Everpure FlashArray//X: tier-1 block storage
FlashArray//X is Everpure’s tier-1 block array, built on NVMe DirectFlash media and sold in four R4 models from X20 to X90. It is a block-focused product rather than a unified one, which is deliberate: the platform is designed around consistent low latency for databases and virtualisation rather than around serving every protocol.
Technical specification
| Model | Type | Maximum capacity | Controller | Protocols | Drive type | Rack U |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FlashArray//X20 R5 | Tier-1 all-flash block and file | – | Dual controller, data-in-place upgrades | NVMe and NVMe-oF (FC, RoCE, TCP), SMB, NFS | DirectFlash Module | – |
| FlashArray//X50 R5 | Tier-1 all-flash block and file | 256 TB raw (900 TB effective) | Dual controller, data-in-place upgrades | NVMe and NVMe-oF (FC, RoCE, TCP), SMB, NFS | DirectFlash Module | 3U – 6U |
| FlashArray//X70 R5 | Tier-1 all-flash block and file | 695 TB raw (2.5 PB effective) | Dual controller, data-in-place upgrades | NVMe and NVMe-oF (FC, RoCE, TCP), SMB, NFS | DirectFlash Module | 3U – 9U |
| FlashArray//X90 R5 | Tier-1 all-flash block and file | 1,207 TB raw (4.4 PB effective) | Dual controller, data-in-place upgrades | NVMe and NVMe-oF (FC, RoCE, TCP), SMB, NFS | DirectFlash Module | 3U – 9U |
Source of the values: Everpure FlashArray//X data sheet. Effective capacity assumes the manufacturer’s published data reduction. The //X20 R5 row is left blank because the data sheet we hold does not publish its capacity line. An en dash means the manufacturer does not publish that value; we do not fill it in with an estimate. Confirm every figure against the current manufacturer document before it is written into a contract.
The references we quote in this family are FlashArray//X20 R5, FlashArray//X50 R5, FlashArray//X70 R5 and FlashArray//X90 R5. Send us the reference if you already have one, or the usable capacity and the protocol you need if you do not, and we will confirm availability and lead time.
Reading the model code and the generation
A FlashArray reference has two parts that matter: the family position and the generation. //X20, //X50, //X70 and //X90 are ascending capacity and performance classes within the same architecture, so moving up buys headroom rather than features. The suffix R5 is the generation, and it is the part most often lost in a comparison. Our table lists the R5 line because that is what the manufacturer currently publishes; an older quotation may show R4 references with lower capacity ceilings and a previous controller. When you compare two offers, check the suffix on both before reading anything into the price. If you are extending an existing FlashArray estate, tell us which generation is already installed, because the upgrade path and the subscription terms follow from it rather than from the capacity you are adding.
Which one should you choose?
Block-focused is a feature, not a gap
If your requirement is file shares, this is the wrong product and we will say so. If your requirement is a database or a virtualisation cluster that needs predictable latency under load, a block-specialised array is a different and usually better answer than a unified one running the same workload alongside file services.
DirectFlash is about the media layer
Rather than using off-the-shelf SSDs with their own controllers, the platform manages raw flash directly. The practical consequence customers notice is consistency: latency that stays flat as the array fills rather than degrading. Whether that matters depends on how close to full you intend to run.
X20 to X90 is a performance ladder
The four R4 models differ in performance and capacity rather than in features, so the data services are the same across the range. That makes sizing simpler than in families where the entry model is also feature-limited: pick the class from the workload and the growth, not from the feature matrix.
Effective capacity needs your data
Quoted effective capacity assumes a data reduction ratio. Databases and virtual machine images reduce well; already-compressed media does not. We quote raw and effective separately and state the assumed ratio, because a comparison built on someone’s optimistic ratio is not a comparison.
What to send us
Usable capacity, the workload type, the latency or IOPS target, the host connectivity you have, and the growth expected. If you are comparing against another vendor’s proposal, send that too and we will match the assumptions before matching the price.
Request a Quote
Send the usable capacity, the protocol your hosts speak and the performance target. A priced quote comes back within 48 hours with the raw and usable figures separated.
