When executing a FlashArray upgrade from the FA-405 to a FA-X Series, into which slot on CT1 must the 2 Port InfiniBand Card be installed?

On FlashArray//X series controllers, the PCIe slots are designated for specific functions to ensure proper system operation and connectivity. The 2-port InfiniBand card, which is essential for the high-availability (HA) interconnect and NV-RAM mirroring between the two controllers (CT0 and CT1), must be installed in the dedicated mezzanine PCIe Slot 2. This specific slot is engineered for this purpose, providing the necessary bandwidth and direct communication path between the controllers. Installing it in any other slot would result in a non-functional HA pair.

A. 0: Slot 0 is a low-profile PCIe slot typically reserved for optional host-facing I/O cards, such as Fibre Channel or Ethernet adapters, not the internal InfiniBand fabric card.

C. 3: Slot 3 is a full-height PCIe slot designated for host-facing I/O cards, like Fibre Channel or Ethernet adapters, to provide data services to hosts.

1. Pure Storage FlashArray//X Hardware Guide (Internal Documentation): The hardware installation and upgrade guides for all FlashArray//X models (e.g., //X10, //X20, //X50, //X70, //X90) contain diagrams of the controller's rear panel. These diagrams explicitly label PCIe Slot 2 as the designated location for the "2-port 56Gb/s InfiniBand Mezzanine Card" required for the HA interconnect. This information is typically found in the "Controller Components" or "PCIe Card Installation" sections. (Note: Access to these specific guides typically requires a Pure Storage support portal login, but this is the definitive source for certified professionals.)

2. Pure Storage FlashArray Field Maintenance Pocket Guide: This guide, provided to certified implementation professionals, includes quick-reference diagrams and slot configurations. In the section for FlashArray//X controllers, the PCIe slot map consistently shows Slot 2 reserved for the InfiniBand (or RoCE, on newer models) interconnect card.