Unlocking the Power of Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2): Sizing and Deployment on Azure and AWS

​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 NC2

​Nutanix 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

1. Simplicity: At the heart of NC2's value proposition lies a single management console that seamlessly orchestrates workloads across on-premises and public clouds. This unified approach simplifies operations, reducing operational costs while streamlining management.
2. Flexibility: NC2 is a jack of all trades, capable of supporting various workloads, including virtual machines, containers, and bare metal instances. This remarkable flexibility empowers organizations to select the ideal deployment model for their specific use cases.
3. Cost Efficiency: NC2 operates on a pay-as-you-go model, ensuring that customers pay only for the resources they utilize. This dynamic pricing structure not only reduces costs but also enhances resource optimization.

Exploring NC2's Use Cases

The versatility of NC2 makes it an invaluable asset for organizations. Here are some practical use cases:

• Lift-and-Shift Migrations: NC2 simplifies the migration of workloads from on-premises to public clouds without necessitating alterations to existing applications.
• Cloud-Native Applications: For cloud-native applications, such as microservices and containers, NC2 provides an optimal environment within a hybrid multi-cloud ecosystem.
• Disaster Recovery: NC2 facilitates the creation of disaster recovery sites in public clouds, fortifying workloads against on-premises disruptions.

Comparative Analysis: NC2 vs. VMware Offering

While 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):

• Type: Hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) platform.
• Underlying Infrastructure: NC2 leverages bare metal instances to run the Nutanix AOS, AHV, and Prism software stack. This approach provides direct access to the underlying hardware.
• Management Console: Nutanix Prism offers a unified management console for both on-premises and public cloud workloads, streamlining operations.
• Supported Workloads: NC2 is highly versatile, accommodating various workloads, including virtual machines, containers, and bare metal instances.​
• Key Advantages: NC2 stands out with its robust flexibility and deep integration with Nutanix's HCI stack. It's an ideal choice for organizations seeking a unified platform to manage workloads across multiple environments.
  
  

VMware on AWS:

• Type: Managed service.
• Underlying Infrastructure: VMware on AWS operates on AWS infrastructure, providing pre-configured and managed environments for VMware workloads.
• Management Console: VMware vCenter is the primary management console for VMware on AWS deployments.
• Supported Workloads: While VMware on AWS supports virtual machines, it is primarily designed for running VMware workloads.
• Key Advantages: VMware on AWS excels in providing a seamless extension of VMware workloads to the cloud, making it an attractive choice for organizations heavily invested in VMware technologies.
  
  

 VMware Cloud on Azure:

• Type: Managed service.
• Underlying Infrastructure: VMware Cloud on Azure runs on Azure infrastructure, offering a managed environment for VMware workloads within the Azure ecosystem.
• Management Console: Similar to VMware on AWS, VMware Cloud on Azure relies on VMware vCenter for management.
• Supported Workloads: VMware Cloud on Azure primarily focuses on virtual machine workloads.
• ​Key Advantages: VMware Cloud on Azure is an excellent choice for organizations already entrenched in Azure, looking to leverage Azure's services while maintaining their VMware investments.

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