Farewell
After 9.5yrs at Pure Storage I am moving on to new adventures. Sharing knowledge about the work I delivered at Pure has been great. I appreciate all who have read, commented and used code from my posts. My blog will stay up for reference for a bit. As I focused my blogging on all things Pure and with my departure I don't have any FlashArrays....so [...]
Pure/Code() Hackathon at //Accelerate 2017
Pure//Accelerate 2017 starts next week and I wanted to build up some excitement for the Pure/Code() Hackathon that will be happening during the event. This will be an event [...]
Overwriting a Volume in Windows Server
I have been asked the question about how do you overwrite a volume using the PowerShell SDK that is connected from a Windows Server a few times so here is how its done!
In [...]
Cisco PowerTool for setting up FlashStack Virtual Server Infrastructure
This is a great example of using the Cisco UCS PowerTool Suite for Microsoft PowerShell to setup a FlashStack. The Cisco UCS manager can be a bit overwhelming with all of the [...]
Access FlashArray using the Pure Storage PowerShell SDK
In the latest release of the PowerShell SDK (1.7.4.0) we included a new cmdlet for sending CLI commands to the FlashArray. We added this cmdlet in case any new REST APIs had [...]
Using Protection Groups with VSS Snapshots
A common question I get about the Pure Storage Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) provider is; "How can I replicate a VSS snapshot?" Our VSS provider takes FlashProtect [...]
Pure Storage PowerShell SDK 1.7.4.0 Released
This new release adds support for connecting to Pure Storage FlashArray using IPv6. The only change in the connectivity process using New-PfaArray is using an IPv6 address for [...]
New! Scale-Out Files Services with Windows Storage Server 2016
Rolling out of the lab and into production a new Pure Storage reference architecture (Download) for deploying a highly-available and scale-out Microsoft® File Server [...]
New! FlashStack™ Mini CI for Microsoft Applications with Hyper-V
Hot off the presses, the new FlashStack™ Mini Converged Infrastructure Design Guide for Microsoft Applications with Hyper-V (Download). This new FlashStack uses the UCS Mini [...]
Pure Storage Non-Disruptive Video Series – Chapter 3, the FINALE!
The final chapter in the Non-Disruptive Video Series is now available! In this chapter we focus on upgrading from a Pure Storage FlashArray//m20 to a FlashArray//m50. Just as [...]
Pure Storage PowerShell ISE Add-on
We all have ideas we all come up with daily based on customer interactions, self-learning or working with engineering. But the chance to make one of those ideas a reality is [...]
Simple Provisioning Script to Create Multiple Volumes and Adding to a PGroup
Got this question today that a customer was looking for a provisioning script that allowed them to create several hundred volumes with assigned prefixes and then add them to a [...]
New Release! Pure Storage PowerShell SDK 1.6.6.0
This new release of the Pure Storage PowerShell SDK provides easier access to IO and Space reporting metrics. For those customers that are interested in creating reports this [...]
Checking for Active Remote Assist Session
Pure Storage support uses Remote Assist to help customers upgrade and troubleshoot should an issue arise. There have been a few requests from our System Engineers about [...]
Ignite, Ignite, Ignite
Microsoft Ignite is always a great show because I finally get a chance to nerd out with like minded people. This year I am even more excited because of the further investments [...]
Best Practice: Disable Disk Fragmentation Scheduled Task
By default Windows Server creates a scheduled task for defrag. Connected drives from a Pure Storage FlashArray do not need this defragmentation operation performed as it [...]
Create a Hierarchy Tree of Hosts, Volumes & Snapshots
The following script creates a visual hierarchy to show the Host to Volume to Snapshot relationship.
PowerShell script:
Clear-Host
$return = Read-Host -Prompt 'Enter the [...]
Get GitHub Download Release Metrics
Cody Hosterman, Argenis Fernandez and I have posted a lot of content to GitHub and one of the details I always wanted to know was "# of downloads for project X". Although [...]
Find All Disconnected Volumes
Updates
5/2/2017 - Added size of disconnected volume output.
5/1/2017 - Fixed bugs.
There are many ways to determine what volumes are connected to a host or host group, [...]
Retrieving Members of Directory Service Configuration
Once Pure Storage FlashArray Directory Services has been configured seeing who has been added to the different defined groups (Array_Admin_Group, ReadOnly_Group or [...]
Always Use VIR IP for Pure Storage SMI-S Provider
When using the Pure Storage SMI-S Provider ALWAYS use the VIR IP address. The SMI-S Provider runs on the Active (Primary) controller and using the VIR IP allows for [...]
Pure Storage + HoloLens
I’m so excited, it’s already been fun to develop demos for the capabilities of the Pure Storage platform but now its time for some new demos. First off, Microsoft THANK [...]
Setting up System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2 with Pure Storage
We introduced support for Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S) with the release of Purity 4.6. I covered the Pure Storage SMI-S Provider Overview previously [...]
Pure Storage Non-Disruptive Video Series – Chapter 2
The next chapter in the Non-Disruptive Video Series is now available! In this chapter we focus on upgrading from a Pure Storage FlashArray FA-420 to a FlashArray//m20. Just as [...]
PowerShell SDK & Toolkit available via the PowerShell Gallery
On the heels of my post about transitioning to use PowerShell Remoting I have made the Pure Storage PowerShell SDK and Toolkit available via the https://powershellgallery.com. [...]
Correlate a Volume to Source Snapshot
I received a request from a customer to determine what snapshot is the source of a created volume. Before I dig into how to determine the correlation using the Pure Storage [...]
PowerShell Remoting…Start Transitioning If You Haven’t
With the upcoming release of Windows Server 2016, Nano Server and all things related to Microsoft Azure learning PowerShell Remoting and start relying less and less on the use [...]
Integration of Pure Storage with SolarWinds®
All-flash arrays are the new normal in the data center. Pure Storage simplicity meets SolarWinds® end-to-end IT infrastructure management
After several months of work by [...]
Updated Pure Storage PowerShell Toolkit
I have updated the Pure Storage PowerShell Toolkit with a new cmdlet for testing Windows Server settings based on our best practices. The new release can be downloaded [...]
Pure Storage Non-Disruptive Video Series – Chapter 1
Since joining Pure Storage I've been able to work on very interesting projects but the Non-Disruptive Video Series has been one of my favorites. The goal of the Non-Disruptive [...]
New! FlashStack for Microsoft Exchange Server 2013
FlashStack is a flexible, all-flash converged infrastructure solution from Pure Storage® that brings the flash revolution to your data center. It combines the latest in [...]
What Volume is Connected to What Host?
There was a Pure1 Community forum question asking how to identify what volume is connected to what host?
Here are some simple scripts to display with no need to go to the [...]
Demonstration of New Microsoft Azure Integration
During the Pure//Accelerate 2016 conference we announced the Pure Storage Hybrid All-Flash Cloud with Microsoft Azure. During the conference we presented sessions and [...]
Pure Storage Python Toolkit with BASH on Windows 10
Microsoft recently announced the new Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14316 which includes the ability to run native bash on Ubuntu on Windows. First off BRILLIANT! Secondly I [...]
Where are the Pure Storage SDKs and Toolkits?
I have received a lot of questions recently about the locations of the various SDKs and Toolkits for the Pure Storage® Windows PowerShell modules.
There are two new [...]
New Pure Storage PowerShell SDK Release
Today we released the new Pure Storage® PowerShell SDK 1.5. This new release addresses some core changes to the SDK that include:
Upgraded to support Transport Layer [...]
Announcing: Pure Storage All-Flash Cloud for Microsoft Azure
Today is an exciting day at Pure Storage! Holding our 1st User Conference: Pure//Accelerate; announcing new products: FlashArray//m10 and FlashBlade; along with several new [...]
Misconception of Microsoft Exchange Server support with Pure Storage FlashArray
The question from customers that consistently comes up is regarding support for Microsoft Exchange Server with a Pure Storage FlashArray. The simple answer is Yes, it is [...]
Pure Storage 40,000 Mailbox Resiliency Storage Solution (ESRP)
Unlike traditional disk based storage solutions where various arrays are designed to address specific customer profiles, FlashArray//m is designed to consolidate multiple data [...]
New PowerShell ISE *Preview* & PowerShell Gallery
There are so many great PowerShell development/scripting tools that have been developed offering a wide variety of features for every level of scripter. I’ve run through the [...]
Photo of the Day: Pure Storage FlashArray//m Series Systems
Thanks to Alex Touchette who took an amazing perspective shot of a row of Pure Storage FlashArray//m series systems. Feel free to download and use as your wallpaper, also [...]
Remove the Windows Features You Don’t Need to Save Some Space
Windows Server comes with a wealth of Roles and Features. In many cases not everyone uses all of the Roles or Features on every server deployed, physical or virtualized. So [...]
How-To: Enabling/Disabling Remote Assist with the PowerShell SDK
A question that is coming up often as more and more customers leverage the Pure Storage PowerShell SDK for automation management is, “How do I control Remote Assist [...]
$200 Discount Code for Pure//Accelerate, What do you want to learn?
Want to join us at Pure//Accelerate and save $200 off the registration fee???
The solution is as simple as our management interface:
Send a tweet with why you want to [...]
Accelerate Your Pure Storage Experience
After being at Pure Storage for the last 2+ years there are so many amazing moments that I have experienced but if I could distill it down into my Top 5 here they [...]
Kicking the Deployment Tires with Microsoft Nano Server
I finally started playing around with Microsoft Nano Server this past week and am quite amazed at the implementation of this new Windows Server deployment option. The [...]
Pure Storage SMI-S Provider Overview
With the release of Purity 4.6 we introduce support for the Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S).This specification was created by the Storage Networking [...]
Learn about Commvault IntelliSnap technology integration with Pure Storage
Commvault adds orchestration and functional value on top of the Pure Storage FlashRecover Snapshot technology with the IntelliSnap™ technology snapshot management feature [...]
Using the PowerShell SDK with System Center 2012 Orchestrator
The Pure Storage PowerShell SDK presents opportunities to automate tasks in a variety of different applications, services and tools. In this post, I want to provide a simple [...]
Read a Password from a Secure File for use with the PowerShell SDK
Quick post on how to store and retrieve passwords to automate login to the Pure Storage FlashArray using the PowerShell SDK.
We will use the basis of a previous post, [...]
Getting Started with the Pure Storage PowerShell SDK
A picture (or video in this case) is worth a thousand words. In this video I walk through the following:
Installing the Pure Storage PowerShell SDK 1.0.15.0
Installing [...]