Posts

Posted on

January 2023

Major highlights for January : 
Upgrade sales flow :
  • Now upgrade flow also supports HPE DX
  • You can recreate existing cluster with older DX configs (just as NX)
  • This will be a manual exercise though (like NX) but auto recreate will be coming soon
Imported workload enhancements:
Storage for powered Off VMs
  • Option to consider the storage for powered Off VMs (even if sized for only powered ON VMs)
  • This is applicable across Collector/RVTool/Insights imports
  • Checked by default but can opt-out
Retain cluster mapping
  • This will retain the source cluster and the VMs mapped to accordingly to the sizing
  • Instead of consolidating all VMs to default Cluster-1
  • Not checked by default so need to opt-in

Posted on

November 2022

Here are the latest release with the following updates on SW/Platform:
  • Snapshots: RPO frequency updates for AOS 6.5.1
  • One-hour supported for up to 136TB for hybrid nodes  plus other rule changes
  • Adding 2% buffer for max capacity restrictions
  • 15.36TB NVMe SSDs support / Storage Capacity calculator
  • Lenovo Rule: Limit CPUs with wattage <=205W
Licensing update:
  • NCI : Handling the free TiBs of Files / Objects with the NCI license (also for Legacy)
  • EUC : Handling free GBs per user for Files with per user VDI license
Usability :
  • My scenarios dashboard:  Dynamically adjustable columns
  • Makes search by name easier
  • Including shared scenario dashboard
  • Partner login:
  • Updating deal registration-based validation for partner flow
  • Allow sizing for all approved deal registration ids
  • NCP bundle:
  • Highlighting individual licenses across tiers
Posted on

October 2022

Here are the updated on two new features:
TCO in Proposals:
  • A new section on TCO in the Proposal deck
  • It has charts comparing the total cost of the solution on NX vs AWS
  • It is based on pre-build scenarios of standard sizes that is closest to the one being sized
  • For example: for a sizing of 450 VDI users, it will pick a pre-build scenario of 500 VDI users
  • It’s an optional and editable section in the proposal ,and hope it serves as a good conversation starter
  • The section also has guide on where and how to reach out to TCO team for a more detailed analysis/questions
CVM modes :
  • To address wide range of requests and different use cases, introduced two modes for allocating CVM cores
  • Regular mode: It is the current behaviour (and default option) so no changes
  • Performance mode: If selected, it doubles up the cvm cores
  • For example: for a regular VDI sizing, sizer allocates 4 cores , but if performance mode, will allocate 8 cores
  • Particularly helpful in addressing the resources required for certain configs, for example: NVMe nodes
  • NVMe nodes are used even for non-performance critical use case due to price parity with SSDs so regular allocation should be fine
  • In cases where it is used for performance , selecting the mode will ensure higher cores are provisioned
Other updates:
  • Updated HPE DX HW pricing for budgetary quotes (for DX BOM)
  • Lenovo product updates
Posted on

August 2022

Here are the major highlights listed below :
Products:
  • Proposals – includes NG8 and HPE DXG10Plus models
  • HPE DX HW BOM – pricing update for budgetary quote
  • NCM Cloud add-on in Solutions
  • NUS add-on to NCI update (can add to all tiers)
  • NC2(AWS) – heterogeneous cluster support (mixing of different server types)
  •  NVME nodes CVM update (parity with SSD node type) – regular use case
Platform:
  • NX NG8 NIC changes : support for configurable LOM(AIOM)
  • Fujitsu – additional memory configs support
Posted on

Collector 4.3

Nutanix Collector 4.3 is now available for download.  

WHAT’S NEW

  • Support CLI for Collector Windows – You can run Nutanix Collector in the CLI mode on the Windows operating system to initialize data collection from Prism, vCenter, Hyper-V (remote and local), and ONTAP CIFS shares.
  • For v-Center – Collection output includes a new sheet named Datastore that allows you to look at the individual datastore, associated hosts, VMs, and their properties.

RESOLVED ISSUES

  • For vCenter environments, the data collection fails when Collector encounters nested datacenters hierarchy while scanning a list of available clusters.
  • Removed the domain administrator check for single node Hyper-V local cluster collection. Note:  For Hyper-V (remote) cluster with multiple hosts, you must be the domain administrator and for Hyper-V (remote) cluster with a single node, you must be the local administrator.
  • In certain scenarios, collection fails when gathering the VM performance data of a Hyper-V cluster.
  • Collector identifies a Hyper-V cluster as a single node when running on 64-bit Windows operating systems.
  • For ONTAP CIFS share cluster, collection fails when the search path for the CIFS home directory is not configured.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • When you run Collector in the CLI mode on Windows, the CIFS Shares count equal to or greater than 20 is displayed as 21 CIFS Shares.
  • Collector fails to gather the information when there is only one Prism Element cluster under the Prism Central. For the workaround, see the Troubleshooting section of the Collector User Guide.

RESOURCES

CALL TO ACTION

Simplify your requirement gathering by downloading Collector

Public URL: Collector Download Link for Prospects (no login required)

MyNutanix URL: Collector Download Link for MyNutanix Users 

Report issues in Collector via this Google form

Thank you,

Team Nutanix Collector

Posted on

Accessing Expansion Explorer as a Nutanix Partner

Nutanix Expansion Explorer is a new sales enablement product to help our sales team explore expansion opportunities for our existing accounts. As a partner, access is controlled by the Account Owner.

Step-by-step process to access Nutanix Expansion Explorer

  1. Visit https://expansion-explorer.nutanix.com
  2. Login via MyNutanix credentials
  3. Once you log in, you can view all the leads that have been passed by the respective Account Owners.
  4. For each lead, you can view the Account Owner, Cluster Name, Cluster Details, Recommended Sizing, Potential Deal Size, Nutanix Channel SE, Created date & assigned date.

The description of each column is documented below:

Column Name Description
Lead ID Unique lead ID for the cluster that needs to undergo a full hardware refresh
Account Name Name of the Account that owns this cluster.
Account Owner The Account Owner who is associated with the lead ID. 
Cluster Name Name of the cluster for which the lead is generated.
Cluster Details Provides the node quantities and the hardware model that is part of this cluster.
Recommended Sizing A link to autogenerated Sizer solution based on the cluster workload information gathered via Nutanix Insights. The hyperlink redirects the user to the scenario in Sizer post-authentication.
Create Date The date on which this lead was generated by Expansion Explorer.
Potential Deal Size The total list price of the recommended solution including both the hardware and software is recommended by Sizer.
Channel SE Nutanix channel SE to reach out if you need any help with sizing activities.
Assigned Date The date on which this lead was assigned to the user. 

How to proceed with leads?

  1. Click on the Recommended Sizing to view the details of Sizing
  2. Analyze automatically gathered workloads & solution
  3. Reach out to the customer to validate the requirements
  4. Review the workloads with the customer
  5. Check if the customer plans to run new workloads or decommission any existing workloads
  6. Tweak the requirements based on the discussion with the customer & arrive at the final solution.

If you need any additional information or resources refer here.

Posted on

Nutanix Validated Design for Unified Storage( NVD NUS)

Nutanix delivers the Unified Storage Design, as a bundled solution for storage consolidation with the SMB, NFS and S3 protocols, that includes hardware, software, and services to accelerate and simplify the deployment and implementation process. This Validated Design features a full-stack solution for unified storage deployments that integrates multiple products including AOS, AHV, Prism Pro, Files, Objects, Flow, F5, Mine, and HYCU.The Unified storage validated design sizer reference scenarios have the following features:

 

  • The baseline configuration is comprised of two clusters:
    • Nutanix Files – 4-node cluster (representing one Availability Zone) based on NX-8155 for the file servers providing SMB and NFS services.   
    • Nutanix Objects – 4-node clusters (representing one Availability Zone) based on NX-8155 for the object instances providing S3 services. These clusters can also host Prism Central as a part of the design

 

The overall Unified Storage Design can optionally include the management and backup cluster as defined in the Hybrid Cloud NVD (On prem (Large)) reference scenario with the following features:

  • Management – 4-node cluster based on NX-1175S for Prism Central, Active Directory, IPAM, Load Balancing, SYSLOG, and any other management services.
  • Backup – 4-node cluster of NX-8155-G8 for Mine/Hycu 

A dedicated management cluster in each Availability Zone provides increased availability, security, operations, and performance. The Files or Objects clusters have a defined maximum size of 8 nodes each, which provides a reasonable maintenance window for rolling firmware and software upgrades and rebuild operations during failure scenarios given the node density and drive sizes. Smaller workload clusters can be deployed, but the maximum size should not exceed 8 nodes.

 

  • HYCU software license is not included, and must be purchased separately via other channels. 
  • Services SKUs are not included in the Sizer reference scenarios. Review the BOM in the NVD appendix for the complete list of Services SKUs which should be included.

 

It is extremely important to review the entire Hybrid Cloud: Unified Storage Design on the Solutions Support portal to understand the complete Hybrid Cloud validated solution. 

 

For questions or additional information:

 

 

Posted on

Nutanix Validated Design: Hybrid cloud NVD AWS-DR (Large)

 

Nutanix delivers the Disaster Recovery to Nutanix Cloud Clusters on AWS Design, as a bundled solution for general server virtualization that includes hardware, software, and services to accelerate and simplify the deployment and implementation process. This Validated Design features a full-stack solution for hybrid cloud deployments that integrates multiple products including AOS, AHV, Prism Pro, Calm, Flow, Leap, Mine, and HYCU.The Validated Design – Disaster Recovery to Nutanix Cloud Clusters on AWS Design  sizer reference scenarios have the following features:

 

  • The on-prem  baseline configuration is comprised of three clusters:
    • Management – 4-node cluster based on NX-1175S for Prism Central, Active Directory, IPAM, Load Balancing, SYSLOG, and any other management services.
    • Workload – 4-16 nodes of NX-3170-G8 for general purpose server virtualization workloads.
    • Backup – 4-node cluster of NX-8155-G8 for Mine/Hycu 
  • The AWS  baseline configuration is comprised of three clusters:
    • Management – 4-node cluster based on m5d.metal for Prism Central, Active Directory, any other management services.
    • Workload– 2 * 4-16 nodes of i3en.metal for general purpose server virtualization workloads. At the time of testing Nutanix only supported a 16 node  cluster in AWS.

 

A dedicated management cluster in each Availability Zone provides increased availability, security, operations, and performance. The workload cluster has a defined maximum size of 16 nodes, which provides a reasonable maintenance window for rolling firmware and software upgrades. Smaller workload clusters can be deployed, but the maximum size should not exceed 16 nodes.

 

  •  NVD Defines standard VM “t-shirt” sizes for deployment via Calm:

 

Small Medium Large
1 vCPU 2 vCPU 4 vCPU
8 GB RAM 16 GB RAM 32GB RAM
50GB SSD 100GB SSD 200GB SSD

 

  • When using the defined VM sizes, the on-prem per-workload cluster maximums are:

 

  Small VMs Medium VMs Large VMs
Maximum running VMs per on-premises workload cluster building block 1,860 1,380 690
Maximum running VMs per node on-premises 124 92 46
Maximum deployed VMs per workload cluster on AWS 1,350 675 330
Maximum running VMs per node  on AWS Workload Cluster 90 45 22

 

  • Due to quoting limitations, a single Availability Zone has two sizer scenarios: Management + Workload cluster, and Backup Cluster. Note that the Hycu software license is not included, and must be purchased separately via other channels. 
  • Services SKUs are not included in the Sizer reference scenarios. Review the BOM in the NVD appendix for the complete list of Services SKUs which should be included.

 

It is extremely important to review the entire Hybrid Cloud: Disaster Recovery to Nutanix Cloud Clusters on AWS Design on the Solutions Support portal to understand the complete Hybrid Cloud validated solution. 

 

For questions or additional information:

 

 

Posted on

Collector 4.2

Nutanix Collector 4.2 is now available for download. The release is focused on a major re-architecture of the existing code base that shall enable us to add support for new workloads in the future. Below is a summary of the changes. 

WHAT’S NEW

  • 2x to 3x performance improvement in data collection
  • Improved accuracy of storage metrics when gathering data via Prism
    • Gather storage from all Volume Groups irrespective of VG to VM mapping. For example, VGs associated with Nutanix Files are not mapped to VMs. 
  • Improved user experience for troubleshooting customer issues
    • Support to change log level on the fly to gather additional log files
    • Supported log levels – critical, warning, info, debug

RESOLVED ISSUES

  • Resolved issues around major anti-virus vendors flagged us as Malicious
  • VM level storage metrics handle duplicate vPartition data entries
  • Resolved data collection failures in Hyper-V caused due to unsupported delimiters
  • Populated values for the 95th percentile value of the IOPS, the number of read & write operations under vHosts sheet.

Note: With the new architecture, the size of the Collector bundle has been reduced to half.  

RESOURCES

CALL TO ACTION

Simplify your requirement gathering by downloading Collector

Public URL: Collector Download Link for Prospects (no login required)

MyNutanix URL: Collector Download Link for MyNutanix Users 

Report issues in Collector via this Google form

Thank you,

Team Nutanix Collector