The Vast Data Platform is a comprehensive system that combines a global data storage, database and artificial intelligence computing engine.

Vast Data Inc. is democratizing access to data for AI, making enterprise infrastructures AI-ready and accessible to AI tools. On the other hand, hyperscale GPU cloud providers are better suited for large-scale AI needs than traditional cloud providers, according to Vaughn Stewart (pictured), vice president of systems engineering at Vast Data.

“The best way that I think I could communicate what we’re doing and how we’re democratizing the data for AI is that Vast Data provides a data platform for enterprises and cloud service providers,” Stewart said. “Our platform is really unifying data storage with databases and compute engine services that’s all packaged together in a scalable platform that allows customers to have their data accessible globally on-prem or in the cloud.”

Stewart spoke with theCUBE industry analysts Lisa Martin and Savannah Peterson at the “Supercloud 5: The Battle for AI Supremacy” event, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed how Vast Data is revolutionizing access to data for AI and providing a unified platform for global access.

Looking for acceleration and faster data

Budget allocation for AI, cyber protection and cloud costs is putting pressure on getting initiatives up and running, leading to struggles for on-premises infrastructure decision-making, according to Stewart. Companies are seeking accelerated computing platforms and faster storage solutions. There is a gap in the market for performance and scale in delivering these services. Large enterprise applications require optimization for AI workloads, and traditional infrastructure may not be able to scale for modern GPU hyperscalers.

“Conversely, in the same equation, we’re seeing customers say, ‘I just need to move faster, and so I’m going to reach out to a CoreWeave or a Lambda or a Core42 because I can move faster,’” Stewart said. “We talked about the traditional hyperscalers. They all have GPUs, and they’ve got a lot of customers using them. This is not meant to be a negative comment on them, but there was a gap in the market about the performance and scale at which they deliver these services.”

Companies are investing in testing different cloud models and tools to accelerate its ability to utilize new technology. They’re also facing the challenge of how long to keep legacy infrastructure in place, according to Stewart. Meanwhile, organizations in regulated industries are still investing in on-prem infrastructure for data protection and intellectual property.

On-prem infrastructure needs to be modernized. Vast Data is filling the gap in the market by providing an alternative to traditional hyperscalers, driven by the growth of cloud providers and the need for speed and cost economics, Stewart explained.

“Our growth is being driven by the AI growth from the cloud provider side. I think we touched base on it from the consumers of that cloud. It’s a race to evolve their products and their product offerings,” Stewart said. “To be able to do so without having to make a capital investment. Speed, time to market and whether these customers stay on these cloud platforms indefinitely. I think we’ll probably, years from now, see what we’ve seen with the traditional hyperscalers.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the “Supercloud 5: The Battle for AI Supremacy” event:

Photo: SiliconANGLE