The Pure Report

Welcome to a special launch series of the Pure Report podcast! Join us as we take a deep dive into Pure Storage's Intelligent Control Plane (ICP), a set of groundbreaking innovations redefining IT operations and enabling users to realize the Enterprise Data Cloud. We're thrilled to host Chadd Kenney, VP of Product Management, who helps us unpack how the ICP tackles data silos, operational complexity, and productivity bottlenecks, transforming hundreds of systems into what feels like one virtual cloud of data with Pure Fusion. Discover how Fusion Presets streamline policy-driven deployments, how intelligence extends to modern apps with Portworx native integration, and the exciting possibilities of AI-Copilot and Data Intelligence. In this episode, Chadd will share insights on how these innovations continue Pure Storage's core hallmark of simplicity in operations, delivering Evergreen architecture at a fleet-wide level. We'll explore how the ICP empowers operators with real-time awareness and workflow orchestration, as demonstrated at Accelerate in Las Vegas and New York, enabling full-stack, application-level outcomes. Plus, Chadd offers his "hot takes" on industry trends, common misconceptions about infrastructure automation, and the evolving role of the IT operator in the next five years. Tune in to understand how the Intelligent Control Plane and Pure Fusion are setting a new standard for data management.

Looking for help navigating the changing environment around your VMware investment? What considerations do you need to make relative to staying on VMware versus moving to another solution? We have answers and guidance - check out this episode for an insightful discussion with David Stevens, Field Solution Architect, as we delve into the evolving landscape of virtualization. Despite recent changes from Broadcom, VMware still commands a significant market share, and David unpacks why. We explore the various paths VMware customers are taking today, from sticking with their current setup to exploring hypervisor alternatives, migrating to the cloud, or even transitioning to containers. This episode offers valuable anecdotes and practical insights for anyone navigating the complexities of modern IT infrastructure. Hear how Pure Storage is strategically positioned to assist organizations through these transitions, highlighting our deep integrations with VMware for over a decade and how investments in Azure VMware Solution provide a cost effective cloud alternative. David also shares his "hot takes" on industry trends, a memorable "screwup" story, and crucial advice for the future of data management. Tune in to gain actionable takeaways on charting the right course for your VMware situation and beyond.

This episode of the Pure Report podcast welcomes back Jon Owings, a long-time Puritan and expert in Kubernetes and data management, to demystify the rapidly evolving world of containerization and AI. We dive deep into why over 96% of enterprises are adopting Kubernetes, exploring the latest trends like containers as VM alternatives and the advantages of Kubernetes deployments in AI environments. We also shed light on the crucial role of Platform Engineering, helping listeners understand who these professionals are and what they do. Jon shares insights from his work with Portworx, revealing where they're seeing the most success and why their offering stands out from the competition. Get ready for some "Hot Takes" in a rapid-fire segment covering overlooked industry shifts and even a favorite customer "screwup" story with a successful resolution. Tune in for practical advice on adopting Kubernetes and don't miss the inaugural "Storage Confessions" segment, where Jon shares a memorable challenge and its resolution.

We finish off our 15 Architectural Decisions series with a special guest - VP of Product Management and early Pure employee Chadd Kenney joins to discuss the origin story of Pure Storage's 15 Architectural Decisions. Chadd will take us back to the early Pure startup days, revealing the drivers behind documenting these crucial decisions. We'll explore his favorite decisions, hear stories that solidified them, and discover how this foundational work continues to influence Pure Storage today around the Enterprise Data Cloud and the Pure Platform. Series Overview: Pure Storage’s foundational approach to product engineering is guided by 15 architectural decisions that were established at the company’s inception and have shaped both the technical and user experience across its product lines. These architectural choices were not made arbitrarily—they stem from a deliberate focus on simplicity, efficiency, and scalability, ensuring Pure could deliver storage solutions that break away from legacy complexity and enable continuous innovation without compromise. This series will guide viewers through all of the 15 principles, helping you understand why certain choices were made, how they impact your operations, and how they compare to other industry features and products.

Data management in high-performance computing (HPC) and AI environments presents unique challenges, especially with heavy file usage and evolving data lifecycles. This edition of the Pure Report podcast delves into these complexities, exploring how data transitions through development, simulation/training, inference/optimization, and long-term retention phases. Together with Pure technologists Bikash Choudhury and Don Poorman, we’ll tackle the critical problem statement: reducing total cost of ownership (TCO) by automatically moving inactive data to different tiers without sacrificing accessibility or performance during crucial operational stages. Join us as we introduce Pure Storage's innovative Zero Move Tiering (ZMT) solution. Discover how ZMT delivers dynamic Service Level Agreements (SLAs) across performance and capacity tiers without data movement, leading to lower TCO and zero operational overhead. We'll also examine how ZMT fits into various data lifecycle stages, from development build workloads to AI-augmented modeling and simulation, and compare Pure's approach to the common deficiencies seen in other vendor solutions.

We made it to Episode 6 - the final in our 15 Architectural Decisions series and saved some of the best for last - Predictive and Proactive support (Pure1) combined with our Evergreen architecture and non-disruptive everything. In this episode, JD, Andrew and I dive into Pure Storage's foundational principles that ensure continuous operation and future-proof your storage. We explore the concept of "Non-Disruptive Everything," a core tenet that allows for seamless upgrades and expansions without any downtime. This ties directly into the innovative Evergreen Storage Model, which redefines the ownership experience by eliminating forklift upgrades and enabling independent evolution of performance, capacity, and features over a decade-long array lifecycle. We also discuss how Pure's proactive and predictive support, powered by Pure1, plays a critical role in maintaining this non-disruptive environment. Pure1's advanced analytics, anomaly detection, and data protection assessments provide unparalleled visibility and ensure that potential issues are identified and addressed before they impact operations. This integrated approach, from architecture to support, highlights how Pure Storage consistently delivers a cloud-like experience on-premises, setting a new standard for reliability and longevity in the storage industry. Thanks for watching our series. Series Overview: Pure Storage’s foundational approach to product engineering is guided by 15 architectural decisions that were established at the company’s inception and have shaped both the technical and user experience across its product lines. These architectural choices were not made arbitrarily—they stem from a deliberate focus on simplicity, efficiency, and scalability, ensuring Pure could deliver storage solutions that break away from legacy complexity and enable continuous innovation without compromise. This series will guide viewers through all of the 15 principles, helping you understand why certain choices were made, how they impact your operations, and how they compare to other industry features and products. Join Pure Report podcast hosts Rob Ludeman, Andrew Miller, and J.D Wallace for this fun technical retrospective on Pure Storage.

Episode 5 of our series covers always-on encryption, the smart use of metadata, and our DIY install/repair/upgrade approach. Pure's approach to security is to have it built-in and non-optional, with end-to-end encryption—covering both user data and metadata—using device or software-based AES-256 alongside features like Rapid Data Locking, role-based access controls, and secure erasure methods to protect against breaches and support compliance needs. Next, hear about how metadata serves as the “secret sauce” for Pure, enabling highly efficient, granular data services and powering capabilities like snapshots and instant cloning through a scalable, multi-tiered framework that writes, caches, and protects metadata in ways traditional arrays cannot match. Finally, we touch on installation, repairs, and upgrades which are designed for ultimate simplicity and DIY ease, with non-disruptive software and hardware changes—thanks to Pure’s Evergreen architecture—which allows organizations to grow and evolve storage resources without operational downtime, complex migrations, or compromise. These architectural choices underpin Pure’s promise of secure, resilient, and agile storage that adapts to changing business needs while remaining effortless to manage. Series Overview: Pure Storage’s foundational approach to product engineering is guided by 15 architectural decisions that were established at the company’s inception and have shaped both the technical and user experience across its product lines. These architectural choices were not made arbitrarily—they stem from a deliberate focus on simplicity, efficiency, and scalability, ensuring Pure could deliver storage solutions that break away from legacy complexity and enable continuous innovation without compromise. This series will guide viewers through all of the 15 principles, helping you understand why certain choices were made, how they impact your operations, and how they compare to other industry features and products. Join Pure Report podcast hosts Rob Ludeman, Andrew Miller, and J.D Wallace for this fun technical retrospective on Pure Storage.

Episode 4 of our series around Pure's fundamental design principles dives into aspects of Pure's technology that drive realistic efficiency for users. This episode tackles capabilities most Storage professionals are familiar with - snapshots, efficiency metrics and adaptive flexible RAID. Pure learned from the challenges created by legacy architectures to build better versions of these features into our all-flash array portfolio. Hear about how Pure Storage’s snapshot architecture focuses on instant, efficient, and immutable copies that serve both operational and security needs. Snapshots can be created instantly with no performance overhead and used for rapid recovery, cloning, or replication—each one functions as a “gold copy version” and maintains group consistency, enabling rollbacks to any point in time without dependencies or data duplication. Their design is tightly integrated with metadata, enabling efficient thin provisioning and consistent protection, while SafeMode extends these benefits by enforcing privileged access and retention policies for ransomware resilience. Around realistic efficiency metrics - we deliver transparent and realistic efficiency metrics by directly reporting space consumption trends and physical storage utilization, rather than relying solely on claims about thin provisioning or data reduction. Our user interface distinguishes between budgeted capacity, usable capacity, and used space, with a focus on showing only live user data (volumes and snapshots), and hiding internal system overhead, RAID overhead, and reclaimable space until critical thresholds are reached. Finally, we tackle RAID - Pure’s RAID architecture is built for flash, utilizing a flexible, adaptive structure that never requires manual configuration while continuously ensuring optimal data protection and performance. Series Overview: Pure Storage’s foundational approach to product engineering is guided by 15 architectural decisions that were established at the company’s inception and have shaped both the technical and user experience across its product lines. These architectural choices were not made arbitrarily—they stem from a deliberate focus on simplicity, efficiency, and scalability, ensuring Pure could deliver storage solutions that break away from legacy complexity and enable continuous innovation without compromise. This series will guide viewers through all of the 15 principles, helping you understand why certain choices were made, how they impact your operations, and how they compare to other industry features and products. Join Pure Report podcast hosts Rob Ludeman, Andrew Miller, and J.D Wallace for this fun technical retrospective on Pure Storage.

Our series around Pure's fundamental design principles continues. Episode 3 discusses three key architectural decisions: stateless controllers, the second controller, and limited error paths. Hear from co-hosts JD Wallace and Andrew Miller about how stateless controllers mean no identity or state is stored within the controller itself, allowing for easy replacement and upgrades without downtime. This design philosophy simplifies maintenance, reduces support costs, and enables seamless technology migrations, allowing Pure customers to upgrade hardware generations without impacting business operations. This is a significant shift from older storage array methods that required complex, time-consuming manual processes and often led to downtime. We then further explore the strategic decision behind having a second controller in an active-standby configuration, prioritizing consistent performance and uptime over maximizing raw performance from both controllers simultaneously. This approach ensures that performance remains stable even during failovers or planned upgrades, eliminating unpredictable results and reducing the need for constant monitoring by IT admins. By focusing on reliability and simplicity, Pure Storage aims to provide a "cloud-like" experience for on-prem and cloud connected storage, significantly reducing operational complexity and enabling faster adoption of new technologies and features. The Pure Report podcast is now available on video - bookmark the playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5d3ZupjTzE150O6sjbVLhrAP3kpC1QEm

Our series around Pure's fundamental design principles continues. Episode two of the series centers in on the choice to use exclusively Flash memory and how best to leverage it. Next, the team dives into innovations in a wide range of data reduction technologies and advantages for users across a spectrum of business applications. Pure Storage’s foundational approach to product engineering is guided by 15 architectural decisions that were established at the company’s inception and have shaped both the technical and user experience across its product lines. These architectural choices were not made arbitrarily—they stem from a deliberate focus on simplicity, efficiency, and scalability, ensuring Pure could deliver storage solutions that break away from legacy complexity and enable continuous innovation without compromise. This series will guide viewers through all of the 15 principles, helping you understand why certain choices were made, how they impact your operations, and how they compare to other industry features and products. Join Pure Report podcast hosts Rob Ludeman, Andrew Miller, and J.D Wallace for this fun technical retrospective on Pure Storage.

Pure Storage’s foundational approach to product engineering is guided by 15 architectural decisions that were established at the company’s inception and have shaped both the technical and user experience across its product lines. These architectural choices were not made arbitrarily—they stem from a deliberate focus on simplicity, efficiency, and scalability, ensuring Pure could deliver storage solutions that break away from legacy complexity and enable continuous innovation without compromise. This series will guide viewers through all of the 15 principles, helping you understand why certain choices were made, how they impact your operations, and how they compare to other industry features and products. Join Pure Report podcast hosts Rob Ludeman, Andrew Miller, and J.D Wallace for this fun technical retrospective on Pure Storage. Episode one centers around Pure's simplicity in design and capabilities to scale effortlessly.

Jump back into the Pure Report as we welcome back Jim Weaver, Pure Storage Strategic Advisor for the Public Sector, to explore how federal policy changes and budget uncertainties are reshaping state and local government IT strategies. Drawing from his extensive experience as a former state CIO, Jim provides insider insights into navigating federal impacts while discussing the shift from CAPEX to OPEX models as agencies seek operational flexibility in turbulent times. The conversation dives deep into Pure Storage's new Public Safety campaign, examining the technology behind video surveillance, body cameras, forensics data collection, and next-generation 911 systems that are transforming how government agencies serve and protect their communities. Don't miss this essential discussion on the intersection of politics, budgets, and cutting-edge technology in the public sector.

In an era where data breaches cost organizations millions and threaten business continuity daily, the intersection of data storage and security has never been more critical. Hear from two industry experts: Nolan Necoechea, Product Marketing leader from Varonis, and returning guest Jason Walker from Pure Storage. Together, we unpack how intelligent data classification, threat detection, and automated remediation are changing the cybersecurity landscape – and why the foundation of effective security starts with how your data is stored and classified. This episode takes listeners from Varonis's fascinating origin story (involving disappearing high-resolution ocean floor images) to the cutting-edge of modern cybersecurity practices. Nolan breaks down Varonis's comprehensive platform that creates visibility and control over data access, while Jason explains why Pure Storage provides the ideal foundation for these security solutions. Learn how real-time threat detection, user behavior analytics, and automated remediation aren't just buzzwords but essential components of modern data protection strategy. As AI-powered threats continue to evolve, this conversation offers practical insights into how organizations can stay ahead of bad actors through strategic partnerships and integrated solutions. Discover why streamlined SecOps and robust data classification are becoming table stakes for business continuity, and get a preview of what's next in the Varonis-Pure partnership. Whether you're a CISO, IT administrator, or business leader concerned about data protection, this episode delivers actionable intelligence on safeguarding your organization's most valuable asset: its data.

Discover great management capabilities with Pure SE Scott Nalawaniec, a former Pure customer and now a seasoned Systems Engineer from Portland. We dive deep into the world of Pure Storage's management platform, Pure1, and look at Scott's 5 favorite capabilities that make managing arrays a breeze. We first reflect on our recent Sales Kickoff, and then Scott shares his expertise on simplicity and the evergreen nature of non-disruptive upgrades that have become foundational to Pure's offerings. Then we jump into Scott's favorite management and automation features - from VM Analytics that helped Scott identify problematic virtual machines across 17 appliances as a customer to the game-changing Self-Service Updates that have transformed how customers approach array updates. Scott takes us on a journey through Pure1's evolution, highlighting the powerful Appliance Genealogy feature that maps hardware histories like "a giant family tree" and Performance and Capacity analytics that provide crucial trending data. We'll also explore emerging capabilities in sustainability monitoring and the detailed Session and Audit Log that recently helped a customer track a potential security threat. Scott's enthusiasm for Test Drive as a demonstration tool rounds out this comprehensive look at the latest management capabilities. Whether you're a Pure Storage veteran or just curious about next-generation storage management, Scott's firsthand experiences offer valuable takeaways for IT professionals at every level. This episode showcases how Pure1 continues to innovate while maintaining the simplicity and innovation that users have come to expect from Pure Storage solutions.

In this episode of the Pure Report, we welcome Valerie Harrison, Principal Technologist at Pure Storage, for an in-depth exploration of technology transformation in cloud, AI, and the automotive industry. Valerie shares her fascinating career journey from Google to Pure Storage, revealing how her diverse experiences have shaped her perspective on cloud adoption, AI implementation, and the critical role of effective data management. The conversation provides valuable insights into when cloud solutions make strategic sense and how companies can avoid vendor lock-in while still leveraging the best technologies for their specific use cases. Our discussion takes a deep dive into how AI is revolutionizing the automotive sector, examining the divide between traditional approaches and new subscription-based models. Valerie illuminates how car manufacturers are utilizing unstructured data growth, synthetic data creation, and telemetry information to enhance customer experiences and develop advanced features. Listeners will gain a clear understanding of how storage and data management serve as the common thread to success in these initiatives, with specific examples of how Pure Storage is enabling manufacturers and suppliers to manage massive data requirements for everything from factory operations to customer-facing innovations. The episode concludes with a thoughtful examination of women's experiences in the tech industry, with Valerie candidly discussing barriers to career development and the importance of representation. She shares practical advice from her talk at a Google conference about getting your voice heard in intimidating environments and discusses her mentorship work with a local university. This segment offers valuable perspectives on addressing skills gaps in tech through greater inclusion of talented women, particularly in underrepresented areas like cybersecurity, and highlights initiatives like Pure Storage's Women's ERG that are working to create positive change.

Make time to take an extraordinary deep dive into the complex world of public sector technology leadership, featuring Jim Weaver, a veteran Chief Information Officer with an impressive track record across multiple state governments and now Pure's National Strategic Advisor for Public Sector. Our conversation unpacks the critical challenges and transformative opportunities facing IT leaders in an era of unprecedented technological complexity, from cybersecurity threats to the revolutionary potential of artificial intelligence in government operations. Drawing from Jim's extensive experience leading technology strategies in North Carolina, the state of Washington, and in Pennsylvania, Weaver offers a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on how modern governments are architecting resilient, secure, and innovative digital infrastructures. We examine the intricate balance between risk management and technological advancement, revealing the strategic thinking required to protect sensitive public data while simultaneously leveraging cutting-edge technologies to improve government services and operational efficiency. Beyond technical insights, this episode provides a compelling narrative about leadership, innovation, and the human element of technology. Develop an understanding of how dedicated IT professionals like Jim Weaver are working to safeguard critical infrastructure, navigate complex cybersecurity landscapes, and drive meaningful digital transformation in the public sector. From ransomware prevention to AI implementation, Weaver shares candid stories and strategic insights that demystify the high-stakes world of government technology management.

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, traditional defense mechanisms are proving increasingly inadequate against sophisticated cyber and ransomware attacks. The latest collaboration between Pure Storage and Superna represents a groundbreaking approach to data protection, introducing the revolutionary concept of CyberStorage - an active defense strategy that goes beyond reactive measures to prevent cyber threats at their inception. Featuring insights from Jason Walker of Pure Storage and Alex Hesterberg, CEO of Superna and former Pure pre-IPO employee, the conversation provides a roadmap for organizations seeking to fortify their cyber defenses. This podcast explores the critical gap between traditional data protection and modern cybersecurity, offering listeners an in-depth look at how innovative technologies can strengthen an organization's security posture. By focusing on prevention, early detection, and automated response mechanisms, Pure Storage and Superna are redefining how businesses can protect their most valuable asset: their data. The discussion delves into practical solutions that not only block potential attacks but also provide comprehensive analytics and recovery capabilities. From understanding the devastating impacts of ransomware to exploring cutting-edge technologies like FlashBlade and advanced detection capabilities, this podcast offers listeners a strategic perspective on protecting their digital infrastructure in an increasingly hostile cyber environment.

Jump into the latest Purely Cloud Guest Series episode featuring Pure's Kyle Grossmiller in an engaging conversation with Microsoft AVS Solution expert Husam Hilal. This episode explores how Azure VMware Solution (AVS) represents one of the most significant collaborations in cloud computing, enabling organizations to seamlessly extend their VMware environments into Microsoft Azure. In this episode, dive deep to explore both the strategic vision and practical implementation challenges of this groundbreaking service. From its origins as a collaborative effort between former competitors to its current status as a critical hybrid cloud enabler, Husam guides us through the evolution of AVS with insights only an insider could provide. The conversation examines how AVS solves fundamental challenges for enterprises with significant VMware investments, allowing them to leverage Azure's global footprint without rearchitecting applications or disrupting operations. Husam shares real-world deployment scenarios and addresses one of the most common challenges customers face: vSAN storage limitations that can force over-provisioning of compute resources. He unpacks innovative solutions like Pure Storage Cloud and Cloud Block Store that disaggregate storage from compute, potentially saving organizations significant costs while optimizing resource utilization. Looking toward the horizon, Husam and Kyle provide a glimpse into upcoming AVS innovations that promise to reshape hybrid cloud strategies. Whether you're an IT decision-maker evaluating migration options, an architect designing hybrid solutions, or a VMware professional expanding your skillset, this episode offers practical advice for navigating the convergence of traditional virtualization and modern cloud platforms. Husam's unique perspective bridges technical details with business value, making complex cloud concepts accessible and actionable.

In this fourth installment of the Purely Cloud Guest podcast series, Ondrej and team delve deeper into the technical specifics of Pure Cloud Block Store (CBS). After covering the foundational aspects in previous episodes—from Pure Storage's market impact to the cost advantages of CBS through data reduction techniques and egress cost management—we now turn our attention to the architectural nuances and recent innovations that differentiate CBS in both AWS and Azure environments. This episode's special guest, Shruti Gupta, joins to explore the improvements that make CBS stand out, including non-disruptive upgrades, flexible capacity management options, and the introduction of multitenancy capabilities. They unpack the significant benefits of Fusion for fleet management and discuss the always-on encryption features that ensure data security. Additionally, they explore the introduction of comprehensive data protection strategies available with CBS, examining how replication capabilities balance recovery objectives with total cost of ownership considerations. As the episode concludes, they highlight recent platform-specific enhancements for CBS and preview upcoming episodes focusing on specialized use cases including data replication, disaster recovery, and leveraging CBS for development/testing environments and analytics workloads in the cloud. Whether you're already using Pure Storage solutions or exploring cloud storage options, this technical deep dive offers valuable insights into optimizing your cloud storage architecture.

In the latest episode of Pure Report Unplugged, the team dives into the exciting world of TechSummit Season 3 with JD's announcement of new focus areas including the Pure Storage Platform, Real-Time Enterprise File and Object services, and customer success stories from the field. The tour kicks off in Calgary, Alberta before moving to San Diego, Toronto, Atlanta, and more locations, with Andrew scheduled to appear at the inaugural Calgary event. Listeners also get insight into the team's behind-the-scenes work, from Andrew's enablement initiatives and bootcamp development to Rob's journey in production for Sales Kickoff, plus news about upcoming video podcasts and an updated web landing page. The episode's Pure News Roundup covers significant company developments, including Andrew's commentary on the enhanced Partner Program and JD's updates on Fusion features like simplified management, presets, and automation improvements. The team emphasizes the "Subscription to Innovation" philosophy available on version 6.8, discussing how security challenges and cloud technologies are transforming update strategies toward more resilient architectures. Rob also shares exciting details about Accelerate registration opening February 18th in Las Vegas at Resortsworld, highlighting expanded offerings based on attendee feedback such as more hands-on labs, customer speakers, community meetups, and certification opportunities. The Tech News Roundup segment explores fascinating AI advancements from Deepseek, Grok3, and Glean, alongside Oxford scientists' claims about quantum teleportation, drawing a nostalgic connection to Willy Wonka's Mike TeeVee character. The episode concludes with practical tips, including JD's guide to building a Pure LED wall panel using Nanoleaf Shapes Triangles with HomeKit compatibility and Pure Orange (Hex #FE5000), plus Andrew's highlight of the Genealogy View feature in Pure 1, complete with a customer anecdote about demonstrating cost savings to finance teams.