Pure Storage FlashArray -- Still Wonderful After 7 Years
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
The Pure Storage FlashArray is the primary storage platform for our VMware virtualized environment. We use it to host all of our storage needs, from test workstations to our primary databases. The flexibility of the platform along with its ease of use made it an easy decision. Utilizing native replication to an array at our secondary site makes disaster recovery effortless.
Pros
- Simple interface
- Excellent security (with SafeMode)
- Ease of use
Cons
- Slightly more flexible upgrade options
- Better options to watch "behind the scenes" operations
- Available software upgrade notifications
Return on Investment
- + Quickly able to provision storage to end users
- + Simple integrations steps when adding new hosts into the environment
- - Overall cost compared to other vendors is slightly higher
Usability
Alternatives Considered
Dell PowerScale
Other Software Used
VMware vSphere, Windows Server, Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls - PA Series



