A Pure Storage FlashArray is a highly available, dual-controller system. During the initial puresetup process, the Implementation Engineer assigns three distinct management IP addresses to the system: one physical IP for Controller 0 (ct0), one physical IP for Controller 1 (ct1), and one Virtual Management IP (VIP or vir0).

According to official Pure Storage administration and implementation best practices, users should always connect to the GUI, CLI, and REST API using the Virtual Management IP. The Purity operating system utilizes an active/standby management plane. The VIP is designed to automatically float and bind itself to whichever controller is currently acting as the Primary node for management services.

If an administrator points their browser or SSH client directly to a physical controller IP (like CT0) and that controller happens to be the secondary node, they will either be redirected to the VIP, restricted to read-only access, or lose connection entirely if that specific controller is rebooting during a non-disruptive upgrade (NDU). By consistently using the Virtual Management IP, the customer ensures seamless, uninterrupted access to the array's administrative interfaces regardless of the underlying hardware state or active controller role.