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Pure Storage and Microsoft Extend Azure Local with FlashArray as External Storage
Azure Local customers gain a straightforward path to enterprise-grade all-flash storage and local data control by attaching Pure Storage FlashArray to Azure-managed compute.
22/11/2025
Key Highlights:
Pure Storage FlashArray is now validated as external block storage for Microsoft Azure Local deployments.
Azure Local workloads can run in customer environments while relying on FlashArray systems for storage.
Existing FlashArray customers can bring their arrays forward into Azure Local without redesigning applications. The Evergreen subscription model offers non-disruptive hardware and software upgrades.
The announcement reflects Pure’s continued expansion of its hybrid-cloud portfolio and Microsoft’s commitment to local and sovereign cloud footprints.
The News
Pure Storage and Microsoft have extended their collaboration to support FlashArray as external storage for Azure Local. Azure Local enables organizations to run a defined set of Azure services within their own facilities while maintaining Azure’s control plane, identity, policy, and management framework. With this update, customers can attach FlashArray to Azure Local compute hosts and use it as the primary block-storage layer for local Azure workloads.
Pure Storage positions this as a natural fit for environments that require Azure services deployed on-premises due to latency, regulatory, or sovereignty constraints. FlashArray provides its established performance characteristics and data services, while Azure Local delivers a consistent operational model aligned to Azure-region workloads. For more information, read the Pure Storage announcement blog here.
Analyst Take
In our view, this announcement stands to strengthen both companies’ positions in the distributed cloud category. For Pure Storage, the integration extends its portfolio into an emerging class of hybrid-cloud environments without requiring customers to adopt a new storage architecture. For Microsoft, it broadens Azure Local’s applicability across industries that operate within strict regulatory frameworks or cannot tolerate remote-latency dependencies.
Industries such as capital markets, healthcare, public-sector operations, energy, and global enterprises with regional data-residency rules should examine this pairing closely. FlashArray provides predictable performance, strong data-reduction capabilities, and mature management practices, all of which are relevant for workloads that cannot rely on cloud-region storage.
We believe Pure’s Evergreen subscription model aligns well with Azure Local because it supports continuous modernization and simplifies lifecycle planning for sensitive workloads. Predictable subscription economics can also ease budgeting across hybrid environments, while regular hardware and software upgrades help maintain a current storage platform. Sustainability considerations may matter as well for organizations reducing hardware turnover.
Technical and operational boundaries will be important. Customers should expect configuration guidance that addresses connectivity patterns such as ExpressRoute, identifies supported Azure VM series for host access, and clarifies which issues are handled by Microsoft versus Pure. Consumption flows differ too. Microsoft charges for compute and networking, while Pure charges for capacity and software features. Understanding how these models interact will be essential for planning.
Overall, this development increases architectural choice for customers that want a cloud-consistent operational experience while maintaining local control of data placement and storage operations.
What Was Announced
Pure Storage announced support for FlashArray as external block storage for Microsoft Azure Local. With this integration, customers can connect FlashArray directly to Azure Local compute infrastructure and use it as the storage layer for virtual machines and application workloads. Azure Local administrators can provision and manage storage through Azure Local while the data itself resides on FlashArray in the customer facility.
The integration enables Azure Local clusters to use FlashArray as high-performance external storage, separating compute and storage for demanding workloads. Pure Storage states that workloads benefit from FlashArray’s consistent sub-millisecond latency and six-nines (99.9999%) availability when deployed in this model.
Pure also highlights several capabilities specific to Microsoft Windows environments. Offloaded Data Transfer (ODX) allows data to be copied directly between Pure Storage volumes, improving efficiency on NTFS-formatted volumes that support Windows-based Cluster Shared Volumes (CSVs). The Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) enables application-consistent hardware snapshots of virtual machines on CSVs, and those snapshots can be replicated to on-premises FlashArray systems or to virtual FlashArray instances running in Azure.
Management and automation support includes the Pure Storage PowerShell SDK2, the Pure Storage Backup SDK, and the Pure extension for Windows Admin Center v2 (WAC). Integration with System Center Operations Manager provides capacity and performance alerts, and System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) simplifies tasks such as creating volumes, attaching them to clusters, formatting them, and adding them as CSVs.
A Public Preview begins on November 18, 2025. The initial release focuses on stable connectivity for mission-critical applications on Azure Local. Fibre Channel will be supported first, with iSCSI and NVMe planned for later phases. Customers can participate in the preview through their Pure Storage or Microsoft account teams, with additional details available on Microsoft’s site for registered users.
Looking Ahead
Several developments will influence adoption in 2026. The first is Microsoft’s regional expansion of Azure Local. Industries that rely on locality, compliance, or operational isolation depend on predictable availability, and broader rollout will directly shape where this integration becomes relevant.
Performance validation, support boundaries, and clear documentation will also guide early deployments. Customers will look for precise guidance on throughput, scale, latency, and data services when FlashArray is positioned as the storage foundation under Azure Local. Well-defined support responsibilities between Microsoft and Pure will be essential.
The competitive landscape is becoming more active. Distributed and hybrid-cloud models are now central to how enterprises deploy workloads. As Azure Local gains traction, AWS, Oracle, and other cloud and systems providers will accelerate their own approaches, and storage vendors will seek to support multiple on-premises cloud architectures as customers diversify.
The Evergreen subscription model will be another area to watch. Non-disruptive hardware and software upgrades offer clear operational benefits for Azure Local, but the value will depend on alignment with Azure Local’s consumption model and enterprise planning cycles. We will monitor how customers operate Evergreen storage beneath Azure Local and whether the model delivers measurable improvements in cost, risk reduction, and overall simplicity.
The broader trend continues to move toward cloud operations that remain consistent across environments while giving organizations full control of data location. Customers evaluating Azure Local should consider this integration as they assess workloads with locality, performance, and governance requirements across hybrid estates.
As such, we believe that Pure Storage and Microsoft can improve the overall competitiveness of their alliance by jointly targeting high-value, data-intensive AI and mission-critical workloads with a guaranteed SLA, using FlashArray's superior performance and data reduction to directly challenge HCI alternatives such as Dell APEX and HPE GreenLake.
Moreover, they should create a unified, consumption-based hybrid cloud offer that pairs Pure's Evergreen Storage-as-a-Service (STaaS) model with Azure's cloud subscription framework, simplifying procurement and OpEx budgeting for customers. Finally they need to extend the Azure control plane to include native FlashArray data services (like SafeMode ransomware protection and replication) for comprehensive, cloud-consistent data governance, security, and resiliency across the entire on-premises/cloud estate.
Don Gentile | Analyst-in-Residence -- Storage & Data Resiliency
Don Gentile brings three decades of experience turning complex enterprise technologies into clear, differentiated narratives that drive competitive relevance and market leadership. He has helped shape iconic infrastructure platforms including IBM z16 and z17 mainframes, HPE ProLiant servers, and HPE GreenLake — guiding strategies that connect technology innovation with customer needs and fast-moving market dynamics.
His current focus spans flash storage, storage area networking, hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI), software-defined storage (SDS), hybrid cloud storage, Ceph/open source, cyber resiliency, and emerging models for integrating AI workloads across storage and compute. By applying deep knowledge of infrastructure technologies with proven skills in positioning, content strategy, and thought leadership, Don helps vendors sharpen their story, differentiate their offerings, and achieve stronger competitive standing across business, media, and technical audiences.
Ron Westfall | VP and Practice Leader for Infrastructure and Networking
Ron Westfall is a prominent analyst figure in technology and business transformation. Recognized as a Top 20 Analyst by AR Insights and a Tech Target contributor, his insights are featured in major media such as CNBC, Schwab Network, and NMG Media.
His expertise covers transformative fields such as Hybrid Cloud, AI Networking, Security Infrastructure, Edge Cloud Computing, Wireline/Wireless Connectivity, and 5G-IoT. Ron bridges the gap between C-suite strategic goals and the practical needs of end users and partners, driving technology ROI for leading organizations.