The Field CTO for Pure Storage in Asia Pacific and Japan, Mark Jobbins, has discussed the evolving landscape of data management and the exciting innovations Pure Storage is bringing to the market.
Speaking to TechDay in an exclusive interview, Jobbins admitted it's been "an exciting journey seeing us establish ourselves in the market here in Asia Pacific and Japan, and the growth that we've seen over the years."
Pure Storage, headquartered in California, has a significant presence across major markets in Asia Pacific, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
Transforming Data Management
Pure Storage aims to revolutionise the way organisations capture, store, protect, and serve their data. "We're a data management company, looking at transforming the way that organisations handle their data, reducing complexity, and providing agility to our customers," Jobbins explained.
This approach has helped Pure Storage position itself as a leading data management provider globally.
The company's focus on innovation is evident in its transition from traditional hard drive technology to all-flash storage technology. Jobbins highlighted the benefits of this shift, noting the consistent performance, lower space and cooling requirements, and reduced environmental impact of all-flash storage. "Our engineers wanted to take away the complexity of managing storage," he said.
"We've created a standard environment with less complexity and the ability to grow non-disruptively."
AI and Sustainability
Pure Storage has been at the forefront of AI innovation, particularly in Australia and New Zealand, where organisations are early adopters of new technologies. Jobbins noted, "Most organisations I'm speaking to have AI projects underway and are now looking at how they can accelerate that innovation and see the return on investment."
Environmental sustainability is another critical focus for Pure Storage.
Traditional mechanical storage arrays consume significant power and space, but Pure Storage's all-flash technology addresses these concerns. Jobbins mentioned that surveys conducted with sustainability managers have highlighted the importance of reducing power and cooling demands in data centres.
Upcoming Innovations
Pure Storage's annual customer event in Las Vegas promises several significant announcements. Jobbins revealed that the event will focus on simplifying data management and providing a platform-type experience for customers. This includes the introduction of Fusion, an orchestration and automation layer that allows organisations to group infrastructure storage pools into availability zones based on performance profiles and service levels.
"Fusion will enable our customers to make requests for specific storage capacities and protocols, with the automation layer determining the best place to locate the storage pool," Jobbins explained. This cloud-like experience ensures that service levels are met, even if it requires moving data between different availability zones.
AI Copilot and Cybersecurity
Pure Storage is also introducing a generative AI copilot for customers. This tool will allow users to query their storage environments using natural language and receive advice or visibility on various aspects of their data management. "We're providing our customers with an AI copilot to help manage their storage environments more effectively," Jobbins said.
Cybersecurity remains a top concern for organisations, and Pure Storage is addressing this with innovations designed to enhance resilience against cyber threats. Jobbins stressed the importance of balancing AI innovation with robust cybersecurity measures, noting the rising threat of cybercrime globally.
Customer-Centric Approach
Jobbins believes that Pure Storage's commitment to reducing complexity and focusing on customer experience sets it apart from competitors. "Everything we do is around reducing complexity and making it easy for our customers," he stated.
"We have one of the highest net promoter scores in the industry, and our customers love our products."
Pure Storage's approach has earned it strong endorsements from market research firms like IDC and Gartner. "We have the highest net promoter score in the industry," Jobbins said, highlighting the company's consistent recognition for its innovation and customer-focused solutions.
As Pure Storage continues to innovate and expand its offerings, it remains committed to helping organisations navigate the complexities of data management and AI. Jobbins concluded the interview with a sense of optimism and excitement for the future, saying, "It's an exciting journey, and we look forward to continuing to provide our customers with the best solutions for their data management needs."
With its focus on reducing complexity, enhancing sustainability, and driving AI innovation, Pure Storage is well-positioned to lead the data management industry into the future. The upcoming announcements at the Las Vegas event are eagerly anticipated, promising to further solidify the company's reputation as a leader in the field.
New Zealand Country Manager for Pure Storage, Sam Schuurman, highlighted the significance of the recent enhancements to the Pure Storage Platform for local organisations.
"New Zealand organisations are facing a range of diverse challenges, from geological instability to increasing cyber threats and mounting cost pressures of 2024. In that context, we are confident the recent enhancements to the Pure Storage Platform with Fusion and Secure Application Workspaces provide a substantial benefit to Pure's enterprise customers and channel partners in New Zealand," Schuurman explained to TechDay.
"These upgrades are designed to bolster data management and security, providing more automation for increased resilient and efficient infrastructure that can better withstand the challenges posed by natural and digital landscapes, whilst improving ROI for both new and existing customers."
Discussing the impact on Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Schuurman noted, "We expect MSPs in New Zealand who are leveraging the Pure Storage Platform for their Storage-as-a-Service offerings to gain significant advantages from the announcements made at Pure//Accelerate."
"The addition of Fusion and Secure Application Workspace introduces a new layer of security and automation that operates independently of the hypervisor or backup software. This advancement allows our MSP community to uniformly provide strong data security, business continuity, and data recovery services across all their storage service offerings."
For New Zealand enterprise and government organisations, Schuurman emphasised the operational benefits.
"The introduction of Fusion, the Security Assessment, AI-Powered Anomaly Detection, and the AI Copilot for storage monitoring is set to give our clients even more time back, amplifying their ability to protect their data and deliver new projects," he said.
"As New Zealand moves into a deeper phase of AI integration, Pure's Secure Application Workspace for AI, alongside our recently announced NVIDIA solutions, are poised to equip our clients with the necessary tools to move swiftly," he added.
"This approach not only lowers one of the key barriers to private AI deployment but enhances our clients' time to value and return on investment by streamlining the process."
