Data is growing. We all see it. And now, to add even more pressure, storage budgets are slowing. We at Pure wanted to get ahead of this—to provide a way for you to get even more value from your array. One way to get more is by squeezing more data onto your FlashArray™. We already have some of the highest data reduction rates today, where up to 10:1 is quite common, but we wanted to see how much further we could go to help stretch your storage capacity along with your storage dollar. And the answer to that challenge is the new DirectCompress Accelerator compression card (DCA).
By moving software compression to dedicated hardware, DCA increases inline compression by 30% (that means squeezing even more data onto your systems) and returns CPU cycles previously spent on compression back to the array. That means you win two ways—you get more data storage for free, and your array will run faster. And best of all, DCA will be available to all our customers simply as part of their current purchase. Starting today, every new FlashArray//XL will ship with DCA included, and we expect to roll DCA into our other FlashArray models over the next 12 months.
A Compression Algorithm Tailored for and by Real-world Data
The DirectCompress Accelerator compresses data using Pure’s proven in-house compression algorithm built over years of advanced machine learning. Engineered by using real-world data representing workloads run by our customers, our algorithm can immediately react to different data types on the fly, adjusting the compression process based on the data. This provides a significant advantage over other storage arrays, where specific data stream types like virtual machines, video, and database records can be immediately recognized and specific compression transformations applied. And unlike many of our competitors’ storage solutions, the FlashArray compression also uses variable block sizes, yielding more efficient compression overall.
Extreme Compression from the Moment Data Is Ingested to the FlashArray
By moving inline compression to dedicated hardware, the DirectCompress Accelerator ensures all data is deeply compressed immediately, even when the system CPU is under heavy load. Deep compression was previously performed as a secondary step after the data was written to the media and only when the array controller’s CPU was less burdened. In high-data growth scenarios, performing deep compression at ingest can ensure data is fully compressed precisely when storage capacity is needed to be conserved the most.
DCA also reduces the costs of storage through lower data management, power, and cooling while continuing to enable high-performance data access. By writing less data to flash media, compression reduces media wear rates and increases its lifespan. The increased effective capacity also delivers better energy efficiency and sustainability benefits beyond the cost savings of storing less data.
Available Today with All FlashArray//XL Purchases
The DirectCompress Accelerator is just a part of Pure’s commitment to continuous innovation and to providing advanced data services at no additional cost. Every new FlashArray//XL system will ship with the DirectCompress Accelerator, whether purchased through an Evergreen//One™ subscription, a traditional Evergreen//Forever™ purchase, or Evergreen//Flex™.
To learn more about how the DirectCompress Accelerator was built and the amazing results, read our deep-dive technical blog.
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Dive Deeper
Learn more about how the DirectCompress Accelerator was built.
