The primary use case is block storage for retro machines running on VMware ESXi and Red Hat with Kernel-based Virtual Machines (KVMs).
Pure Storage FlashArray Review
With this solution, we have perfect run through times and latency
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
We have perfect run through times and latency. We have a cluster system using two machines on Active-Active with a synchronized mirror.
What is most valuable?
The deduplication and compression meet all of our system requirements.
What needs improvement?
The credentials on the iSCSI interface are only available to type in with the Chrome browser, and not with the Firefox browser. Hopefully, in the next release, this will be fixed.
For how long have I used the solution?
Trial/evaluations only.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We are not using it at the moment in production. Therefore, I can't talk about the stability of the system. The PoC and tests indicate that the stability is okay.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
At the moment, we have one data pack. We think that we may buy another data pack this year to scale the system up.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have used the technical support through the phone and online tool. I used them to upgrade the software, which work okay (as it was designed).
The technical support team provided the help that we needed.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have been using another solution, IBM XYZ. We plan to migrate away from the IBM system to Pure Storage. We are planning to switch because of cost and performance. Also, the Pure Storage FlashArray is an upgrade in technology. All-flash storage arrays will be the future.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is straightforward, not complex.
It has a very simple installation. Installation took about three hours, not one or two hours, but three hours. We had an issue with our network during the first installation, but now it is up and running.
What about the implementation team?
We used a consultant from Pure Storage.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate other solutions since our partners were using Pure Storage, so we decided to move forward with Pure Storage.
What other advice do I have?
We are not using predictive performance analytics at the moment.
**Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Jan 30 2019
Author
Michael Raunig
System Engineer at a consultancy with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Highlights
Pros
The deduplication and compression meet all of our system requirements.
Cons
The credentials on the iSCSI interface are only available to type in with the Chrome browser, and not with the Firefox browser.