Free FAAA_004 Exam Braindumps
Pure Storage FlashArray Architect Associate Questions 11–15 (page: 4)

Updated On: 10-Feb-2026

What should a protection group in a stretched pod be used for?

  1. Integrating ActiveCluster with async snapshot replication
  2. Using CloudSnap to offload to a third-site target
  3. Initiating ActiveDR failover/failback in a test scenario
  4. Configuring fan-out async snapshot replication

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

A protection group in a stretched pod should be used for integrating ActiveCluster with asynchronous snapshot replication . This combination allows for synchronous replication within the stretched pod (using ActiveCluster) while also enabling asynchronous replication to a third site for additional disaster recovery protection.

Why This Matters:

ActiveCluster: Provides synchronous replication between two sites within a stretched pod, ensuring zero RPO and near-zero RTO for high availability.

Async Snapshot Replication: Extends the disaster recovery strategy by replicating snapshots asynchronously to a third site, providing an additional layer of protection against regional failures.

Combining these features ensures both local high availability and remote disaster recovery.

Why Not the Other Options?

B . Using CloudSnap to offload to a third-site target:

CloudSnap is used to offload snapshots to cloud storage (e.g., AWS S3 or Azure Blob).
While it is useful for backup purposes, it does not integrate with ActiveCluster for synchronous replication.

C . Initiating ActiveDR failover/failback in a test scenario:

ActiveDR is designed for asynchronous replication and failover/failback scenarios but does not integrate with ActiveCluster in a stretched pod configuration.

D . Configuring fan-out async snapshot replication:

Fan-out replication involves sending snapshots to multiple targets asynchronously. However, this does not align with the use case of integrating ActiveCluster with async replication for a stretched pod.

Key Points:

Stretched Pod: Enables synchronous replication across two sites using ActiveCluster.

Async Replication: Adds a third-site replication target for comprehensive disaster recovery.

Integrated Protection: Combines high availability and disaster recovery into a single solution.


Reference:

Pure Storage FlashArray Documentation: "ActiveCluster with Async Replication"

Pure Storage Whitepaper: "Disaster Recovery Strategies with FlashArray"

Pure Storage Knowledge Base: "Using Protection Groups in Stretched Pods"



During a controller upgrade of a Pure Storage FlashArray, what aspect of array design ensures there will be no tangible impact on performance?

  1. Active/active controller architecture
  2. Stateful controller architecture
  3. Active/passive controller front-ends ports
  4. Primary/secondary controller architecture

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

During a controller upgrade of a Pure Storage FlashArray, the active/active controller architecture ensures there will be no tangible impact on performance. This design allows both controllers to handle I/O operations simultaneously, so even if one controller is being upgraded, the other can continue processing workloads without interruption.

Why This Matters:

Active/Active Architecture: In an active/active design, both controllers share the workload equally. If one controller is taken offline for maintenance or upgrades, the remaining controller seamlessly handles all I/O operations.

This ensures continuous availability and consistent performance during upgrades, minimizing downtime and user impact.

Why Not the Other Options?

B . Stateful controller architecture:

While stateful architectures maintain session information, they do not inherently ensure no performance impact during upgrades. The key factor here is the active/active design.

C . Active/passive controller front-end ports:

In an active/passive design, only one controller is actively handling I/O at any given time. If the active controller is upgraded, the passive controller must take over, which can lead to temporary performance degradation.

D . Primary/secondary controller architecture:

Similar to active/passive, this design relies on a primary controller for all operations, making it less resilient during upgrades compared to active/active.

Key Points:

Active/Active Design: Ensures continuous I/O processing during upgrades.

Seamless Upgrades: Minimizes performance impact and downtime for users.

High Availability: Maintains consistent performance and reliability throughout the upgrade process.


Reference:

Pure Storage FlashArray Documentation: "Controller Upgrade Process and Best Practices"

Pure Storage Whitepaper: "Active/Active Controller Architecture"

Pure Storage Knowledge Base: "Minimizing Impact During Controller Upgrades"



A Storage Administrator has two //X50R3 FlashArrays. The two FlashArrays are located in different data centers with a network link between them. The ethernet link between data centers has a latency of 35 ms.

Which Purity feature will provide protection against a site failure with the lowest recovery point?

  1. ActiveCluster
  2. ActiveDR
  3. Snapshot replication
  4. Local snapshots

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

Given that the two FlashArrays are located in different data centers with a network link latency of 35 ms , the best Purity feature to provide protection against a site failure with the lowest recovery point is ActiveDR .

Why This Matters:

ActiveDR:

ActiveDR is an asynchronous replication solution designed for disaster recovery scenarios where the secondary site may be geographically distant (e.g., >10 ms latency).

It provides low RPOs (typically seconds to minutes) and supports fast failover and failback capabilities, ensuring minimal data loss and downtime.

With a 35 ms latency between sites, synchronous replication (e.g., ActiveCluster) is not feasible due to the high latency impacting performance.

Why Not the Other Options?

A . ActiveCluster:

ActiveCluster requires synchronous replication, which is only suitable for sites within a low-latency range (<10 ms). At 35 ms latency, ActiveCluster would cause significant performance degradation.

C . Snapshot replication:

Snapshot replication is asynchronous but does not provide the same level of failover and failback capabilities as ActiveDR. It is better suited for backup purposes rather than disaster recovery with low RPOs.

D . Local snapshots:

Local snapshots are useful for point-in-time recovery within a single array but do not protect against site failures.

Key Points:

ActiveDR: Ideal for asynchronous replication with low RPOs and fast failover/failback.

Latency Considerations: ActiveDR supports higher latencies (e.g., 35 ms) compared to synchronous solutions like ActiveCluster.

Disaster Recovery: Ensures protection against site failures with minimal data loss and downtime.


Reference:

Pure Storage FlashArray Documentation: "ActiveDR for Disaster Recovery"

Pure Storage Whitepaper: "Meeting RPO and RTO Requirements with FlashArray"

Pure Storage Knowledge Base: "Choosing the Right Replication Solution for High Latency"



A customer is in the very early stages of designing a storage solution at a greenfield site.

They wish to use NVMe-TCP connectivity and require approximately:

· 100 Gbps of consistent raw network throughput between the FlashArray and the dedicated SAN switches.

· The dedicated SAN switches support up to 25 Gbps connectivity.

What is the minimum number of Ethernet ports in total they should connect from the FlashArray to the SAN switches while still ensuring resiliency?

  1. 8
  2. 2
  3. 4
  4. 16

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

To achieve 100 Gbps of consistent raw network throughput between the FlashArray and the dedicated SAN switches, while ensuring resiliency , the customer must connect a sufficient number of Ethernet ports from the FlashArray to the SAN switches. Given that the dedicated SAN switches support up to 25 Gbps connectivity per port , the calculation is as follows:

Throughput Requirement:

The customer requires 100 Gbps of raw throughput.

Each Ethernet port provides 25 Gbps of bandwidth.

Number of Ports Needed:

To meet the 100 Gbps requirement:



Resiliency Requirement:

Resiliency ensures that the solution can tolerate failures (e.g., switch or link failures). To achieve this, the customer must double the number of ports to provide redundant paths.

Therefore, the total number of ports required is:4×2=8ports.

Why Not the Other Options?

B . 2:

Two ports would only provide 50 Gbps of raw throughput (2 × 25 Gbps), which does not meet the 100 Gbps requirement. Additionally, there would be no redundancy, violating the resiliency requirement.

C . 4:

Four ports would meet the 100 Gbps throughput requirement but would lack redundancy, making the solution vulnerable to failures.

D . 16:

Sixteen ports would exceed the required throughput and redundancy, resulting in unnecessary costs and complexity.

Key Points:

Throughput Calculation: Ensure the total bandwidth meets the 100 Gbps requirement.

Resiliency: Double the number of ports to provide redundant paths for high availability.

Optimization: Use the minimum number of ports that satisfy both throughput and resiliency requirements.


Reference:

Pure Storage FlashArray Documentation: "Network Design and Configuration Best Practices"

Pure Storage Whitepaper: "NVMe-TCP Connectivity and Performance Optimization"

Pure Storage Knowledge Base: "Calculating Required Network Ports for FlashArray"



A potential customer has a use case where they need to use a stretched cluster for high availability and also require a third copy of their data in a remote geographic location.

Which replication method should be recommended?

  1. CloudSnap to an offload target
  2. Fan-out asynchronous snapshot replication
  3. ActiveDR with periodic snapshot replication
  4. ActiveCluster with asychronous snapshot replication

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

The customer requires a storage solution that supports a stretched cluster for high availability and also maintains a third copy of their data in a remote geographic location . The best replication method to recommend is ActiveCluster with asynchronous snapshot replication .

Why This Matters:

ActiveCluster:

ActiveCluster provides synchronous replication between two sites within a stretched cluster, ensuring zero RPO and near-zero RTO for high availability.

It is ideal for scenarios where applications require continuous access to data across two locations.

Asynchronous Snapshot Replication:

Asynchronous replication extends the disaster recovery strategy by replicating snapshots to a third site. This ensures an additional layer of protection against regional failures.

Why Not the Other Options?

A . CloudSnap to an offload target:

CloudSnap is used to offload snapshots to cloud storage (e.g., AWS S3 or Azure Blob).
While it satisfies the requirement for a third copy, it does not integrate with ActiveCluster for high availability in a stretched cluster.

B . Fan-out asynchronous snapshot replication:

Fan-out replication involves sending snapshots to multiple targets asynchronously. However, it does not provide the synchronous replication required for a stretched cluster.

C . ActiveDR with periodic snapshot replication:

ActiveDR is designed for asynchronous replication and failover/failback scenarios but does not support synchronous replication for a stretched cluster.

Key Points:

ActiveCluster: Ensures high availability with synchronous replication in a stretched cluster.

Async Replication: Adds a third-site replication target for comprehensive disaster recovery.

Integrated Solution: Combines high availability and disaster recovery into a single architecture.


Reference:

Pure Storage FlashArray Documentation: "ActiveCluster with Async Replication"

Pure Storage Whitepaper: "Disaster Recovery Strategies with FlashArray"

Pure Storage Knowledge Base: "Using Protection Groups in Stretched Pods"



Viewing page 4 of 13
Viewing questions 16 - 20 out of 60 questions


Post your Comments and Discuss Pure Storage FAAA_004 exam prep with other Community members:

AI Tutor AI Tutor 👋 I’m here to help!