Everpure adds AI & VM storage tools for Kubernetes

Everpure has introduced new Portworx features for AI workloads and virtual machines on Kubernetes. IDC MarketScape also named the company a Leader in container data and infrastructure management software.

The updates focus on pre-staged volumes for AI and machine learning workloads, the general availability of Kube Datastore for virtual machines on Kubernetes, and broader observability in the Portworx operations centre.

The announcement reflects a wider push by infrastructure suppliers to support companies that want to run virtual machines, containers and AI applications on the same Kubernetes-based platform. Storage and data management have become central to that shift, particularly for organisations moving established workloads while also deploying newer AI systems.

Portworx is Everpure's Kubernetes data management offering. The latest changes are intended to reduce delays in data access for AI workloads and give platform teams a more consistent way to manage storage across public cloud and on-premises environments.

AI storage

One update targets AI inference and training environments, where applications can be delayed while large model weights or datasets are repeatedly downloaded before workloads start. Pre-staged volumes are intended to address that issue by placing warm local copies of persistent volume data across cluster nodes.

Under this approach, storage policies determine which local copy a workload should use when it starts or moves to another node. This is intended to reduce startup delays and speed recovery in environments where workloads are frequently rescheduled or restarted.

The feature is not yet generally available and is expected in the first quarter of 2027.

VM transition

A second part of the update focuses on organisations moving virtual machine estates into Kubernetes environments. Kube Datastore, or KDS, is now generally available on supported SAN arrays.

KDS is designed to allow storage for VMs, containers and AI workloads to be managed through Kubernetes while retaining controls familiar to virtualisation administrators. Support for both dynamic and static pools is intended to provide predictable storage placement and capacity controls while relying on the underlying array for performance and resilience.

Everpure said the setup can allow workloads to run with fewer replicas, while platform engineers carry out tasks such as rebalancing and maintenance through Kubernetes-native workflows. VM administrators would also retain concepts such as datastores and storage mobility during the move to Kubernetes.

Wider platform support

Alongside those releases, Everpure outlined broader ecosystem support. Portworx is available for customers deploying Red Hat OpenShift 5, which the company positions as a platform for managing mixed workloads with a focus on operational simplicity, security and compliance.

Everpure also expanded the observability functions in its operations centre. The software now provides visibility into pool inventory, live migration progress and hyperconvergence state through a single interface for storage and virtualisation operations, according to the company.

Another change is broader support for third-party backup products. The bring-your-own-backup model will sit alongside Everpure's own backup and disaster recovery tools, giving customers more choice in workload protection.

Analyst backing

Everpure linked the product update to its position in IDC's latest MarketScape assessment of container data and infrastructure management software. The report described Portworx as suited to enterprises running business-critical virtual machines, containerised applications or AI workloads on Kubernetes across multiple distributions or mixed storage environments, particularly those seeking integrated backup and disaster recovery.

Greg Muscarella, General Manager, Portworx, at Everpure, said: "Enterprises need to build and scale new applications while modernizing existing ones without compromising availability or adding operational complexity. Portworx gives teams a consistent approach to running containers and VMs on Kubernetes and managing their data across public clouds and on-premises infrastructure. Our latest innovations, including Kube Datastore, help customers simplify storage management, recover faster from infrastructure failures, and use storage more efficiently. We believe our recognition as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape reflects our commitment to helping customers run mission-critical applications with confidence, from established enterprise workloads to new cloud-native services."

The IDC MarketScape said: "Everpure's Portworx offering is a good fit for enterprises running mission-critical VMs, containerized applications, or AI workloads on Kubernetes across multiple distributions or mixed storage that want integrated backup and Disaster Recovery. Everpure is actively developing virtualization platform feature parity into Portworx. Organisations interested in a seamless transition from VMs to containers should consider Portworx."