Pure Storage founder talks storage trends, securing data, and the future of data storage

John Colgrove, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of U.S.-based enterprise data storage company Pure Storage, leads the company's global technical strategy. A founding engineer at Veritas Software (which merged with Symantec in 2005) and later its Chief Technology Officer for the Data Centre Management Group, he also worked on the UTS kernel at Amdahl Corporation. On his recent visit to India, Colgrove, who holds over 450 patents, explains to TechCircle in an exclusive interview the trends in the data storage market, the impact of emerging technologies, and strategies for securing customer data. He also shares insights on the growth of the Indian market and future business plans for the company. Edited excerpts.

How important is data storage within the broader framework of enterprise IT?

Data is at the heart of everything, and I would argue that data storage is the most vital component of enterprise IT costs. The challenge lies in predicting future data access patterns, including how often data will be accessed, who will access it, where it will be accessed from, and the required speed. Since perfect predictions are impossible, we are continually working to enhance our approach. A significant number of companies that suffer data loss during disasters fail to survive for more than a year. Data, such as medical records or irreplaceable family photos, is crucial for both individuals and organisations. When I founded Pure Storage in 2009, my goal was to tackle all the areas I believed could be improved in the data storage industry.

Could you provide insights into the evolving trends in data storage in recent years?

The transition from HDDs to SSDs represents a notable transformation. Hard drives, an impressive technology since the mid-1950s, experienced ongoing enhancements until the early 2000s. Nevertheless, the pace of performance improvements diminished, paving the way for flash memory. Flash memory is more durable, energy-efficient, and offers quicker data retrieval, facilitating responsive applications on smartphones and computers. Another significant transition is the shift from storage that is directly linked to a single machine, such as mainframes, to network-attached storage. This development enables storage to be shared among various devices and backed up to the cloud, marking a fundamental shift in our approach to data usage and access.

How are multi-cloud environments, Gen AI, and other emerging technologies influencing the future of the Data Storage sector?

While AI is currently generating a lot of excitement, we are starting to see genuinely useful applications emerge. Just as the combination of the internet and smartphones sparked a revolution, AI is anticipated to create similarly impactful changes. We are currently witnessing a surge in investments in AI research and high-performance computing, with GPU-based supercomputers driving progress. However, the real impact will be felt when AI-powered applications become commonplace across our devices and within organisations, leading to a marked increase in the demand for storage performance. For example, consider a simple credit card transaction: complex analyses are performed in seconds, utilising all available data to detect fraudulent activities. This interconnectedness of information creates significant pressure on data accessibility. Additionally, data that was once considered insignificant, such as footage from vehicle cameras and security systems, now holds considerable potential. AI allows us to tap into this potential. Governments can use security camera footage, combined with AI, to analyse air quality trends over long periods. AI will enhance data retention, increase the value of data, and raise data access demands. It transforms potential data value into realised value, and these trends are expected to accelerate.

What strategies does Pure Storage employ in securing customer data?

Security is crucial for data storage, especially against fraud and unauthorised access. Pure Storage employs various strategies to protect customer data. A major concern is quantum computing's potential to compromise encryption. While Pure Storage encrypts all data at rest with quantum-resistant methods, quantum computing may still threaten authentication processes. The industry is developing quantum-resistant encryption standards, which Pure Storage is adopting. Additionally, Pure Storage focuses on simplifying infrastructure, as simpler systems are easier to secure and require less human intervention. Human error remains a significant risk; despite internal phishing simulations, the click rate is still high. Preventing employee phishing and password theft is vital. Security is integral to all Pure Storage solutions, with mandatory two-factor authentication for certain actions. Safe Mode snapshots, which ransomware cannot erase, require two users to unlock, ensuring a compromised account cannot disable them. This approach is evident in product design, emphasising simplicity and clear authorisation protocols. Pure Storage conducts ongoing security testing with internal attack teams and AI to identify vulnerabilities, integrating security throughout the engineering process from design to implementation.

How do you differentiate yourself from competitors like NetApp, Dell, IBM, HPE and others?

We set ourselves apart from our competitors by focusing exclusively on all-flash technology and our dedication to optimising flash performance. While others use solid-state drives in hard drive-centric systems, Pure Storage emphasises simplicity and user-friendliness, allowing customers to manage more storage efficiently and enhance resilience. Our products' reliability and efficiency are key differentiators, focusing on energy and space efficiency, reducing E-waste, and lowering power consumption.

 Another major differentiator is our Evergreen business model, which eliminates obsolescence through plug-and-play hardware upgrades and one-click software updates, enabling customers to maintain a 'new' system over time. This model allows flexible purchasing, letting customers buy only what they need initially, with the option to expand later. Essentially, Evergreen One offers storage as a service with adaptable licensing and deployment options, transforming how customers approach technology acquisition.

Where does the India centre fit in your global R&D set-up? What kind of innovation work happens in the Indian market?

Pure Storage established its India Centre approximately four and a half years ago as an equal partner to its development centres in Silicon Valley and Prague. The goal is for all three centres to be independent hubs of innovation. The India Centre leads development in areas such as DirectFlash and Portworx. Each centre leads specific product areas while supporting others, ensuring access to global talent and fostering a culture of ownership and innovation.

We avoid creating subordinate engineering teams in any location, empowering each team to own its innovation. This approach is crucial for building well-rounded and motivated teams and attracting top talent. The India Centre handles end-to-end development, from conception to customer delivery. The centre has achieved fantastic productivity and delivers high-quality work.

In the next 12-18 months, can we expect innovative products from the India centre?

India will lead the development of our next-generation direct flash modules for hyperscalers, a significant initiative for both our customers and the company. We are also expanding our hiring in India. The team is spearheading the development of our AI Copilots, which will improve usability across all products. Additionally, by utilising Portworx, we are adopting community virtualisation and modern virtualisation for containers, in response to the transition away from VMware. This initiative was conceived and driven from India. Currently, we employ around 600 individuals and intend to sustain rapid growth in the coming years.

What advice would you give to tech professionals, particularly CIOs/CTOs, to advance their career goals?

I encourage everyone at Pure, especially newer employees, to recognise that their ideas are valuable and heard. They should not feel like a cog in the machine. Everyone can contribute to change and improvement. We strive for continuous improvement in everything we do, from product quality to testing and design. We need people who are constantly seeking ways to enhance our processes and proactively address potential issues. We should always be looking for ways to improve our metrics and processes.