What does an asynchronous blackout window prevent?

An asynchronous replication blackout window is a configured period during which a FlashArray will not initiate any new replication data transfers to a target array. Its purpose is to conserve network bandwidth during peak hours or maintenance periods. Any replication transfer that is already in progress when the blackout window begins will be allowed to complete. The blackout only prevents the start of subsequent transfers until the window ends.

A. The blackout window is specifically designed not to interrupt in-progress transfers, allowing them to finish to ensure data consistency.

B. This option is logically flawed; a "new" transfer cannot have "started before" the window. The window prevents new transfers from starting during the specified time.

1. Pure Storage, Inc. (2024). Purity//FA User Guide 6.6.x. Chapter: "Protection", Section: "Asynchronous Replication". "A replication blackout window prevents the array from starting new data transfers for the specified protection groups during the configured time. Transfers already in progress will continue until they are complete."

2. Pure Storage, Inc. (2022). FlashArray Async Replication with Purity ActiveDR. White Paper. Page 8, "Bandwidth Management". "Administrators can define blackout windows to pause the initiation of new replication cycles, for instance, during business hours to preserve WAN bandwidth."