The Pure Storage FlashBlade//E is a scale-out unstructured data platform that delivers better economics than disk with all the benefits of flash. An extension of the FlashBlade//S high-performance arrays, FlashBlade//E offers customers an alternative to spinning disks for bulk data storage with a competitive price point and lower operational costs.
The Pure Storage FlashBlade//E is a scale-out unstructured data platform that delivers better economics than disk with all the benefits of flash. An extension of the FlashBlade//S high-performance arrays, FlashBlade//E offers customers an alternative to spinning disks for bulk data storage with a competitive price point and lower operational costs.
The FlashBlade//E is visually similar to the FlashBlade//S introduced in mid-2022 but with improved economics and a different take on scaling. The FlashBlade//E starts at ~4PB deployed in an 11U footprint, including a 5U main chassis, 5U expansion chassis, and 1U switch, and scales by adding more storage chassis.
Connectivity is delivered through an integrated switch that supports up to 16x100GbE ports. The Control Chassis is populated with EC Blades (FlashBlade//E Control Blades) for processing and control, while the Expansion Chassis comes with EX Blades (FlashBlade//E Expansion Blades) for expansion chassis storage. Each FlashBlade//E chassis supports up to 40x48TB Direct Flash modules and can grow in 2PB increments.
Pure Storage FlashBlade//E
Where //S units scale compute and storage together within each blade, //E is a scale-up architecture that starts with ten compute and storage blades like the //S, but the expansion chassis is storage-only. Each storage node in the expansion chassis is visible to the compute blades over the fabric for intelligent data placement and management. Perhaps less important but still notable, //E gets a grey bezel, distinguishing from the white bezel the //S.
Portfolio-wise, the Pure FlashBlade//E slots in underneath the two //S offerings. The intent is to really attack HDD-based workloads. Thanks to the massive capacity //E offers today, Pure has a compelling case for HDD replacement when factoring in all things like energy consumption, operational cost, rack density, and so on. This also only accounts for Pure’s XFM’s at 48TB. While that sounds capacious, those modules have been out for a few years and could easily take advantage of new NAND lithographies to add at least 50% more capacity, if not more.
Amy Fowler, VP & General Manager, FlashBlade, Pure Storage, said, “With FlashBlade//E, we’re realizing our founder’s original vision of the all-flash data center. For workloads where flash was once price-prohibitive, we are thrilled to provide customers the major benefits Pure delivers at a TCO lower than disk.”
FlashBlade//E benefits include:
- Energy efficiency: Provides next-gen energy efficiency consuming up to 10x less power than disk-based systems. The larger the system, the greater the efficiency, helping organizations achieve sustainability goals.
- Economical at scale: The FlashBlade//E is priced under $0.20 per GB (not including data reduction) and includes three years of service. An estimated 40 percent lower TCO over six years.
- Effortless management, optimization, and improvement: Maximizes resources to optimize workloads, floorspace, and energy consumption while allowing for continuous evolution with predictable cost, support, and experience.
- Long-term growth and sustainability: Enables effective multi-PB Unstructured Data Repository for economies of scale, tackles data growth sustainably with better energy usage and lower operational costs, and provides cloud-like flexibility and control. The FlashBlade//E is built to grow on demand with 10-20x the reliability and evolve without disruption or forklift upgrades.
Availability
FlashBlade//E will be available by the end of April 2023. In addition to traditional purchase, customers can deploy FlashBlade//E through Pure Storage Evergreen//One Storage-as-a-Service (STaaS) subscription, providing pay-as-you-go economics and a cloud experience with the control of on-premises deployment.
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