IBM has unveiled a new generation of autonomous storage with its FlashSystem portfolio, powered by agentic AI, promising a revolution in data resilience and management. Launched on February 10, 2026, the FlashSystem 5600, 7600, and 9600 systems utilize a fifth-generation FlashCore Module capable of detecting ransomware in under one minute – a critical advancement in data security. This leap forward enhances existing AI capabilities, effectively adding AI agents as “co-administrators” to storage arrays. According to IBM, this technology can reduce manual storage management effort by up to 90%, transforming storage into “an always-on layer of intelligence” and redefining sustained protection and threat analysis.
FlashSystem.ai Leverages Agentic AI for Autonomous Storage
Ransomware threats are now detected in under one minute thanks to the fifth-generation FlashCore Module integrated within IBM’s new FlashSystem portfolio. IBM is positioning this advancement as a move towards truly autonomous storage, with agentic AI functioning as a “co-administrator” alongside human teams. This isn’t simply about automation; it’s about leveraging AI to proactively manage and secure data, offering customized recovery recommendations based on real-time analysis.
The core innovation, FlashSystem.ai, builds upon existing AI features within the FlashSystem, adding agentic capabilities to redefine system resilience. “By enhancing FlashSystem’s existing AI capabilities with agentic AI, IBM is redefining resilience through sustained protection, autonomous threat analysis, and customized recovery recommendations,” the company stated. These new systems, launched from locations in Armonk, N.Y. and Warsaw, Poland, promise a new level of intelligence for always-on, secure storage operations.
Fifth-Generation FlashCore Module Detects Ransomware in Under One Minute
Current data security protocols often struggle to keep pace with rapidly evolving ransomware threats, leaving organizations vulnerable for extended periods. However, IBM’s newly introduced FlashSystem portfolio incorporates a fifth-generation FlashCore Module designed to dramatically accelerate threat detection. This module can now identify ransomware attacks in less than one minute, a significant improvement over conventional response times. The speed is achieved through enhanced system resiliency and advanced data management capabilities integrated directly into the storage array itself, offering a proactive defense against malicious intrusions. This rapid detection isn’t simply about speed; it’s about minimizing the impact of a successful breach.
Fifth-generation FlashCore Module detects ransomware in under 1 minute, offers new advances in system resiliency and data management.
IBM
