In this blog, I aim to delve into the significance of collaboration. With increasing demand from customers for streamlined data center solutions to aid in their modernization efforts, whether transitioning from the cloud, seeking alternatives to VMware, or incorporating a comprehensive range of technologies spanning network, compute, storage, backup, and security, the convergence of these cutting-edge technologies is redefining the terrain. This convergence provides businesses with unparalleled capabilities to navigate the intricacies of digital transformation. Leading this revolution is the collaborative alliances between Nutanix, Cisco, and Cohesity. They offer a comprehensive approach to data infrastructure that seamlessly merges innovation with technical expertise. In 2023, Cisco revealed its global strategic alliance with Nutanix, fostering collaboration and a shared vision: to furnish businesses with seamless, agile, and scalable solutions adept at addressing the swiftly evolving demands of the digital era. This development marked a significant industry transformation, including the discontinuation of Hyperflex in favor of Nutanix. Central to this three-pronged solution is Nutanix's hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI), which serves as a strong modern IT architecture. Nutanix's HCI platform unifies compute, storage, and networking into a single, software-defined solution, eliminating the need for traditional siloed infrastructure and simplifying management complexities. By leveraging Nutanix's distributed architecture and built-in resiliency features, organizations can achieve unparalleled scalability, agility, and performance across their entire infrastructure footprint including public cloud. The partnership extends to data protection and management through integration with Cohesity, a leading provider of modern data management solutions. Cohesity's hyper-converged secondary storage platform consolidates data management functions such as backup, recovery, replication, and archival onto a single, web-scale platform, simplifying operations and reducing infrastructure sprawl. By seamlessly integrating with Nutanix's HCI and Cisco's networking infrastructure, Cohesity enables organizations to achieve near-instantaneous backup and recovery times, ensuring business continuity and data resiliency in the face of disruptions. Complementing Nutanix's HCI prowess is Cisco's formidable networking and security expertise. Through seamless integration with Cisco's XDR (Extended Detection and Response) capabilities, organizations can fortify their defenses against a myriad of cyber threats, ranging from ransomware attacks to advanced persistent threats (APTs). Cisco's XDR platform leverages advanced analytics, machine learning, and automation to detect, investigate, and remediate security incidents in real time, ensuring comprehensive protection across the entire Nutanix environment. The further integration between Cisco XDR and Cohesity brings together the strengths of both platforms, creating a unified approach to cybersecurity and data management. Here's how this integration benefits organizations:
The integration between Cisco XDR and Cohesity offers organizations a powerful solution for cybersecurity and data management. By combining threat detection, incident response, and data protection capabilities, this integration helps organizations better defend against cyber threats and safeguard their critical data assets. From a technical standpoint, the integration between Nutanix, Cisco, and Cohesity is underpinned by a shared commitment to interoperability, performance optimization, and ease of deployment. Leveraging open APIs and standardized protocols, the three partners have collaborated extensively to ensure seamless integration and compatibility across their respective platforms. This collaborative approach extends to joint engineering efforts, with dedicated teams working to optimize performance, scalability, and reliability across the entire solution stack. Moreover, the partnership offers a unified management experience through Nutanix Prism, providing administrators with a single-pane-of-glass interface to monitor, manage, and orchestrate their entire infrastructure environment. Nutanix Prism seamlessly integrates with Cisco Intersight, enabling organizations to leverage Cisco's cloud-based management platform for streamlined operations and enhanced visibility across distributed environments. The convergence of Nutanix, Cisco, and Cohesity represents a paradigm shift in the realm of data management, offering organizations a comprehensive, future-proof solution to navigate the complexities of modern IT infrastructure. By combining Nutanix's HCI innovation with Cisco's networking and security prowess, and Cohesity's data protection expertise, businesses can unlock new levels of agility, efficiency, and resilience in their journey towards digital transformation. As organizations continue to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the digital age, the Nutanix-Cisco-Cohesity partnership stands ready to empower them with the tools and technologies they need to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. References:
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In the dynamic realm of technology, software products continuously undergo upgrades, transitions, and eventual retirements. This pattern is evident with Nutanix, a prominent provider of cloud software and hyper-converged infrastructure solutions. Their recent announcement concerning the end-of-sale for legacy software products signals a significant transition for Nutanix users, emphasizing the importance of understanding the implications and planning for the shift to the new Nutanix Cloud Platform. Let's delve into the details of this announcement. Understanding the Announcement:As of February 1st, 2024, Nutanix has officially declared the end-of-sale for its legacy software products, including AOS, Flow, Prism, Calm, Files, Objects, Mine, and Era. This announcement marks the beginning of a transition period for Nutanix customers. The end-of-sale date is set for July 31st, 2024, which means that after this date, these legacy products will no longer be available for purchase. Impact on Customers:For existing Nutanix customers with active software subscriptions, there's a grace period until January 31st, 2025, to renew their subscriptions for the legacy products. However, after this date, renewals will only be possible with equivalent products from the new Nutanix Cloud Platform portfolio. This transition offers an opportunity for users to explore the enhanced features and benefits of the new platform while ensuring uninterrupted service for their current workloads. Options for Customers:Nutanix is providing customers with flexibility during this transition period. Customers can choose to renew their legacy software subscriptions before the end-of-renewal date or opt for equivalent products from the new portfolio. Additionally, Nutanix offers the option to convert legacy software subscriptions to new portfolio subscriptions before the expiration of the legacy subscription term. This allows users to seamlessly transition to the new platform without disruption. Renewals and Conversions:What are the options for renewing a legacy software portfolio subscription?
Equivalent ProductsThe table below lists the closest equivalent products. Make sure to take the training on NCP if you have more questions. Planning for the Future:For Nutanix customers, planning for the future involves understanding the implications of the end-of-sale announcement and taking appropriate action. It's essential to assess current software needs, evaluate the features and benefits of the new Nutanix Cloud Platform, and engage with the Nutanix account team or qualified partner for further guidance and support. By proactively planning for the transition, customers can ensure continuity of operations and leverage the latest innovations offered by Nutanix. The end-of-sale announcement for Nutanix legacy software products signifies a strategic shift towards the new Nutanix Cloud Platform. While this transition may present challenges, it also offers opportunities for users to modernize their infrastructure and optimize their cloud operations. By understanding the milestones, exploring available options, and engaging with Nutanix resources from strong partners, customers can navigate this transition effectively and unlock the full potential of the Nutanix ecosystem.
Unlocking the Power of Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2): Sizing and Deployment on Azure and AWS10/18/2023 Navigating the dynamic landscape of cloud computing requires solutions that offer flexibility, simplicity, and cost-efficiency. Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2) emerges as a beacon of innovation in the hybrid multi-cloud realm, providing a comprehensive platform that caters to diverse cloud deployment needs. This extensive guide dives deep into the world of NC2, exploring its intricate details, highlighting its advantages, and illuminating its deployment intricacies on Azure and AWS. Whether you are planning a migration to the cloud or optimizing your current cloud infrastructure, NC2 is a force to reckon with. Demystifying Nutanix NC2Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2) stands as a testament to the evolution of cloud technology, bringing together the prowess of Nutanix's hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) stack – comprising Nutanix AOS, AHV, and Prism – into the public cloud arena. It accomplishes this feat by running on bare metal instances, facilitating seamless application migration from on-premises environments to renowned public cloud providers like Azure and AWS. The Multifaceted Benefits of NC2
Exploring NC2's Use CasesThe versatility of NC2 makes it an invaluable asset for organizations. Here are some practical use cases:
Comparative Analysis: NC2 vs. VMware OfferingWhile Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2), VMware on AWS, and VMware Cloud on Azure all offer hybrid cloud solutions for running VMware workloads, each presents distinct characteristics:
Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2):
My customers are progressively embracing hybrid and multi-cloud environments to harness the advantages of a range of cloud platforms, including Microsoft Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud. While these configurations deliver unparalleled flexibility and scalability, they also bring about intricate cybersecurity hurdles. Within this blog, I will delve into the most effective strategies for fortifying hybrid and multi-cloud setups, with a particular emphasis on Microsoft Azure, to protect sensitive data and uphold a resilient cybersecurity stance. Best Practices for Securing Hybrid/Multi-Cloud Environments with Microsoft Azure:1. Implement Strong Identity and Access Management (IAM): To ensure authorized access and prevent data breaches, utilize Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) for centralized identity management. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access control (RBAC) to maintain fine-grained permissions. Regularly review and update user access privileges to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access. 2. Encrypt Data in Transit and at Rest: Protecting data is paramount. Utilize SSL/TLS for data transmission between services and implement Azure Key Vault for secure key management. Employ Azure Disk Encryption to safeguard data at rest within virtual machines and Azure Storage, providing an additional layer of protection. Azure Key VaultAzure Key Vault is a cloud service that provides a secure store for secrets. You can securely store keys, passwords, certificates, and other secrets. Azure key vaults may be created and managed through the Azure portal. Azure Key Vault offers the following features:
3. Network Security and Segmentation: Establish a secure network environment using Network Security Groups (NSGs) and Azure Firewall to control traffic flow between virtual networks and subnets. Leverage Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) or ExpressRoute for encrypted and private connections between on-premises and Azure resources, mitigating the risk of data interception. 4. Continuous Monitoring and Threat Detection: Stay vigilant by enabling Azure Security Center to monitor and detect threats across your Azure resources. Leverage Azure Monitor, Azure Log Analytics, and Azure Network Watcher for real-time monitoring and rapid incident response, ensuring timely action against potential security breaches. Azure Security CenterAs the cloud computing landscape persistently advances, businesses are required to maintain flexibility to keep pace. A growing number of my clients are finding it necessary to administer and operate within multi-cloud environments. Within this context, Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2) on Microsoft Azure present an effective solution for hybrid cloud infrastructures, facilitating businesses to streamline operations and maximize resources. In this blog, I will delve into the fundamental features and advantages of Nutanix Cloud Clusters on Microsoft Azure and examine how it can transform your corporate IT strategy. Furthermore, I will compare this with the Azure VMware Solution (AVS) and discuss how to get started on your journey with Nutanix Cloud Clusters. What is Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2) on Microsoft Azure?Nutanix Cloud Clusters on Microsoft Azure, or NC2, is a solution co-developed that facilitates seamless integration and management of private, public, and distributed cloud environments. It offers a unified infrastructure that allows businesses to move workloads between on-premises Nutanix clusters and Azure as per their convenience and requirements, providing true hybridity and mobility. Key Features of Nutanix Cloud Clusters on Microsoft Azure
As most of you know, www.vmwarevelocity.com has been my blog on the internet for many years now, a place where I've gathered to discuss, learn, and explore everything related to VMware virtualization. I am deeply grateful for your engagement and feedback that has spurred us all toward greater understanding.
Today, I'm thrilled to announce a major evolution in my journey. I am transitioning from www.vmwarevelocity.com to a new and more comprehensive blog: www.virtualizationvelocity.com. Why the move, you may ask? While VMware has been and will continue to be, an integral part of the conversation, I've come to a point in my virtualization adventure where limiting myself to one technology doesn't quite capture the entire picture. The world of virtualization is vast and continually growing. More players have entered the scene, bringing innovative solutions and technologies that are shaping the future of virtualization. That's where www.virtualizationvelocity.com comes in. The new blog is designed to embrace this broader perspective of virtualization. Alongside VMware, I will be diving into a multitude of other cutting-edge virtualization technologies, including Nutanix, Azure, Google Cloud, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). This expansion allows me to keep pace with the rapid advancements in the field and provides you with a more comprehensive resource for all things virtualization. Does this mean I am leaving VMware behind? Absolutely not. I'll continue delving into VMware topics, updating you on the latest advancements, how-tos, and best practices. However, with the transition to www.virtualizationvelocity.com, I'll also be taking a deeper look into other platforms and exploring how they compare and contrast with VMware. I aim to provide a more rounded view of the virtualization landscape. I'm incredibly excited about this new chapter in our shared journey. This transition is about growing together, expanding our knowledge base, and becoming more versatile in understanding virtualization technologies. Thank you for your continued support and engagement. I invite you to join me at www.virtualizationvelocity.com to kick off this exciting new phase of our virtualization exploration. Here's to a wider perspective, fresh insights, and new learning opportunities! Stay tuned, and keep up with the velocity! As businesses increasingly lean on technology, the need for continuous availability of critical applications and data has become vital. The interruption of IT operations can cause substantial financial and reputational losses to an organization. Therefore, implementing a robust business continuity plan that ensures uninterrupted operation of critical applications and data, even during a disaster, is imperative. One of the key technologies that support this requirement is VMware vSAN Stretched Clusters, which provide high availability and protection for mission-critical applications and data. Recently, AVS (Azure VMware Solution) support for vSAN stretched clusters has been made generally available in several Azure regions, including West Europe, UK South, Germany West Central, and Australia East. The Power of Stretched ClustersA stretched cluster is configured by deploying an AVS private cloud across two availability zones (AZs) within the same region, with a vSAN witness placed in a third AZ. This witness constantly monitors all hosts within the cluster, serving as a quorum in the event of a split-brain scenario. With an even deployment of hosts within the private cloud across regions, the whole system operates as a single entity. Leveraging storage policy-based synchronous replication, data is replicated across AZs delivering a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of zero. Thus, even if one AZ faces disruption due to an unforeseen event, the other AZ can continue operation, ensuring uninterrupted access to critical workloads. Availability and Protection with vSANEach AZ is divided into a preferred and secondary vSAN fault domain. Under normal conditions, Virtual Machines (VMs) will use storage policies configured for dual site mirroring as well as local failures, residing in the preferred fault domain.
In case of a domain failure, vSAN powers off these VMs, and vSphere HA then powers on these VMs in the secondary fault domain. This flexibility allows administrators to apply a variety of different storage policies based on their specific requirements. Technology is ever-evolving, and staying ahead of the curve is crucial for businesses in today's fast-paced digital landscape. One such technology that has revolutionized virtualization is VMware vSphere. To further enhance its capabilities and refine its features, VMware offers an exclusive opportunity for enthusiasts and professionals to participate in their vSphere BETA Program. In this blog, we will delve into an overview of the program and discuss some compelling reasons to join this beta opportunity.
What is the VMware vSphere BETA Program? The VMware vSphere BETA Program is an initiative by VMware that allows participants to gain early access to the latest versions of vSphere and actively contribute to its development. It offers a unique chance to work closely with the VMware engineering team, providing valuable feedback, reporting bugs, and suggesting enhancements before the official release. This program gives participants a firsthand experience of upcoming features, allowing them to explore new functionalities and offer insights to shape the final product. Reasons to Participate:
Joining the VMware vSphere BETA Program presents an exciting opportunity for virtualization enthusiasts and professionals alike. By actively participating in the program, you can shape the future of vSphere, gain early access to new features, test compatibility, and performance, and engage with a vibrant community. Your involvement in the BETA Program not only enhances your technical skills but also allows you to contribute to the development of a leading virtualization platform. Embrace this chance to be at the forefront of innovation and make a tangible impact in the world of virtualization with VMware vSphere BETA Program. Innovation is like a playground with endless possibilities, and Broadcom and VMware are teaming up to create the ultimate tech amusement park! Think of Broadcom as the roller coaster, with its organic growth and acquisition adventures, built upon the legacy of tech pioneers like AT&T Bell Labs and Hewlett Packard. Together with VMware, they're on a mission to take virtualization technology to new heights! Broadcom recently stated they are so committed to innovation that they're splurging an extra $2 billion annually to unlock customer value. Half of that goes into mind-blowing research and development (R&D), while the other half is about turbocharging VMware solutions deployment through professional partner services like CDW. It's like giving virtualization a jetpack! Picture this: enterprises constructing their own next-gen software-defined data centers, either on-premises or in private clouds. No more being held hostage by mixed cloud environments! With Broadcom's help, VMware's technology will become even easier to use, combining the productivity, efficiency, and resiliency of public clouds with the convenience of on-prem and private cloud environments. It's a virtualization extravaganza! But wait, there's more! Broadcom wants everyone to enjoy the multi-cloud party. They're extending VMware's software stack to run and manage workloads across private and public clouds. Imagine effortlessly running your applications anywhere you please, with a smooth transition from on-prem to any cloud platform you fancy. It's like having a personal cloud party planner! Broadcom is bringing the fun to VMware's professional services capabilities. They're investing in external partners and professional services support with the likes of CDW and others to make sure enterprises can deploy private clouds like a pro. With Broadcom's backing, VMware can now support more customers, team up with global system integrators, and double down on professional services. It's like the tech equivalent of a grand expansion pack! Broadcom's business model is all about the evolution of technology. They believe that by constantly improving what they do best, they can create a roadmap to greatness. And when Broadcom unlocks VMware's potential, the tech industry and customers everywhere will reap the rewards. It's like opening a treasure trove of innovation! So buckle up, tech enthusiasts, because Broadcom and VMware are joining forces to create an incredible tech adventure, where the possibilities are endless, the innovation is thrilling, and the fun never stops! Let's ride the wave of innovation together! vSphere 8.0 Update 1 is the latest release of this platform, and it comes with a host of new features and capabilities that enhance the efficiency and reliability of IT operations.
One of the key new features is the vSphere Configuration Profiles, which allows you to manage ESXi cluster configurations by specifying a desired host configuration at the cluster level. This means that you can define a set of configuration settings that you want all hosts in a cluster to conform to, such as firewall rules, user accounts, and network settings. You can then automate the scanning of ESXi hosts for compliance to the specified desired configuration and remediate any host that is not compliant. This helps you ensure consistent and secure configurations across your infrastructure. To use vSphere Configuration Profiles, you need to use vSphere Lifecycle Manager images to manage your cluster lifecycle, a vSphere 8.0 Update 1 environment, and either an Enterprise Plus or vSphere+ license. vSphere 8.0 Update 1 also adds support for various technologies such as NVIDIA BlueField-2 DPUs to server designs from Lenovo and Dell, AMD Genoa CPU-based server designs from Dell, and UPTv2 for NVIDIA BlueField-2 DPUs. It also removes the requirement that all vGPUs on a physical GPU must be of the same type and allows you to set different vGPU profiles, such as compute, graphics, or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure workload, on one GPU to save cost by higher GPU utilization and reduced workload fragmentation. Another major enhancement in vSphere 8.0 Update 1 is the integration of VMware Skyline Health Diagnostics with vCenter. This self-service diagnostics platform is integrated with the vSphere Client and allows you to detect and remediate issues in your vSphere environment. Additionally, vSphere 8.0 Update 1 introduces VM-level power consumption metrics, which allows vSphere admins to track power consumption at a VM level to support the environmental, social, and governance goals of your organization. vSphere 8.0 Update 1 also adds support for NVSwitch, which enables you to run high-performance computing (HPC) and AI applications such as deep learning, scientific simulations, and big data analytics, which require multiple GPUs working together in parallel. Moreover, vSphere 8.0 Update 1 allows you to use third-party identity security provider Okta to log in simultaneously to vCenter and NSX Manager by using the same token and password. Other enhancements in vSphere 8.0 Update 1 include support for Fault Tolerance of virtual machines that use a virtual TPM (vTPM) module, Quick Boot support for servers with TPM 2.0 chips, vSphere API for Storage Awareness (VASA) version 5 for vSphere Virtual Volumes, sidecar files become regular files in Config-vVol instead of vSphere Virtual Volumes objects, increased default capacity for vSphere Virtual Volumes objects of type Config-vVol, and NVMe over TCP support for vSphere Virtual Volumes. Finally, vSphere 8 Update 1 adds support for NVMe over TCP for vSphere Virtual Volumes. NVMe is a protocol for accessing non-volatile memory, such as solid-state drives (SSDs), over a high-speed interface. With NVMe over TCP, you can use this high-speed protocol to access storage over a standard TCP/IP network, providing faster performance and lower latency than traditional storage protocols like iSCSI or NFS. This can help you improve the performance of your storage-intensive workloads, such as databases or big data analytics. VMware vSphere 8.0 Update 1 is a major upgrade that offers many new features and capabilities that improve the efficiency and reliability of IT operations. |
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