An Implementation Engineer is scheduled to install a FlashArray and a DirectFlash Shelf (DFS).

The correct action is to refer to the “Recommended DFS Versions for Purity Releases” Knowledge Base (KB) article and, if necessary, upgrade the Purity software on the FlashArray (which updates the DFS firmware).

Compatibility: DirectFlash Shelves (DFS) run specific firmware that must be compatible with the Purity operating system running on the array controllers. If a new shelf is shipped with very recent firmware, or an old shelf is added to a new array, there may be a mismatch.

Best Practice: The "Recommended DFS Versions" KB is the definitive source of truth. The engineer must verify if the shipped Purity version supports the specific hardware revision of the shelf.

Procedure: If an upgrade is required, the engineer updates Purity on the array. Since the DFS firmware is bundled within the Purity release, upgrading the array (Option A) effectively stages the update for the shelf. Once the shelf is attached (or if attached during the upgrade), Purity automatically applies the correct firmware to the DFS modules. Skipping this check (Option B) or blindly upgrading without cross-referencing the KB (Option C) risks connectivity issues or unrecognized capacity.