Pure enhances performance and density with new FlashArray systems
Pure Storage has recently unveiled an array of innovations during its Pure Accelerate 2025 event, focusing on the concept of an Enterprise Data Cloud. With a new approach to data management and enhanced hardware capabilities, Pure is setting the stage for a more integrated and efficient data storage ecosystem.
This new paradigm is structured around three core components: an intelligent control plane, which simplifies operational complexity primarily associated with Fusion; a unified data plane designed to address fragmented data both on-premises and in public clouds; and a robust cyber resilience strategy, bolstered by SLA services that protect against malware and ensure compliance with regulations. This triadic framework is visually represented in a Pure graphic that links these concepts to their product capabilities.
- Understanding the Enterprise Data Cloud
- Hardware advancements in FlashArray systems
- Performance and capabilities of FlashArray//ST
- Enhancements in FlashArray//X and //C series
- Virtualization and support for multiple platforms
- Integrating AI and advanced data reduction technologies
- Availability of new products
Understanding the Enterprise Data Cloud
The Enterprise Data Cloud concept, which was first introduced in June, emphasizes a seamless integration of on-premises and public cloud storage solutions via Pure Fusion. This integration offers customers unparalleled agility, efficiency, and simplicity in managing their data ecosystems. Key features include:
- Management and governance of block, file, and object data through policy.
- A shared virtual layer that enhances capacity and performance across all systems and locations.
- A centralized control interface that streamlines data management.
As part of this initiative, hardware advancements are crucial, which leads us to a closer examination of the unified data plane and the new hardware developments that support Pure's on-premises solutions.
Hardware advancements in FlashArray systems
Pure Storage has developed five distinct FlashArray product lines, each positioned within a two-dimensional performance versus capacity framework. Recent upgrades, particularly for the FlashArray//XL line, highlight the evolution of storage technology.
At the June event, the FlashArray//XL series was updated to its fifth generation, known as R5. The new flagship model, the FlashArray//XL 190 R5, represents a significant leap from its predecessor, the XL 170. According to Pure's International CTO, Alex McMullan, this upgrade introduces not only a higher performance model but also enhanced memory capabilities, including a pioneering DRAM RAM drive feature designed for extreme performance needs.
The specifications of the FlashArray//XL 190 R5 are impressive:
- More cores powered by Intel Emerald Rapids CPUs.
- Increased DRAM and PCIe Gen 5 support.
- Capacity boost of 25% compared to the XL 170.
- 50% reduction in latency and a 100% increase in overall performance.
Moreover, customers can seamlessly upgrade from existing FlashArray//X or XL systems to this latest model without disruption.
Performance and capabilities of FlashArray//ST
Another noteworthy addition is the block-only FlashArray//ST, which has made headlines for achieving over 10 million IOPS using off-the-shelf commercial SSDs. The latest generation of this model is based on Emerald Rapids technology and integrates PCIe 5 SSDs with capacities of 6.4 or 12.8 TB, provided by suppliers like Kioxia.
The capabilities of the new ST model are remarkable:
- Supports up to 400 TB of usable capacity.
- Delivers 18 million IOPS with a throughput of 200 GB/s.
- Incorporates Purity OS for features like snapshots, writable clones, and replication.
Enhancements in FlashArray//X and //C series
The FlashArray//X and //C lines share the same compute blades but differ in storage media. Their new 3RU chassis can accommodate 28 drives, resulting in a 40% increase in capacity. With the integration of R5 hardware, the FlashArray//X boasts a 30% performance increase, while the //C series improves by 40% over the previous R4 generation.
According to McMullan, Pure's Direct Flash Module (DFM) technology has achieved unprecedented density, currently standing at 150 TB, with plans for 300 TB modules in the future. This paves the way for potential petabyte-scale systems, as Pure is actively prototyping to create virtual NVMe drives that simulate massive storage capacities.
Virtualization and support for multiple platforms
The virtualization capabilities of Pure Storage are designed to accommodate the evolving landscape of data management, especially in response to changes in the VMware ecosystem following Broadcom's acquisition. Pure aims to provide storage solutions to not just VMware users but also to support Nutanix and various KVM-based systems.
Key options available for customers include:
- Migration to virtualization using Portworx and KubeVirt.
- Managed VMware services in AWS and Azure.
- Dedicated storage solutions like Pure Storage Cloud Dedicated for AWS and the newly developed Azure Native offering.
McMullan emphasizes that this integration ensures a streamlined billing and cost management experience, solidifying Pure's position in cloud services.
Integrating AI and advanced data reduction technologies
In a bid to stay at the forefront of technology, Pure plans to integrate its Key-Value Accelerator with Nvidia's Dynamo. This integration will facilitate tiering of Gen AI LLM KV cache data, significantly enhancing both inference and training capabilities.
Notably, Pure's FlashArrays come equipped with multiple compression algorithms tailored to different workloads. The newly enhanced Deep Reduce technology promises to deliver advanced data reduction across various protocols, optimizing storage for unstructured data types such as medical records and genomics.
Availability of new products
The FlashArray//XL 190 is expected to become generally available between February and April 2026, while the FlashArray//X R5 and FlashArray//C R5 models are available now. Additionally, the integration of the Key-Value Accelerator-Dynamo will also be available in early 2026, further solidifying Pure's commitment to innovation in data storage solutions.
In conclusion, Pure Storage is advancing rapidly with its new hardware and software innovations, positioning itself to meet the increasing demands of modern data management. For a deeper understanding of their innovations, consider watching this informative video on their next-generation architecture:
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