The FlashArray//XL series has a specific, validated slot population rule for its PCIe cards to ensure optimal performance and thermal management. For a standard Fibre Channel (FC) configuration on a FlashArray
//XLR5 , the factory default shipment includes a specific arrangement of host I/O cards and offload engines.
The correct default configuration is:
* PCIe Slot 3: 4-Port 32Gb FC card.
* PCIe Slot 5: 2-Port 32Gb FC card.
* PCIe Slot 6: DirectCompress Accelerator (DCA).
This layout (Option B) adheres to the //XL's architecture where specific slots are prioritized for frontend host I
/O (like slots 3 and 5) and others for offload functions or backend connectivity. Implementation Engineers must verify cards are in these exact slots during the visual inspection. If cards are moved to incorrect slots (like slot 1 or 4 for primary FC in this specific config), the array may not boot or may fail to initialize the FC services correctly due to BIOS enumeration orders.
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