Storage might not sound exciting, but in today’s AI-driven world, it’s anything but boring. With massive amounts of data piling up, one idea becomes clear: to unlock the future, you need a reliable place to store the past. So what does it take to make IT storage a true strategic enabler? In this episode of Edge of IT, host Jonathan Gough is joined by Mike Sasse, Principal Technologist at Pure Storage, and Darren Livingston, Chief Technology Strategist at Pellera. Together, they explore why storage is no longer a background necessity, but the backbone of scalability, automation, and AI. From ransomware and rising complexity to the shift toward storage-as-a-service, they unpack the challenges leaders face and the innovations reshaping the industry. Mike and Darren explain why the future of storage comes down to abstraction and automation, making storage invisible, interchangeable, and simple to consume. They share real-world insights on building private cloud experiences, measuring ROI through metrics that matter, and preparing for an AI future where data demands never stop. So if you’ve ever thought of storage as something to put on the back burner, this conversation just might change your mind.