When provisioning LUNs from active/passive arrays to VPLEX, it is essential that each VPLEX director has at least two paths to both the active and passive controllers of each array. This requirement ensures high availability and redundancy for the storage volumes being managed by VPLEX1.

Active/Passive Arrays: Active/passive arrays have one controller actively serving I/O (active) and another on standby (passive). The VPLEX system must have paths to both controllers to maintain access to the LUNs in case the active controller fails1.

Path Redundancy: Having at least two paths to both controllers from each VPLEX director provides redundancy. If one path fails, the other can continue to serve I/O, preventing disruption to the host applications1.

VPLEX Configuration: In the VPLEX configuration, paths are zoned and masked to ensure that the VPLEX directors can access the LUNs on the storage arrays. Proper zoning and masking are critical for the paths to function correctly1.

Failover Capability: The dual-path configuration allows VPLEX to perform an automatic failover to the passive controller if the active controller becomes unavailable, ensuring continuous data availability1.

Best Practices: Following the path requirement as per Dell EMC’s best practices ensures that the VPLEX system can provide the expected level of service and data protection for the provisioned LUNs1.

In summary, the path requirement for each VPLEX director when connecting to active/passive arrays is to have at least two paths to both the active and passive controllers of each array, providing the necessary redundancy and failover capabilities.