A customer has purchased a DirectFlash Shelf, but lacks available space in the same rack as the chassis. There is available space in a rack 6m away…

The standard cables included with a DirectFlash Shelf (DFS) are designed for installation within the same rack as the FlashArray chassis. For installations where the DFS must be placed in a different rack, such as the 6-meter distance described, longer cables are required. Pure Storage provides optional 7-meter cables specifically for this purpose. Ordering the correct length cables is the appropriate and necessary planning step to take prior to the physical installation, as it directly addresses the connectivity requirement without causing major disruption to the existing infrastructure.

A. Making space in the rack where the chassis is located may not be possible and could involve disruptive relocation of other critical equipment.

C. Relocating the chassis is a major undertaking that would require a full system shutdown, causing significant downtime for all connected hosts.

1. Pure Storage FlashArray//X R4 and FlashArray//C R4 Hardware Installation Guide, P/N 30-0313-01, Rev A, Page 31, "DirectFlash Shelf Cabling": "The standard DFS cables are 0.5m and 2m. Optional 7m and 15m cables are available for connecting a DFS to a chassis in a different rack." This statement confirms the availability of longer cables for inter-rack connections.

2. Pure Storage FlashArray Hardware Reference, P/N 30-0299-01, Rev C, Page 21, "DirectFlash Shelf Cabling": "For connecting a DFS in a different rack from the chassis, optional 7m and 15m cables are available." This document reiterates that longer cables are the designated solution for connecting shelves across racks.