Pure Storage Unveils First Hardware Solution, New All-Flash Array

Solid-state array vendor Pure Storage unveiled a host of new flash and cloud-based storage solutions this week as the company seeks to drive widespread adoption of all-flash data centers.

The new solutions announced include the Evergreen Storage model, fourth generation FlashArray//m and Pure1, the company’s cloud-based management and support offering.

Evergreen Storage eliminates the need to replace data center hardware with each subsequent generation of equipment, according to the announcement. The model enables users to upgrade both their hardware and software continuously via the company’s Forever Flash maintenance program to keep up with current trends in the market rather than starting fresh each time. Customers also will have the option of trading in their old controller hardware for credit toward the latest version with several Upgrade Flex Bundles.

The model is being marketed as a way for Pure Storage to lower the barrier to entry for customers who want to begin instituting all-flash storage within their data centers, said Matt Kixmoeller, vice president of Products at Pure Storage.

“Today, even when a customer buys the latest storage array, newer replacement equipment lies just around the corner, ready to render the current deployment obsolete. To refresh their technology, customers endure upgrade costs and hours of decreased performance or service interruptions during their ‘forklift upgrades,’” said Kixmoeller, in a statement. “Now customers can invest in a storage platform that can add value to their businesses for a decade or more, and make individual component, non-disruptive upgrades to capacity and/or performance when required by the business.”

The announcement also marks the first time that Pure has entered into the hardware storage space, and will offer customers the ability to purchase arrays through a SaaS-like subscription model, according to Forbes.

“In the past, buying a storage array was like buying a used car, you wrote off the value as soon as you drove it off the lot,” said Scott Dietzen, CEO of Pure Storage, in an interview with Forbes. “Now you can deploy an array once and run it for 10 years-plus without downtime or performance impact.”

In regard to individual arrays, FlashArray//m is the latest version of the company’s all-flash array. Like the Evergreen Storage model, FlashArray//m can be upgraded modularly and is designed to deliver a 50 percent increase in performance over previous models.

Three separate controller options are slated to be available, ranging from 120 terabytes (TB) of useable storage up to 250 TB of storage and 400 TB of storage, respectively.

For cloud-based customers, the Pure1 management platform enables customers and partners to collaborate securely on the management and support of their remote storage, according to the company. Pure1 is based on the Pure1 Cloud Platform and allows users to monitor their storage environments via their mobile devices.

FlashArray//m is currently available in beta and is expected to release in a global Directed Availability program in July. General availability is expected for sometime in Q3 2015.