An event at the Palais des Papes in Avignon, a keynote in the room where the conclave used to be held: this year, after an exceptionally successful period, DataCore pulled out all the stops.
At the iconic Palais des Papes in Avignon, DataCore unveils its renewed mission and vision during the annual DataCore Days 2025. CEO Dave Zabrowski opens the conclave keynote with a powerful message: “In the IT industry, there are still walls that keep customers in and outsiders out. We are tearing those walls down. It’s time for freedom.”
The theme of freedom is not just symbolic; it runs throughout the event’s presentations. Pierre Aguerreberry, VP Sales EMEA, explains that DataCore’s goal is to give companies maximum choice in data management. “Our customers can manage their data on the platforms they want, without locking themselves into a single vendor or technology. That’s the freedom we offer.”
Innovation through Acquisitions
Over the past four years, DataCore has radically expanded its portfolio through seven strategic acquisitions, including Swarm (object storage), Bolt (container-native storage), Perifery (edge storage), and Arcastream (high-performance file storage). These acquisitions enable DataCore to offer a wide range of data management solutions that help companies navigate a world where data rapidly spreads across platforms.
Seven popes were chosen in this room. We now have seven products in our portfolio. Our marketing did a great job.
Pierre Aguerreberry, VP Sales EMEA
What stands out is the massive transformation DataCore is undergoing. Where the company once relied on SANsymphony, a primary storage product (software-defined storage, or SDS), it has significantly broadened its portfolio through strategic acquisitions.
Tom Cordiner, the new Chief Revenue Officer, underscores the strategic value of these expansions: “We now have a much broader portfolio, which lets us have richer, more business-focused conversations with our customers. That leads to larger pipelines, more revenue, and ultimately better margins.”
DataCore.Next Connects Everything
Another key piece of this expansion is DataCore.next: the new platform that seamlessly ties all of the company’s products together. The ability to integrate these solutions from core to edge to cloud is a crucial advantage for partners and customers in a world where data is increasingly distributed across locations and platforms.
“With our acquisitions and innovations, we’ve built a portfolio that covers every facet of data management. Whatever your customer needs, we have a solution,” says DataCore CEO Dave Zabrowski.
Data Explosion
The explosive growth of data forms the backdrop for DataCore’s strategy. Gartner estimates that by 2025, 175 zettabytes of data will have been generated worldwide, of which 11.7 zettabytes will come from enterprise data. In this data-intensive era, companies must quickly respond to growing volumes of unstructured data, such as that generated by AI/ML, Kubernetes, HPC, and IoT.
Zabrowski stresses the urgency of these trends in his presentation. “More data has been generated in the past two years than in the entire history of humanity. This is not the time to be stuck in legacy systems. The future lies in managing unstructured data, and that’s where we come in.”
The company is therefore strongly focused on the edge, where 75 percent of data is generated. It sees this as a key growth area for the coming years.
Aguerreberry agrees: “The storage market is always in motion, but in recent years it’s been more dynamic than ever. From 4K video to AI models, the need for scalable, flexible storage solutions is growing rapidly. That’s exactly where our opportunity lies.”
Kubernetes and Edge Computing
DataCore also targets emerging technologies that are becoming increasingly important in modern IT infrastructure. Kubernetes, for example—simplifying the management of container-based applications—is positioned by Zabrowski as the technology of the future.
“We’ve been active in the Kubernetes market for three years, and this year we’re seeing a clear acceleration in adoption. It’s no longer a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ customers will move to Kubernetes,” says Zabrowski during the presentation.
With Bolt, DataCore’s container-native storage solution, the company offers a compelling answer to the growing demand for cloud-native applications. Bolt’s flexibility enables companies to store and manage their data within a Kubernetes environment, helping them innovate faster and work more efficiently.
Beyond Kubernetes, DataCore is also focusing on edge computing, where the need for distributed data processing is increasing. Aguerreberry explains: “Edge computing is the future, and the need for edge storage is growing faster than ever. Companies no longer want to depend on central data centers. They want to manage data right at the edge of their networks.” The Perifery platform provides exactly the solution they need to manage their edge infrastructure efficiently.
Media & Entertainment
DataCore has also made significant investments in the media and entertainment sector, which is generating ever more 4K/8K video, VFX, and other data-intensive workloads. Arcastream, one of the latest acquisitions, offers an advanced file system for high-performance computing—ideal for media and production environments. “The media world creates massive amounts of data. We provide solutions that manage this efficiently so companies can focus on their core business,” says Zabrowski.
Media companies must be able to quickly store, process, and distribute large volumes of video and imagery. Arcastream helps by providing a flexible, scalable infrastructure that not only enables high-speed data transfer but also offers robust data security.
A Flexible and Open Future
The message from the papal palace on behalf of DataCore is clear: give companies the freedom they need to evolve in the digital age. No walls, no lock-in—just a flexible, open approach to data management.
With a significantly broadened portfolio, a focus on fast-growing technologies like Kubernetes and edge computing, and a clear strategy for media and entertainment storage, DataCore is well positioned. It has momentum, with annual revenue doubling compared to 2024.
The storage market isn’t boring or mature. It’s exciting again, and we have the solutions
Dave Zabrowski, CEO
Zabrowski concludes: “The storage market isn’t boring or mature. It’s exciting again, and we have the solutions to help companies grow in this dynamic environment. We want to tear down the walls of the past and build a new, flexible future.”