502.69 TiB, effective capacity 754.03 TiB at an efficiency ratio of 1.5 to 1. This is an illustrative estimate; NetApp does not publish Keystone rates.
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6. Quoted figures that do not match: Quoted capacity overstated

    
The agent's request. Please quote an AFF A70 with one HA pair and 48 NVMe drives of 15.3 TB per pair, for SAN, with a 4 to 1 efficiency guarantee and a 5 percent discount. The customer needs 2,000 TiB effective. The quote states 2,300 TiB effective capacity and a net price of $425,474.60. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Quoted capacity does not match. The quote states 2,300.00 TiB of effective capacity; the configuration gives 2,115.84 TiB.
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7. Quoted figures that do not match: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote an AFF A70 with one HA pair and 48 NVMe drives of 15.3 TB per pair, for SAN, with a 4 to 1 efficiency guarantee and a 5 percent discount. The customer needs 2,000 TiB effective. The quote states 2,115.84 TiB effective capacity and a net price of $425,474.60. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Quote summary. List price $447,868.00, net price $425,474.60 (after a 5 percent discount). Usable capacity 528.96 TiB, effective capacity 2,115.84 TiB at an efficiency ratio of 4 to 1, and no expansion shelves per HA pair. This is an illustrative estimate; NetApp prices are quote-only.
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8. Discount authority: Discount above the agent’s authority

    
The agent's request. Please quote an AFF A50 with one HA pair and 24 NVMe drives of 7.6 TB per pair, for SAN, with a 35 percent discount. The customer needs 300 TiB effective. The quote states 374.73 TiB effective capacity and a net price of $99,130.20. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Discount above the agent’s authority. The requested discount of 35 percent exceeds the 30 percent authority for a deal of $152,508.00.
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9. Discount authority: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote an AFF A50 with one HA pair and 24 NVMe drives of 7.6 TB per pair, for SAN, with a 20 percent discount. The customer needs 300 TiB effective. The quote states 374.73 TiB effective capacity and a net price of $122,006.40. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Needs approval.

    
    
      
  • Discount above the rep limit. A 20 percent discount is above the 10 percent a sales rep can give; it can be approved up to 30 percent for this deal.
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  • Quote summary. List price $152,508.00, net price $122,006.40 (after a 20 percent discount). Usable capacity 124.91 TiB, effective capacity 374.73 TiB at an efficiency ratio of 3 to 1, and no expansion shelves per HA pair. This is an illustrative estimate; NetApp prices are quote-only.
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Narration transcript
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The text of the narrated walkthrough, step by step.

    
    
      
  1. Welcome to a demo of Predictika's Validator. An AI sales agent prepares a NetApp ONTAP storage quote, bought outright or as a Keystone storage-as-a-service subscription: array model, drives, HA pairs, and more. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the configuration and subscription rules and returns a verdict, every reason, the figures it computed and, for a quote that can proceed, the line-item quote itself.
    2. 
      
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
    3. 
      
  3. The agent says. Please quote a Keystone Extreme subscription of 60 TiB committed on an AFF C80. The customer needs 1,000 TiB effective. The rest of the request is on screen. The quote states 9,500 TiB effective capacity and a net price of $73,008.00.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
    5. 
      
  5. Blocked, with four findings, all in one answer. The quote states 9,500.00 TiB of effective capacity; the configuration gives 8,676.52 TiB. The Keystone Extreme performance service level is not offered on AFF C80; Extreme and Premium are offered on AFF A-Series and ASA A-Series, Standard on AFF C-Series and ASA C-Series, and Value on FAS. Keystone Extreme capacity must be committed in 25 TiB increments; 60 TiB is not. The other one is on screen.
    6. 
      
  6. The validator returned four blocking findings in one answer. A check that reads one field at a time would pass most of this; it shows only when the choices in the quote are checked against each other.
    7. 
      
  7. What this shows: for a Keystone service level that does not fit the system family, with a second error in the same quote, a rules-based CPQ is error-prone for this.
    8. 
      
  8. Now the agent resubmits.
    9. 
      
  9. The corrected request. It changes the Keystone service level to standard, the discount requested to 20 percent and the quoted effective capacity to 8,676.52 TiB.
    10. 
      
  10. It calls the validator again.
    11. 
      
  11. Still blocked, with two findings and one approval, all in one answer. The quote states a net price of $73,008.00; the validator computes $41,472.00. The committed capacity of 60 TiB is below the 100 TiB minimum for the Keystone Standard performance service level.
    12. 
      
  12. Four findings cleared, but the change brings a different blocking finding: quoted price does not match and below the Keystone minimum.
    13. 
      
  13. The agent resubmits once more.
    14. 
      
  14. The revised request. It changes the Keystone committed capacity to 200 TiB, the discount requested to 10 percent and the quoted net price to $155,520.
    15. 
      
  15. It calls the validator once more.
    16. 
      
  16. This time the validator clears it.
    17. 
      
  17. The validator also returns the line-item quote, on screen.
    18. 
      
  18. All three earlier findings are cleared, and the validator's figure matches the quote.
    19. 
      
  19. Four problems caught in one call, fixed in two passes, and a clean $155,520 quote. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer.
    20.