Sustainability is ingrained in our DNA: Mark Jobbins, Field CTO, Pure Storage, APAC and Japan

In the fast-paced world of technology, data storage is an indispensable aspect of any organization’s infrastructure. We recently met up with a company which is trying to set new benchmarks in the world of storage. Founded in 2009, Pure Storage was established with a clear vision – to address the impending challenges in data management. The founders anticipated the exponential growth in data and its increasing importance in society. Their foresight recognized the limitations of traditional mechanical hard drives in terms of capacity and flexibility.

Today, the company is leading the industry with a series of innovations. Atreyee Chakraborty, Express Computer had the opportunity of interacting with Mark Jobbins, the Field CTO for Pure Storage in Asia, Pacific, and Japan.

To disrupt the industry, Pure Storage turned to flash technology to create an all-flash data center, which offered efficient data storage and retrieval. What has been the impact?

The benefits of this innovation extended beyond efficiency. Flash technology consumed less power, enabled higher data density within rack spaces, and contributed to environmental sustainability. This groundbreaking approach quickly gained traction. Pure Storage now boasts over 11,500 customers worldwide and achieved $2.75 billion in revenue in its last financial year.

Our success doesn’t stop at innovation alone. The company’s commitment to customer satisfaction is reflected in its remarkable Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 81.4, the highest in the industry. Pure Storage believes in the significance of simplicity within data management platforms. This simplicity is crucial for organizations to capture, store, protect, and serve data efficiently, ultimately creating valuable customer insights and experiences. The ability to evolve and adapt over time without disrupting existing systems is a hallmark of Pure Storage’s approach, reducing e-waste generation and enhancing sustainability.

How does your company address the core issue of cloud integration?

In today’s tech landscape, organizations seek a cloud-like experience with flexibility and innovation. However, the desire for choice in cloud providers persists, driven by factors like cloud features, cost considerations, data sovereignty, and performance. Pure Storage addresses this by offering two core technologies for seamless cloud integration.

Firstly, Pure’s Purity operating system runs both on-premises and within Azure and AWS hyperscalers. This enables customers to use the same software platform for data management, facilitating data movement between different locations and platforms.

Secondly, the rise of cloud-native applications demands efficient data management for stateful applications. Pure Storage’s Portworx software-defined storage layer serves as the bridge between Kubernetes container environments and various platforms, providing flexibility and data protection without vendor lock-in.

Please share your perspective on how AI is dependent on improved storage solutions?

Artificial Intelligence is at the forefront of technological advancement, particularly in generative AI. Organizations are leveraging generative AI to enhance customer experiences and accelerate innovation. However, this technology relies heavily on vast, up-to-date datasets, necessitating advanced storage solutions.  Challenges extend beyond technology and delve into ethics and regulation. Ethical considerations regarding AI usage are increasingly prominent, emphasizing the need for responsible AI deployment. Organizations like Meta, powered by Pure Storage’s technology, are at the forefront of AI innovation, with sustainability as a core consideration.

What is your company’s approach towards sustainability?

Sustainability is ingrained in Pure Storage’s DNA. The company’s design philosophy focuses on simplicity and reliability, resulting in fewer components and less e-waste. The ability to replace individual components non-disruptively reduces environmental impact.

Pure Storage’s commitment to sustainability is further demonstrated through its low power and cooling requirements, along with a high density profile. These attributes make it an ideal choice for data centers in an era when power consumption and space constraints are major concerns.

As the world grapples with the challenge of sustainable data storage, Pure Storage stands as a leader in providing environmentally friendly solutions. In a future where data center space is expected to double, technologies like Pure Storage’s low-power, high-density solutions will play a crucial role in minimizing environmental impact.

India, with its ambitious sustainability goals, recognizes the importance of technologies that consume less power and space. Pure Storage’s commitment to environmental responsibility aligns with India’s vision for a greener, more sustainable future.