What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case of this solution is that it helped me solve all of my use cases. I can create an integrative private cloud in a data center, create a hybrid cloud, public cloud, and near-site data recording. For example, there are lots of sites that do not have the data there so I can create data because Nutanix also has got it stored on the nodes. So it takes care of storage on the nodes. I can build storage on the nodes, compute them, give the clients who already have a small data center within themselves but they do not have it externally. By using storage on the nodes in Nutanix I can give them the external.
From a performance perspective, I have not had any issue as of now and from a latency and performance position, it has done quite well. Also no issues.
How has it helped my organization?
One of the benefits this solution has had for my organization is the space consumption. Space consumption was reduced by approximately 40% because if I had gone with another kind of traditional, or open world solution, then I would have not saved my floor space. Another way it has benefited my organization is because of the energy consumption. Currently, energy consumption has been saved by around 30% to 40%. Plus the number of IOPS has increased, I'm getting the highest IOPS in Nutanix. I had situations where I got applications that depend on public IP, RAM, and LAN. In both cases, I have some very efficient data that, more or less, in terms of resource requirement, I don't need resources for.
What is most valuable?
On-demand scaling is the most valuable feature, I can keep on scaling on-demand. Secondly, Nutanix allows me to create my own configuration. I can create my own configuration and I can get all of it as per my configuration. Number three is that in Nutanix if I do three or four nodes if I look at the traditional environment I have to really figure out the wave concept. Connect wave one, wave two, wave six, wave five. In Nutanix I don't have any of these issues. Lastly, deduplication. Deduplication and erasure coding.
What needs improvement?
As of now, Acropolis and VMware cannot talk to each other. Until we have some kind of interface, it would be much better for Nutanix if they built an interface which can talk. Otherwise, if I have a VMware stack and I already have a Nutanix stack, I can create containers, I create clusters on VMware, I create clusters on Nutanix. All of these clusters cannot talk to each other. Then it has to be then subverted as a parallel execution. What happens then is that I have to work in two different environments within my data center. Practically, they are two different data centers but physically and logically, they are one. If they cannot talk to each other that creates a lot of issues. That is something which Nutanix has to develop. For example, Oracle is using a function called GoldenGate. They have a feature called GoldenGate which allows them to talk to various different environments which must really help.
For how long have I used the solution?
One to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Nutanix will be there for the long run because if you look at it, Nutanix is not into the hardware business. Nutanix is mainly into the software business. For any business which is running on a hardware business, stability is a little difficult because hardware keeps on changing but since Nutanix is only into the software, and they only sell the hardware, I guess it is on Super Micro. They have greater stability than anyone else because they are purely into the software medium.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Nutanix's scalability is better than anyone else. The only area where Nutanix still lags in terms of scalability is the storage on the nodes. For example, Nutanix has to make its scalability, in terms of storage on the nodes for 100% ACI-based storage on the nodes, as of now it cannot go more than interact in a single bracket. Cannot go more than, up to one petabyte usable storage. If you look at other windows, they can go up to 2 petabytes, 2.5 petabytes and I think Nutanix has to look into that aspect. Many times, whoever buys the Nutanix solution, buys a high compute and storage or they buy only storage with low compute. So only storage with low compute really helps in terms of storing offline databases or storing unstructured databases. For example, when there was a lot of unstructured data coming in into my data center, two different centers, and two different cameras. All of this unstructured data I can store into storage-only nodes. Nutanix cannot go more than to 900 to 800 GB interact when I'm storing on the nodes. Then the customers are forced to look for a solution which can give better storage options than Nutanix.
How are customer service and technical support?
Their technical support is really good. They have been very helpful.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We wanted to have a data center of our own. I did a lot of research into Nutanix, spent around 77 hours, and presented a report. In government what happens is that anybody can go and buy a solution but keeping it maintained and sustained for a longer period is extremely challenging in government because people keep on changing because there are a lot of transfers. People keep on switching from one department to another department. They are not technically savvy. These are the two challenges. From a long term sustainability perspective I have to see whether will I be able to manage this entire infrastructure. Third was cost. I distributed my comparative study in three different areas and then sub areas in terms of technology, resources, training, scalability, and all that stuff. Finally, we found Nutanix is the best solution and that's how we went ahead with this solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was not complex at all. It was very simple. I was monitoring the entire racking, stacking, cabling and all of that stuff. I was there while my team was doing that and we had, every day, two to three meetings while doing that and I learned that it's quite simple but it's not easy.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten. If they develop the interoperability then it would make it a ten.
I would advise someone considering this solution to not look at the market share. Look at the technical aspects in terms of the long term sustainability like licensing issues, easy scalability, hardware infrastructure, and storage compute. It should help in saving your OpEx costs in terms of floor space, energy, power consumption, and energy. Also look at latency IOPS and availability and if you can train your associates easily in the support aspect.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
It's not only staying on top. It's all what Nutanix is building around the infrastructure..