Pure Storage

Overview

Pure Storage is a flash storage vendor whose Direct Flash Modules (DFMs) and user-space Flash Translation Layer (FTL) anchor Meta's first-generation QLC flash storage server. Pure supplies 75TB DFMs for the initial deployment, with 150TB DFMs planned for the follow-on generation alongside 128TB SSDs from multiple suppliers. Rather than a drive-firmware FTL, Pure's DFMs run a proprietary user-space FTL accessed through the Linux Ublock driver, which lets Meta tune indirect unit (IU) sizes on-the-fly to match its evolving workload. During bring-up, Pure worked with Meta to pivot away from its proprietary storage security API to the Linux Ublock user-space block driver, giving DFMs near plug-and-play compatibility with standard NVMe SSDs. Treating the whole server as one large SSD, Pure's DFM also enables a 16+1 cross-drive RAID configuration that lowers write amplification and P/E cycles to extend endurance.