Summary
Not all storage solutions can handle the speed, complexity, and demands of VMware environments. Pure Storage delivers built-in security, deep VMware integration, flexible procurement, and more to help you get the most out of VMware.
Editor’s Note: VMware vVols End-of-life Update (2025)
VMware has announced the deprecation and end-of-life (EOL) of vSphere Virtual Volumes (vVols):
- vVols remain supported only through VMware vSphere 8.0 and VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0. Support for these versions will end between 2027-2028.
- No new feature development for vVols is planned; only limited support is available from VMware until EOL.
- Official retirement will occur with VCF 9.1 (expected 2028); vVols will not be supported in any new VMware releases after that point.
If you are currently using vVols:
Pure Storage recommends that you begin planning your migration to supported VMware storage solutions (such as VMFS or NFS) well before EOL. For current integration and migration resources, up-to-date documentation, or personalized help, please visit our technical support portal or contact your Pure Storage representative.This blog post is for historical and archival purposes only. Do not use as guidance for new deployments. For current storage integration options and migration toolkits, refer to our latest migration guides and platform resources.
If you’re running VMware, your storage isn’t just a back-end box—it’s a foundational part of your infrastructure strategy. Whether you’re deploying vSphere, Cloud Foundation, or Virtual Volumes (vVols), your ability to deliver performance, security, and scale depends on how your storage plays with the rest of your stack.
And here’s the truth: Not all storage solutions are built to handle the speed, complexity, and demands of modern VMware environments.
Here are five essential things your storage must deliver if you want to get the most out of VMware—and how Pure Storage checks every box.
1. Built-in Security That Doesn’t Break Performance
Data breaches, ransomware, and insider threats aren’t theoretical. They’re happening now—and a reactive security posture isn’t enough. Your VMware workloads need always-on, infrastructure-level protection.
What to look for:
- Encryption at rest that doesn’t slow down performance (think AES-256, always-on, and hardware-accelerated)
- Immutable snapshots that can’t be altered or deleted—even by rogue admins
- Automated disaster recovery orchestration that works seamlessly with VMware Live Site Recovery
What Pure Storage delivers:
- FlashArray™ includes SafeMode™ Snapshots, which are both immutable and indelible, giving ransomware zero room to breathe.
- With ActiveDR™ and ActiveCluster™, you get continuous replication and zero RPO failover capabilities, even across metro clusters.
- No extra licensing or bolt-on tools—security is native.
See how New Orleans’ IT team protects vital city systems with Pure Storage.
2. Deep VMware Integration, Not Just Compatibility
Your storage shouldn’t feel like a bolt-on—it should feel like it’s part of the VMware DNA.
What to look for:
- Plug-ins that live inside the vSphere client
- Native support for vVols and VMware Aria suite integrations
- Visibility and control at the VM level, not just the datastore level
What Pure Storage delivers:
- Native plug-ins that let you manage storage directly from the vSphere UI
- Deep integration with VMware Aria Automation, Operations, and Orchestrator for full-stack visibility and policy-based management
- Support for all storage protocols (FC, iSCSI, NFS, NVMe-oF, vVols) and for principal and supplemental roles in VMware Cloud Foundation
3. Radically Simplified Storage Management with vVols
Traditional storage provisioning with VMFS can be clunky. VMware vVols changes that game—and your storage should be optimized to support it.
What to look for:
- Real-time VM-level visibility and control
- Simplified provisioning, snapshots, and replication
- Enhanced performance tuning for app and DB admins
What Pure Storage delivers:
- FlashArray is the most deployed platform for VMware vVols, thanks to deep co-engineering with VMware.
- Admins can instantly snapshot, clone, or replicate VMs—without navigating away from vSphere.
- Application teams get better performance and faster troubleshooting with VM-granular observability.
4. AI-powered Insights for Smarter, Faster Decisions
You shouldn’t need a team of storage experts to diagnose a performance issue. Modern IT ops are powered by automation and intelligence—not endless war room meetings.
What to look for:
- Cross-stack VM visibility: storage, compute, network
- Predictive analytics and health monitoring
- Built-in assessments for security, sustainability, and optimization
What Pure Storage delivers:
- Pure1® VM Analytics gives you full-stack insight into every VM and volume.
- Get actionable assessments on VM optimization, security posture, data protection, and carbon footprint.
- Reduce your VMware license cost by identifying underutilized resources across clusters.
5. Flexible Procurement That Matches Your Business Model
Storage should never box you into a financial corner. Whether you prefer CAPEX, OPEX, or a hybrid model, you need options that grow with your business.
What to look for:
- Subscription-based or as-a-service options
- Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
- Evergreen upgrades—no forklift refreshes
What Pure Storage delivers:
- Evergreen//One™: Full OPEX, SLA-backed storage as a service
- Evergreen//Flex™: Own the hardware, but only pay for what you use.
- Evergreen//Forever™: Deploy once, and upgrade non-disruptively for a decade or more—no rebuys.
Why This Matters
VMware environments are only as powerful as the infrastructure beneath them. And when it comes to storage, Pure Storage delivers what “good enough” storage never will: performance without compromise, security without friction, and simplicity without tradeoffs.
If you’re ready to see what next-level storage can do for your VMware strategy, take the FlashArray test drive, or learn more about how to maximize your VMware environment with Pure Storage.
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