In anticipation of KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2025, VMblog sat down with Brock Mowry, CTO of Tintri, to discuss how the company's innovative VMstore platform is transforming Kubernetes data management. As a gold sponsor at this year's event, Tintri is showcasing its workload-aware data management solutions that bridge the gap between virtualized and containerized environments. With capabilities like autonomous management, ML-driven workload placement, and real-time analytics, Tintri aims to simplify operations while managing up to 40PB of data across thousands of applications. Attendees can visit Tintri at booth S341 to experience interactive demo sessions and learn how their technology addresses the growing complexity of hybrid cloud-native environments.

VMblog:  Can you give us your elevator pitch?  What kind of message will an attendee hear from you this year?  What will they take back to help sell their management team and decision makers?

Brock Mowry:  Tintri VMstore is a cutting-edge, workload-aware data management solution that simplifies operations, optimizes performance and scales effortlessly. With features like autonomous management, machine learning (ML)-driven workload placement and real-time analytics, VMstore empowers organizations to manage up to 40PB of data seamlessly across thousands of applications. Its single-pane-of-glass interface ensures simplicity and observability, while persistent data protection and QoS policies enhance reliability.

At KubeCon EU this year, Tintri's message will focus on revolutionizing Kubernetes data services. Attendees will learn how Tintri's solutions elevate containerized workloads through simplified scaling, automated operations and workload-aware storage. The emphasis will be on real-time analytics and intelligent infrastructure that reduces latency, enhances user experience, and accelerates deployments.

Key takeaways for decision-makers include:

• Efficiency: Tintri's automation capabilities reduce operational overhead and streamline IT practices.
• Scalability: Easily scale from hundreds to thousands of VMs, Persistent Volumes and Databases while maintaining performance.
• Cost-effectiveness: Optimize resources with predictive analytics to reduce bottlenecks and improve ROI.
• Compatibility: Seamless integration with existing hypervisor environments and Kubernetes clusters.

These benefits provide a compelling case for adopting Tintri VMstore as part of an organization's cloud-native strategy.

VMblog:  As a sponsor of KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2025, what level of sponsorship have you chosen, and what motivated this investment?

Mowry:  Tintri is a gold level sponsor of KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2025. With the Kubernetes market consistently growing, Tintri aims to provide customers with the tools to serve workloads/applications. Tintri platforms offer simplicity and observability that no other platform can provide.

VMblog:  Where can attendees find you at the event? What interactive experiences, demos, or activities have you planned for your booth?

Mowry:  Attendees can find Tintri at booth S341. We will be hosting a series of Live Geek Outs!, which are interactive demo sessions, around data protection and DevOps. Additionally, I will be hosting a session on April 2 at 3:45 p.m. (local time) on Kubernetes data services.

Attendees will have a chance to win some exciting prizes including LEGO sets, a limited edition 7" vinyl record player with original tracks as well as a portable vinyl record player as the grand prize.

VMblog:  Can you double click on your company's technologies?  And talk about the types of problems you solve for a KubeCon + CloudNativeCon attendee.

Mowry:  Tintri's technologies, particularly its VMstore platform and newly introduced Data Services for Kubernetes and Container Storage Interface (CSI) driver, are designed to address critical challenges for Kubernetes and cloud-native environments. Here's a detailed look at their capabilities and the problems they solve for KubeCon + CloudNativeCon attendees:

Tintri Technologies Overview

1. VMstore Platform:

• Provides observability into performance, data protection, and management for virtual, Database and container workloads.
• Features AI-powered automation for real-time resource allocation, predictive analytics and autonomous QoS adjustments.

2. VMstore CSI Driver:

• Extends VMstore capabilities to Kubernetes environments, enabling unified management of container and VM workloads.
• Offers dynamic provisioning and automatic attachment/detachment of volumes to containers, simplifying operations in hybrid VM/container environment.

3. TxOS Integration:

• Tintri's TxOS technology powers advanced performance optimization, enabling real-time prioritization of application workloads and automated tuning.

Problems Solved for Kubernetes Users

1. Simplified Management:

• Tintri reduces complexity in hybrid environments by allowing administrators to manage both VM and container workloads through a single interface.
• Familiar tools and workflows make it accessible even for those with limited Kubernetes expertise.

2. Operational Efficiency:

• Automated performance tuning via ETPH analytics optimizes cloud storage costs and enhances workload transitions between cloud environments.
• Real-time resource allocation ensures efficient use of infrastructure.

3. Advanced Observability:

• Provides deep insights into data movement, activity and performance within Kubernetes clusters.
• Enables proactive management of workloads across physical and virtual clusters and hypervisors.

4. Robust Data Protection:

• Offers snapshots, cloning of persistent volumes, disaster recovery solutions, and secure data management.
• Ensures consistent storage and efficient recoverability in Kubernetes environments.

5. Scalability:

• Tintri's solutions are built to scale seamlessly across on-premises and cloud environments, supporting microservices-based deployments.

Key Takeaways for Decision Makers

1. Attendees can return with compelling arguments for their management teams:

• Unified Platform: Tintri simplifies hybrid cloud operations by integrating VM and container management.
• Cost Savings: Optimized resource utilization reduces operational overhead and storage costs.
• Future-Proofing: Scalable infrastructure supports evolving Kubernetes workloads.
• Reliability: Advanced data protection ensures business continuity in dynamic environments.

Tintri's technologies are positioned as transformative tools for organizations aiming to streamline Kubernetes data services while maximizing operational efficiency.

VMblog:  In an increasingly crowded cloud-native and Kubernetes market, what makes your solution stand out in 2025? What makes it unique or differentiating?

Mowry:  In the crowded cloud-native and Kubernetes market of 2025, Tintri VMstore stands out due to its unique focus on intelligent, workload-aware data management that bridges the gap between virtualized and containerized environments. Tintri VMstore's ability to unify VM- and container-aware storage management with AI-driven automation provides a compelling solution for organizations navigating the complexities of hybrid cloud-native environments. Its focus on simplicity, scalability, performance, and robust data protection makes it a standout choice in the Kubernetes ecosystem.

VMblog:  With AI and machine learning becoming increasingly central to cloud-native applications, how does your solution address these emerging needs?

Mowry:  Tintri VMstore is uniquely positioned to address the emerging needs of AI and ML-driven cloud-native applications by leveraging its foundational intelligence and automation capabilities. Since its inception, VMstore has been built with AI and ML at its core, enabling it to deliver unparalleled performance optimization, workload management, and operational efficiency for modern, dynamic environments.

Why This Matters for Cloud-Native Workload

• Performance Consistency: Tintri ensures predictable I/O performance for containerized applications running complex AI/ML models.
• Operational Simplicity: Its "touchless" automation reduces storage management overhead by up to 95%, freeing IT teams to focus on innovation rather than infrastructure maintenance.
• Scalability: With support for thousands of VMs and Persistent Volumes in a single system, VMstore scales effortlessly alongside growing AI/ML demands.
• Cost Efficiency: Predictive analytics help optimize resource allocation, reducing waste and improving ROI for cloud-native deployments.
  

VMblog:  What's your elevator pitch for a CTO or CIO? How does your solution impact the bottom line?

Mowry:  Tintri VMstore is a smart, autonomous and workload-aware data management solution designed to simplify operations, optimize performance and reduce costs. Built from the ground up for virtualization and containerized environments, VMstore uses AI-driven automation to manage workloads at the individual VM or Persistent volume level. This eliminates manual tuning, ensures consistent application performance and provides deep observability into your infrastructure. With Tintri, you can scale seamlessly, reduce operational overhead by up to 95% and achieve significant CapEx and OpEx savings-all while freeing your teams to focus on innovation rather than infrastructure maintenance.

Tintri VMstore directly addresses key challenges faced by IT leaders:

• Simplified IT Operations: Autonomous management frees up IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine infrastructure tasks.
• Cost Efficiency: Significant reductions in both OpEx (through automation) and CapEx (via efficient resource utilization) improve ROI.
• Future-Proof Infrastructure: Tintri's ability to seamlessly manage both virtualized and containerized workloads ensures your organization is ready for cloud-native applications.
• Business Agility: Faster development cycles and consistent application performance enable organizations to accelerate innovation more rapidly.

In short, Tintri VMstore is not just a storage solution-it's an intelligent infrastructure platform that drives measurable financial impact while empowering your teams to deliver better business outcomes.

VMblog:  How does your technology integrate with the broader CNCF landscape? What role do you play in the modern cloud-native stack?

Mowry:  Tintri VMstore integrates seamlessly into the broader CNCF (Cloud Native Computing Foundation) ecosystem by leveraging its Container Storage Interface (CSI) driver and advanced data management capabilities. This integration positions VMstore as a critical component of the modern cloud-native stack, enabling efficient, scalable, and intelligent storage solutions for Kubernetes-based applications.

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