Nimble Storage
Corporate brand
UnclaimedNimble Storage was an enterprise data-storage company known for hybrid-flash and all-flash arrays, predictive analytics, and simplified storage management; Hewlett Packard Enterprise acquired it in 2017.
Last updated August 26, 2026
Overview
Nimble Storage was an American enterprise storage company established in January 2008 by Varun Mehta and Umesh Maheshwari. It developed hardware and software for data-center storage, with particular emphasis on storage arrays using iSCSI and Fibre Channel protocols. Its systems combined flash media, hard-disk capacity, data protection, replication, snapshots, compression, deduplication, and centralized management in an effort to provide performance and operational simplicity to organizations that did not want to build separate architectures for primary, virtualized, and backup workloads. The company introduced its first commercial product, the CS200 series hybrid arrays, in 2010. Its initial proposition centered on the Adaptive Flash family, which combined solid-state storage and hard disks and used Nimble's CASL, or cache-accelerated sequential layout, architecture. This approach sought to use flash selectively for performance while retaining the capacity economics of disk. NimbleOS supplied the operating environment and included services such as inline compression, snapshots, replication, cloning, flexible flash scaling, and integrated data protection. Nimble later expanded its portfolio with higher-end CS arrays, Fibre Channel support, all-flash shelves, and the AF-Series of all-flash arrays. The company also developed Unified Flash Fabric, a common architectural and data-services framework intended to connect its Adaptive Flash and All Flash product families. Its software strategy was reinforced by InfoSight, a cloud-based management and predictive-analytics service. InfoSight collected operational information from installed systems to help identify performance and configuration issues, support capacity planning, and improve customer support. The company promoted this predictive model as a differentiator from storage products managed primarily through conventional monitoring and reactive troubleshooting. Nimble broadened its ecosystem through integrated infrastructure offerings. SmartStack, developed with Cisco, combined compute, networking, and storage components in validated reference architectures for desktop virtualization, server virtualization, cloud computing, Oracle workloads, and SAP HANA. In 2016, Nimble also entered a strategic partnership with Lenovo that produced the ThinkAgile CX Series solution. The company raised $40.7 million in September 2012 from existing and new investors, including Artis Capital Management and GGV Capital. It filed for an initial public offering in October 2013 and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NMBL on December 13, 2013. During 2014–2016, it introduced additional array generations, encryption, REST APIs, per-virtual-machine monitoring, all-flash service levels, and enhanced data-protection capabilities. It also obtained FIPS 140-2 certification for the Adaptive Flash platform in 2015 and was ranked sixth in Deloitte's 2015 North American technology growth list cited by the company's history. Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced in March 2017 that it would acquire Nimble Storage for approximately $1.09 billion in cash. The transaction closed on April 5, 2017. Nimble became part of HPE's storage portfolio, and its technologies, including InfoSight, continued to influence HPE storage offerings. The Nimble name therefore describes a company that no longer operates as an independent public issuer but remains associated with an active HPE storage technology and product lineage.
History
Nimble Storage was founded in January 2008 by Varun Mehta and Umesh Maheshwari. It entered the storage market with an architecture intended to balance flash performance and disk capacity. Its first announced product was the CS200 series of hybrid arrays, introduced in July 2010. The systems were designed for data-center environments and supported storage protocols including iSCSI, with Fibre Channel support added later. Leadership changed in March 2011, when Mehta moved from chief executive to vice president of engineering. Suresh Vasudevan became chief executive, while Maheshwari became chief technology officer. Under this leadership, Nimble developed its Adaptive Flash portfolio and expanded the software capabilities surrounding its arrays. Its NimbleOS operating system used the company's CASL architecture and incorporated compression, snapshots, replication, cloning, flash caching, scale-out capabilities, and data-protection functions. In September 2012, Nimble raised $40.7 million from existing and new investors. The company pursued public-market financing the following year, filing for an initial public offering in October 2013 and listing on the New York Stock Exchange on December 13, 2013, under the ticker NMBL. Product expansion accelerated between 2014 and 2016. Nimble announced CS700 arrays and an All-Flash Shelf in 2014 and added Fibre Channel-capable arrays later that year. In 2015, the company updated Adaptive Flash with SmartSecure software encryption, all-flash service levels, REST interfaces, per-virtual-machine monitoring through InfoSight VMVision, and integrated data protection. The platform received FIPS 140-2 certification in August 2015. InfoSight became a central part of Nimble's identity. The service operated as a storage-management and predictive-analytics portal, using information from deployed systems to help customers and support teams identify potential problems, understand resource use, and improve operational planning. Nimble combined this software layer with Unified Flash Fabric, which sought to provide shared architecture and data services across its Adaptive Flash and All Flash families. The company introduced the Predictive All Flash Array series in February 2016 and followed it with the AF-1000 Series and an updated CS-Series portfolio in August. It also developed ecosystem relationships beyond its own hardware. SmartStack, created with Cisco, integrated storage, computing, and networking through validated reference architectures for virtualization, cloud, Oracle, and SAP HANA use cases. A strategic partnership with Lenovo announced in October 2016 led to the ThinkAgile CX Series. Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced the purchase of Nimble Storage on March 7, 2017, for approximately $1.09 billion in cash. The acquisition closed on April 5, 2017. Nimble subsequently became an HPE subsidiary rather than an independent listed company. Its technology and product concepts, especially InfoSight predictive analytics and its flash-oriented storage architecture, were incorporated into HPE's broader storage strategy.
- 2017
Acquired by Hewlett Packard Enterprise
[1]HPE announces and completes the approximately $1.09 billion cash acquisition.
- 2016
Predictive All Flash and AF-Series developments
[1]Nimble introduces predictive all-flash systems and refreshes its AF and CS portfolios.
- 2015
Adaptive Flash software expansion
[1]Nimble adds SmartSecure, REST APIs, all-flash service levels, per-VM monitoring, and integrated protection.
- 2014
CS700 and all-flash expansion
[1]The company adds CS700 arrays, an All-Flash Shelf, and Fibre Channel support.
- 2013
Initial public offering and NYSE listing
[1]Nimble files for an IPO and begins trading under NMBL on December 13.
- 2012
Growth funding secured
[1]Nimble raises $40.7 million from original and new investors.
- 2010
CS200 hybrid arrays announced
[1]Nimble announces its first product family, combining flash and hard-disk storage.
- 2008
Nimble Storage is founded
[1]Varun Mehta and Umesh Maheshwari establish the storage company in January.
Products and positioning
Enterprise and midmarket data-center storage provider emphasizing flash-assisted performance, predictable operations, integrated data protection, and simplified management.
Hybrid-flash storage arrays · 2010
CS-Series Adaptive Flash
The CS family combined solid-state and hard-disk media in a hybrid architecture. It supported data-center workloads through NimbleOS services such as flash caching, compression, snapshots, replication, cloning, and data protection. The family included CS200, CS300, CS500, and CS700 lines, followed by updated CS1000/H, CS3000, CS5000, and CS7000 configurations. Fibre Channel support and an optional All-Flash Shelf broadened deployment choices.
All-flash storage arrays · 2016
AF-Series All Flash
The AF-Series used flash storage for performance-sensitive workloads and paired the hardware with InfoSight predictive analytics. The family was offered in multiple configurations, including AF1000, AF3000, AF5000, AF7000, and AF9000, allowing customers to select systems for different capacity and workload requirements.
Storage operating system
NimbleOS
NimbleOS powered Nimble arrays and supplied the common data-management layer across the company's product families. Its capabilities included CASL-based data layout, inline compression, snapshots, replication, deduplication, zero-copy clones, scale-to-fit expansion, flash caching, and integrated data protection.
Storage management and predictive analytics
InfoSight Predictive Analytics
InfoSight was a cloud-based portal for storage monitoring, support, and predictive analysis. It helped customers understand resource use and identify potential operational issues, while InfoSight V、一M Vison extended monitoring to individual virtual machines. The technology became one of Nimble's most prominent software differentiators and was later incorporated into HPE storage products.
Integrated infrastructure reference architecture
SmartStack
SmartStack was developed with Cisco to combine compute, networking, and Nimble storage resources. Its validated designs addressed desktop and server virtualization, cloud computing, business-critical applications, Oracle environments, and SAP HANA workloads.
Backup and secondary storage · 2017
Secondary Flash Array
The Secondary Flash Array was introduced after the HPE merger as a hybrid system based on Nimble's established architecture. It emphasized enhanced deduplication and was intended primarily as a target for backup data and other secondary-storage workloads.
Brand decisions
2017
HPE acquires Nimble StorageM&ABackground
HPE sought to strengthen its enterprise storage portfolio with Nimble's flash arrays, management software, and predictive analytics capabilities.
Action taken
HPE announced an approximately $1.09 billion all-cash acquisition on March 7 and completed it on April 5.
Aftermath
Nimble became an HPE subsidiary, and its technology was incorporated into HPE's storage business.
Acquisition consideration. $1.09 billion cash transaction (Announced March 7, 2017; completed April 5, 2017)
2016
Nimble expands through ecosystem partnershipsStrategyBackground
The company sought to extend its storage technology into integrated infrastructure and validated enterprise solutions.
Action taken
Nimble partnered with Lenovo on the ThinkAgile CX Series while continuing its Cisco SmartStack relationship.
Aftermath
The partnerships broadened Nimble's route to market for converged and workload-specific infrastructure.
2013
Nimble pursues public-market financingStrategyBackground
After raising private funding and expanding its storage portfolio, Nimble filed for an initial public offering in October.
Action taken
The company listed on the New York Stock Exchange on December 13, 2013, under the symbol NMBL.
Aftermath
Nimble operated as a public company until its acquisition by HPE in 2017.
Recent events
- 2017
HPE announces acquisition of Nimble Storage[1]
M&A
Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced an approximately $1.09 billion cash acquisition of Nimble Storage.
- 2017
HPE completes Nimble Storage acquisition[1]
M&A
The transaction closed on April 5, 2017, making Nimble Storage part of HPE's storage business.
- 2016
Nimble Storage unveils Predictive All Flash arrays[1]
Product launch
The new all-flash series combined flash performance with InfoSight predictive analytics.
- 2015
Nimble introduces SmartSecure and enhanced Adaptive Flash capabilities[1]
Product generation
The updated platform added software-based encryption, all-flash service levels, REST APIs, per-VM monitoring, and integrated data protection.
- 2014
Nimble expands Adaptive Flash and Fibre Channel offerings[1]
Product generation · Product launch
The company announced CS700 arrays, an All-Flash Shelf, Adaptive Flash developments, and arrays supporting Fibre Channel.
- 2013
Nimble Storage begins public trading[1]
Other
After filing for an initial public offering, Nimble listed on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker NMBL.
- 2012
Nimble Storage raises $40.7 million[1]
Other
Nimble secured funding from existing and new investors, including Artis Capital Management and GGV Capital.
- 2010
Nimble Storage announces its first CS200 hybrid arrays[1]
Product launch
The company introduced the CS200 series, establishing its initial hybrid-flash storage offering.
Sources1 sources
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