IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe vs VAST Data comparison

IBM and VAST Data are both solutions in the NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays category. IBM is ranked #11 with an average rating of 8.3, while VAST Data is ranked #13. IBM holds a 1.5% mindshare in N, compared to VAST Data’s 6.2% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of VAST Data users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 18, 2024

IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe and VAST Data are competitive storage solutions. IBM FlashSystem appears to excel in pricing and ease of deployment, while VAST Data offers advanced features despite higher costs.

Features: IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe provides reliable performance, scalability, and integration with existing infrastructures. VAST Data offers advanced data reduction, AI integration, and cutting-edge features. IBM is favored for enterprise environments, while VAST caters to advanced data needs.

Room for Improvement: IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe can enhance management tools, support newer protocols, and improve usability. VAST Data needs better documentation, a reduced learning curve, and simpler features to lower complexity.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe deployment is straightforward with good documentation and strong customer support. VAST Data's deployment is more complex, but it offers high-level support. IBM stands out for ease of use, while VAST is noted for its responsive support.

Pricing and ROI: IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe has competitive setup costs and favorable ROI in enterprise settings. VAST Data initially appears expensive but offers significant long-term value due to advanced capabilities. IBM provides cost-effective solutions, while VAST justifies higher costs with better long-term returns.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe vs. VAST Data Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe vs. VAST Data

December 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays category, the mindshare of Pure FlashArray X NVMe is 4.0%, up from 2.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe is 1.5%, down from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of VAST Data is 6.2%, up from 5.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Pure FlashArray X NVMe	4.0%
IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe	1.5%
VAST Data	6.2%
Other	88.3%

NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays

Featured Reviews

Jaehoon Oh

Chief Technology Officer at Lambda256

Supports efficient storage management through volume snapshots and offers reliable non-disruptive upgrades

I have no specific improvements to suggest for Pure FlashArray X NVMe at this time. The performance statistics could be enhanced. I can see the performance statistics in the Pure Storage console, but it does not show the performance by 4K byte unit. It displays IOPS and bandwidth, but IOPS is about real use, and I want to know how many IOPS are currently running in 4K byte units. I cannot see that IOPS because most storage systems report their performance by 4K byte unit. I want to see Pure Storage performance by 4K byte unit to compare with other storage or other internal NVMe SSD.

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MohammedIsmail

Datacenter Manager at Tracker Connect

Enhanced storage performance and an easy setup with compression challenges

We use IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe as a storage device in the IT industry The features I find most valuable include its use for storage and performance. The solution's compression needs to be improved, as it's not the best. Furthermore, support from the partner could also be improved as it's been…

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Alan Powers

HPC CTO at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees

Stability-wise, a device that has been up and running for years

The failover capability and resiliency are some of the solution's valuable features. The big thing is resilience because it has richer coding in it, so multiple devices can't fail. Also, one can still access a number of CBoxes that can allow one to access their file system. Once a device fails, it fails the transparency of the end-user, and it just starts using another resource. The encryption capability, the snapshots, along with a whole bunch of features make the tool valuable. VAST Data keeps adding more and more features all the time.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"What I really like about this program, is that it is easy to use and easy to configurate."

"The solution uses newer technology for deduplication and compression."

"The best features of Pure FlashArray X NVMe include the volume snapshot capabilities, which allow us to save most of the storage space by volume snapshots periodically."

"I use the tool for Oracle databases, Oracle virtual machines, and Oracle Linux databases. I'm on the storage side, not a database administrator."

"It's incredibly easy to use and greatly simplified our ability to both deploy and manage our storage subsystems."

"It is very easy to install and configure. It has got excellent diagnostics. If you really need to see how the box is performing, the console gives you a lot of information. You can set thresholds as well as alerts based on the thresholds, which is a very powerful functionality. They are very proactive. They know how to monitor and manage the systems. They see a problem, and they are all over it before us. They see the problem before we see it, which is very good."

"It has good, reliable, fast storage."

"Overall stability is very good. It is a very stable solution."

More Pure FlashArray X NVMe pros

"The high performance and high availability improved our overall processes."

"The most valuable feature is the speed."

"IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe is easy to use and comes with good performance."

"IBM FlashSystem provides the same software on each box, including virtualized solutions."

"The FlashCore modules support more value to the architecture due to their unique characteristics."

"Its ease of use, performance, and hardware compression is very useful feature."

"The features I find most valuable include its use for storage and performance."

"Good performance with a user-friendly UI."

More IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe pros

"The solution is useful for machine learning and scientific applications, including computer simulations."

"This has been one of the most reliable storage systems that I have ever used."

Cons

"Efficiency improvements would always be welcome, but I'm not sure if they could get more efficient."

"There is room for improvement in the pricing of the product."

"We would like to see VNC integration or be able to use Pure Storage with VNC."

"We've seen that when we create a POD in synchronous mode, it increases the latency."

"There is room for improvement in catering to midrange storage needs, especially for customers seeking Enterprise-class features."

"Adding some functions to the product would be beneficial. Storage replication should be essential, and the analytics should not incur extra charges."

"I want to see Pure Storage not only be for fast storage, but I want to see it be for the entire data center."

"In terms of what needs improvement, the dashboard and management could be simplified."

More Pure FlashArray X NVMe cons

"The efficacy of the GUI in IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe could be enhanced, and it would be beneficial to include a feature that can prevent ransomware attacks."

"The tool's architecture is complex. It also needs to add data utilization reports."

"IBM's support is not good. I experienced a big problem where I opened the console IBM Storage and would see that something was broken. I called the call centers, and I said, "I have a problem. My drive is not working." They want me to give them the serial number, I gave it to them and they told me "I cannot find your product. Your product is not here.""

"The storage system itself should have built-in capabilities for different ransomware attacks."

"In the future, the limitation is upgrading the same storage by adding a shelf to the desk. There is a limitation in the backend connection between the storage and extended shelf."

"IBM is currently not offering volume-based encryption or compression, while other brands or IBM's competitors are doing it."

"The support could be better."

"Deduplication and compression should be improved."

More IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe cons

"The read/write ratio is an area in the solution with some flaws and needs improvement."

"The write performance could be improved because it is less than half of the read performance."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Pure FlashArray X NVMe’s pricing is cheaper than other products."

"We pay approximately $50,000 USD per year in licensing fees."

"Its price could be better. It is not too expensive, but it is the high-end cost. It is kind of a Rolls-Royce. You pay a lot, but you get a lot out of it. So, the price pressure on the way down would be great, but at the end of the day, if you need to do the work, you just pay for it."

"Given its price, Pure is not the first option."

"The product is expensive."

"The tool is an investment that we've budgeted for. While the prices may be higher than those of other vendors, we see it as a market leader with benefits. We don't regret purchasing it."

"With VMware, we pay $300,000 annually."

"Our licensing fees are $500,000+ USD."

More Pure FlashArray X NVMe pricing and cost advice

"There are pricing options from the mid-rand to the high-range, of which the suitability depends upon the requirements."

"On a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price and ten is a high price, I rate the pricing an eight."

"It's a lot less costly than cloud storage. People get surprised by the cost of cloud storage, which is extremely expensive and four or five times the cost of storage on-premises. People don't realize what they're spending on storage until they start getting bills from Amazon, Microsoft, and others. This is a good way to reduce your cloud storage expenses."

"The product has an average cost."

"The solution's price is competitive."

"The price of IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMele can be considered affordable when taking into account the operating system that is required for it to function properly. This operating system, which is licensed by IBM, may carry a higher cost, but it is worth the investment for larger corporate entities, such as insurance companies, Fortune Five companies, and banks, who make up a significant portion of their target market. The FlashSystems are designed for larger corporations and multinational enterprises, and may not be the most cost-effective solution for smaller businesses."

"Compared to other solutions, the cost of IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe is reasonable, with a one-time payment of around $70,000. However, additional support is available for $25,000 for three years. The overall maintenance cost is steep."

"The tool's pricing is competitive."

More IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe pricing and cost advice

"Price-wise, VAST Data is not the cheapest, not the most expensive one."

"We acquired VAST Data as a one-time, capital purchase."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Government

Computer Software Company

Government

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Manufacturing Company

13%

Computer Software Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

12%

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	12

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	8
Large Enterprise	5

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Pure FlashArray X NVMe?

Pure FlashArray X NVMe helps to improve our processing speed. It is user-friendly and easy to use.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Pure FlashArray X NVMe?

The price of Pure FlashArray X NVMe is very expensive, though I do not know the actual price because I am using the E...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Pure FlashArray X NVMe?

I have no specific improvements to suggest for Pure FlashArray X NVMe at this time. The performance statistics could ...

See all answers

What do you like most about IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe?

The storage serves the virtual environment. Most of our applications run in the virtual environment, and it serves ne...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe?

The tool is expensive, though I do not know the specific licensing costs.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe?

The solution's compression needs to be improved, as it's not the best. Furthermore, support from the partner could al...

See all answers

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Comparisons

Dell PowerStore vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 19% of the time

Dell PowerMax vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 13% of the time

TrueNAS R-Series vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 11% of the time

HPE Alletra Storage vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 9% of the time

Pure Storage FlashBlade vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 8% of the time

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Dell PowerMax vs IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

Compared 31% of the time

HPE Alletra Storage vs IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

Compared 20% of the time

Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform vs IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

Compared 19% of the time

Dell PowerStore vs IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

Compared 18% of the time

Hitachi VSP E Series vs IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

Compared 13% of the time

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NetApp AFF vs VAST Data

Compared 10% of the time

Pure Storage FlashArray vs VAST Data

Compared 9% of the time

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vs VAST Data

Compared 8% of the time

MinIO vs VAST Data

Compared 7% of the time

Databricks vs VAST Data

Compared 6% of the time

More VAST Data Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Pure FlashArray X NVMe

December 2025

Download Pure FlashArray X NVMe product report

Buyer's Guide

IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

December 2025

Download IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe product report

Buyer's Guide

NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays

December 2025

Download VAST Data product report

Also Known As

Pure FlashArray//X NVMe, Pure FlashArray//X, FlashArray//X

IBM FlashSystem 9100, FlashSystem 9100

No data available

Overview

Pure Storage FlashArray//X is the world’s first enterprise-class, all-NVMe flash storage array. It represents a new class of storage – shared accelerated storage, which is a term coined by Gartner – that delivers major breakthroughs in performance, simplicity, and consolidation.

Pure Storage

IBM FlashSystem 9100 combines the performance of flash and Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) end-to-end with the reliability and innovation of IBM FlashCore technology and the rich features of IBM Spectrum Virtualize - all in a powerful 2U enterprise-class storage system. Providing intensive data driven multicloud storage capacity, FlashSystem 9100 is deeply integrated with the software defined capabilities of IBM Spectrum Storage allowing you to easily add in the multicloud solutions that best support your business.

IBM

Innovation to break decades of data storage trade-offs.

VAST Data

Sample Customers

Fremont Bank, Judson ISD, The Nielsen Company

Information Not Available

Norwest Venture Partners, General Dynamics Information Technology, Ginkgo Bioworks

Buyer's Guide

IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe vs. VAST Data

December 2025

Free Report: IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe vs. VAST Data

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe vs. VAST Data and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

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