Pure Storage has launched FlashBlade//S, during which controller {hardware} is now upgradeable independently from flash storage capability.
The corporate additionally introduced Evergreen//Flex at its Speed up occasion this week, marking a major addition to its Evergreen consumption mannequin.
Flex permits clients to specify, pay for and transfer information between storage capability on any of its arrays, so long as it’s of the identical flash sort (QLC, TLC).
FlashBlade//S is available in two fashions. The S200 emphasises capability, with information discount, whereas the S500 goes for efficiency.
The brand new fashions are utterly modularised, with controller {hardware} and Pure’s Direct Flash Module capability each upgradeable.
“That makes it Evergreen-upgradeable,” stated Pure’s FlashBlade vice-president, Amy Fowler. “Presently, controllers are wedded to blades. FlashArray clients can get the newest controllers each three years, however that wasn’t attainable for FlashBlade. Now it’s with FlashBlade//S.”
FlashBlade is Pure’s quick file and object household, which unifies file entry and object storage in a single array to supply rapid access to large-capacity storage. It’s geared toward what have historically been secondary storage use instances – backup, archive, analytics datastores – however which have developed to require fast enter/output for evaluation, restoration and so forth.
FlashBlade is all-QLC, with no extreme-performance storage-class memory (SCM) layer on prime to deal with metadata. As an alternative, metadata is held on QLC drives, however with a distributed scheme that permits a part of the QLC drive to be configured like SLC flash.
“It’s all accomplished on the QLC flash chip,” stated Pure digital expertise enterprise unit basic supervisor, Prakash Darji. “We deploy a capability section that works like SLC, with distributed metadata, formatting the capability so there’s no dependence on SCM.”
“The S200 can deal with 95% of present person wants,” stated Fowler. “The S500 will ship one thing of a better degree, geared toward, for instance, chip design, simulation-like, kdb+ in monetary providers.”
Pure additionally introduced that present FlashBlade clients get to improve to FlashBlade//S through Evergreen.
In the meantime, the announcement of Evergreen//Flex was billed by Darji as “a second as large as or greater than the introduction of Evergreen”.
Evergreen is Pure’s set of consumption model choices, which vary from {hardware} upgrades to full as-a-service.
Pay-as-you-go capability
Flex is aimed on the increased finish of enterprise customers, who may need a lot of Pure Storage arrays. Its mannequin is one during which {hardware} is bought however capability is purchased on a pay-as-you-go foundation. The thought is that capability will be specified and paid for, and delivered on any Pure {hardware} property that may host it.
Darji stated it’s particularly suited to MSPs with a number of home equipment and “unlocking stranded capability”. So, Flex would enable them to deploy and use capability in any of their arrays.
“Right this moment in Evergreen Gold/Perpetually, for those who use capability in a field or equipment, you pay on the price of that equipment,” he stated. “The Flex assemble permits you to purchase capability and deploy it the place you want it.
“Would Dell mean you can deploy throughout Isilon and PowerMax? It wouldn’t even be technically attainable.
“It’s 100% meant for purchasers working at scale with fleets of assets, and to allow them to unlock capability. It’s a brand new functionality that doesn’t exist within the trade as we speak.”
On the similar time, Pure has rebranded its different Evergreen choices. Along with Flex, Evergreen Perpetually – which is buyer buy with lifetime upgrades – now turns into Gold, and Pure-as-a-service, which is on the different finish of the continuum by way of possession – in different phrases, it’s an as-a-service {hardware} providing – now turns into Evergreen One.
