Pure Storage Adds New File Services to FlashArray

The News: Pure Storage has announced that it added new file services to its FlashArray products. The update now positions FlashArray as a unified solution capable of providing a native solution for blocks, files, and VMs. Read the announcement from Pure Storage here.

Pure Storage Adds New File Services to FlashArray

Analyst Take: Unified block and file services on FlashArray has been in the works for Pure Storage for a while now. Originally, the Pure portfolio was fairly straightforward — FlashArray provided all-flash block storage while FlashBlade provided all-flash file and object storage. Pure Storage’s acquisition of Compuverde in 2019 promised the addition of further file capabilities, specifically for FlashArray. A year later, file support had been added by integrating the Compuverde software into Purity v6. Now, Pure has taken it a step further by offering what they refer to as “truly unified block and file storage.”

At the core of Pure Storage’s new unified solution is a global storage pool available to both block and file services, rather than a traditional layered approach. This makes it possible for storage admins to use or expand either block or file storage dynamically and without disruption or pre-planning. The solution also provides unified policy management across both file and block storage. With its new unified file services, Pure has also added VM-aware NFS storage for more granular visibility and management of VMs. With these updates, FlashBlade now presents a unified solution for block, file, and VMs.

I view this update from Pure Storage as a positive upgrade for FlashArray. The new capabilities provide a much more flexible solution, while prioritizing simplicity and ease of use. The addition of file storage helps FlashArray compete with other unified block and file systems from competitors, however, Pure has also taken steps to remove complexity that may be found in other systems. Pure’s solution doesn’t prioritize one protocol over the other and provides simplified consumption and management of both file and block.

FlashArray is also now well positioned as a platform to consolidate separate file and block solutions on to a single, all-flash system. The unified file services are available across the various FlashArray X, C, and XL models supporting a wide range of performance and capacity levels. In addition, Pure’s Evergreen Forever program, which provides controller refreshes, alongside continuous development of dense flash devices present FlashArray as a single unified storage platform with great potential to continuously scale and upgrade.

Disclosure: The Futurum Group is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.

Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of The Futurum Group as a whole.

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