nutanix - dwilson2547/wiki_demo GitHub Wiki

Nutanix Overview

Nutanix is a leading hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) solution that integrates computing, virtualization, storage, and networking into a single, software-defined platform. Founded in 2009, Nutanix aims to simplify data center operations by eliminating the need for traditional siloed infrastructure. Its flagship product, the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud OS, provides a unified platform for running applications and managing infrastructure across private, public, and hybrid clouds.


Key Features

1. Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI)

  • Unified Platform: Combines compute, storage, and virtualization into a single, scalable solution.
  • Simplified Management: Reduces complexity by eliminating the need for separate storage arrays, servers, and networking hardware.
  • Scalability: Easily scale out by adding nodes to the cluster, allowing for linear performance and capacity growth.

2. Nutanix Acropolis

  • Acropolis Hypervisor (AHV): A built-in, high-performance hypervisor optimized for Nutanix environments.
  • Acropolis App Mobility: Enables seamless migration of applications between different environments (e.g., on-premises to public cloud).
  • Acropolis File Services: Provides scalable file storage for virtual machines and containers.

3. Nutanix Prism

  • Prism Central: A centralized management plane for monitoring and managing multiple Nutanix clusters.
  • Prism Pro: Offers advanced analytics, automation, and self-service capabilities for IT operations.
  • One-Click Upgrades: Simplifies the process of updating the Nutanix software stack.

4. Storage and Data Management

  • Distributed Storage Fabric: Uses a distributed architecture to store data across all nodes in the cluster, ensuring high availability and performance.
  • Data Protection: Features like snapshots, replication, and erasure coding protect against data loss.
  • Data Locality: Ensures that data is stored close to the compute resources that access it, reducing latency.

5. Virtualization and Container Support

  • Multi-Hypervisor Support: Supports Nutanix AHV, VMware ESXi, and Microsoft Hyper-V.
  • Kubernetes Integration: Provides native support for running containerized applications with Nutanix Karbon.

6. Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Capabilities

  • Nutanix Xi Cloud Services: Extends Nutanix capabilities to public clouds like AWS and Azure.
  • Hybrid Cloud Management: Enables seamless workload mobility between on-premises and cloud environments.

7. Security and Compliance

  • Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Ensures secure access to resources based on user roles.
  • Encryption: Supports data encryption at rest and in transit.
  • Compliance: Meets industry standards and regulations for data security and privacy.

8. Disaster Recovery

  • Metro Availability: Provides synchronous replication between clusters for zero RPO (Recovery Point Objective).
  • Asynchronous Replication: Supports replication to remote sites for disaster recovery.

Use Cases

Nutanix is used across a variety of industries and applications, including:

  • Enterprise Virtualization: Consolidate virtual machines and simplify IT infrastructure.
  • Private and Hybrid Cloud: Build and manage cloud environments with ease.
  • Disaster Recovery: Ensure business continuity with robust replication and failover capabilities.
  • DevOps and Containers: Support modern application development with Kubernetes integration.
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): Deploy and manage virtual desktops efficiently.

Hardware Requirements

Nutanix runs on a variety of hardware platforms, including:

  • Nutanix NX Series: Pre-configured appliances optimized for Nutanix software.
  • Dell EMC XC Series: Co-engineered with Dell EMC for enterprise-grade performance.
  • Lenovo HX Series: Designed in collaboration with Lenovo for scalable infrastructure.
  • HPE ProLiant DX: Optimized for Nutanix software on HPE hardware.

For custom deployments, Nutanix software can also run on certified third-party servers.


Licensing

Nutanix offers several licensing options:

  • Starter: Entry-level licensing for small deployments.
  • Pro: Advanced features for mid-sized environments.
  • Ultimate: Comprehensive licensing for enterprise-grade deployments.
  • Subscription-Based: Optional support and software updates are available through subscription plans.

Conclusion

Nutanix is a powerful and flexible hyperconverged infrastructure solution that simplifies data center operations by integrating compute, storage, and virtualization into a single platform. Its focus on ease of use, scalability, and hybrid cloud capabilities makes it a popular choice for enterprises looking to modernize their IT infrastructure.

Would you like to explore any specific aspect of Nutanix further, such as deployment, configuration, or use cases?

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