Pure Storage accuses EMC of copying its kit

Start-up claims EMC acquired one of its flash arrays from a reseller before letting its Xtremio team loose on the technology

EMC's latest product launch has been attacked again today, this time by Pure Storage, which has accused its larger rival of developing the new offering after secretly buying Pure products from a channel partner.

EMC's new all-flash product Xtremio, which was made generally available yesterday, has already been criticised by hybrid storage vendor X-IO, but Pure went for the jugular today and suggested EMC was very close to infringing its intellectual property rights.

When start-up Pure Storage launched in the channel this year, it said it had EMC firmly in its sights and was directly competing with the industry giant. Last month, EMC filed a US law suit against one of its ex-staff after accusing him of defecting to Pure and taking confidential information with him.

Today Pure took a chance to pour scorn on EMC's new offering and its chief executive Scott Dietzen said he believes EMC's latest product was inspired by his firm's tech.

"For EMC customers and partners, if you want to see what Xtremio is likely to look like tomorrow, check out Pure Storage today," he said in a blog.

"Unbeknownst to us, about a year ago EMC procured a Pure Storage flash array from a channel partner and did their own internal testing. Pure has never undertaken anything of this sort.

"Our understanding is that the Pure array in question was taken to an engineering facility and that some of the Xtremio team were able to get hands-on access to Pure's technology. We believe that such practices risk intellectual property contamination, both perceived and actual, of any vendor who allows their technical staff direct access to a competitor's technology.

"At Pure, we welcome head-to-head hands-on compares between Pure Storage and Xtremio, or any storage array for that matter."

EMC declined to comment.