Panasas is a software development company specializing in software-defined storage solutions designed to optimize reliability, simplicity, and scalability for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) environments. Panasas develops and delivers the PanFS parallel file system, a self-healing, self-managing storage architecture engineered to eliminate downtime, prevent data loss, and reduce operational complexity.
Their primary offering, PanFS, is built to accelerate performance-intensive workloads across sectors including academic research, government, energy, life sciences, and manufacturing. This system is recognized for its robust data integrity and usability, supporting organizations with demanding data requirements and helping them manage large-scale, complex storage needs efficiently.
With over two decades of experience, Panasas is distinguished by its focus on reliability and ease of use in environments where data performance and integrity are critical. The company’s technology is used by leading organizations and research institutions globally.
Who Uses Panasas?
Panasas serves a diverse set of customers in research, enterprise, and industry who require advanced data storage for performance-critical applications. Notable clients include:
- U.S. Navy
- Airbus
- Boeing
- NASA
- Federal Reserve Bank
- Siemens
- Stanford University
- University of Wollongong
- Magseis-Fairfield
- Garvan Institute
- Oxford University
- UCLA
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Northrop Grumman
- Lockheed Martin
- Pratt & Whitney
- Goethe University
- Raytheon Technologies
- Hormel Institute
- In-Depth Geo
This range illustrates their footprint in aerospace, government, academia, manufacturing, and more.
How Was Panasas Started and Who Leads the Company?
Panasas was founded by experts in high-performance storage, many with backgrounds at prominent technology and data storage companies. The current leadership includes:
- Ken Claffey (CEO), with experience at Seagate, Xyratex, Adaptec, and Eurologic
- Paul Hiemstra (CFO), formerly at HPE and Cray
- Hanish Vaghela (EVP of Sales), from Xyratex
- Erik Salo (VP, Marketing & Product Management), previously at Seagate and AMD
- Samantha Clarke (VP, Channels and Partnerships), formerly of Seagate Technology
- Peter Maddocks (VP, Engineering), with prior roles at Seagate Technologies, Dot Hill Systems, and HPE
- Mike Park (VP, Operations), with experience at Data Domain, StorSimple, Tintri, Datrium, and RIOS Intelligent Machines
Notably, Garth Gibson, a founder of Panasas, and Hugo Patterson, co-founder of Datrium, act as technology advisors. This leadership team brings deep expertise in enterprise and scientific data storage. More details can be found on their About page.
What Sets Panasas Apart?
Panasas differentiates itself through its focus on self-managing, self-healing storage architectures and its long-standing track record serving data-intensive organizations. The PanFS file system is designed to minimize operational intervention, maximize uptime, and ensure data integrity in mission-critical environments.
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