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Nutanix Kubernetes Engine NKE [EOL] vs Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 1, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Nutanix Kubernetes Engine N...
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Nutanix Kubernetes Platform...
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.0
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Container Management (12th)
 

Featured Reviews

Prasanthraj PN - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers efficient deployment and management with easy resource allocation, yet faces challenges in integration and compatibility
Nutanix Kubernetes Engine NKE offers easy and fast deployment, management, stability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. The resource allocation is very simple. If we need to expand the memory, storage space, or processor core, it is very easy to manage through our central control. These features are what stand out the most.
TAIYAB HASAN - PeerSpot reviewer
Has centralized microservices and enabled autonomous team operations through clustered access
I find everything useful in Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) scenario, especially now that we have management clusters separate from production clusters, which gives us more flexibility to work independently, allowing application teams, database teams, or web server teams to work without any involvement from the admin team. Before, it was a bit confusing for all the teams because it was a mix and match, but now it's clear, having multiple clusters running on NKP, with cluster-based access or role-based access, which is one of the best features now in NKP. Automation in Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) is one of the very useful features, as it allows us to define automation, so whether we are there or not, it works as per the requirement, reducing the need to involve everyone every time. The Nutanix intuitive interface looks good; it's not confusing because if you are working on Nutanix HCI, it's a different interface, and if you are working on Nutanix Kubernetes (NKP), it's also a different interface. If you've worked before on Kubernetes, it gives you the same feel and look, making it familiar as the Kubernetes app API is already inbuilt in NKP. The security features of Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) help protect applications; we are utilizing the security level provided by NKP and also using a third-party tool, Palo Alto, to protect in two ways.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The technical support is excellent."
"The most valuable features of the Nutanix Kubernetes Engine (NKE) are its simplicity and efficiency during the initial cluster creation phase."
"We can do a lot of provisioning."
"We can add some add-ons and plugins to the product if we need to."
"The solution is embedded in the hypervisor and there are no deployment costs."
"The platform is valuable due to its ease of use and quick deployment capabilities."
"Nutanix is very stable and reliable, based on my experience with many customers, including large banks and telcos."
"The solution provides no downtime features. If we face issues, we create a new port, deploy it there, and then drop the existing one. This way, we avoid NKE downtime on our website."
"The stability of Nutanix is exceptional; when operational, it performs flawlessly and demonstrates remarkable resilience."
"The platform is stable."
"The platform is easy to set up, maintain, and update."
"Before working with Nutanix Kubernetes (NKP), I was working on Dockers, which required separate setups for each microservice, application, or web server, but now everything is under one umbrella, allowing us to manage it all without going here and there."
"Migration from public cloud to private cloud and vice versa is actually seamless using Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP), making it very handy when providing a Kubernetes platform for customers needing on-premises solutions during application modernization."
 

Cons

"Nutanix has limitations compared to VMware, particularly in testing and industry tie-ups with different OEMs. Deploying virtual machines, especially for industrial automation, can be challenging due to compatibility issues."
"We need a backup of production clusters."
"There have been challenges related to software bugs, especially regarding long-term licensing options and issues within our customer network."
"There is no auto-scaling feature in Nutanix Kubernetes Engine NKE; however, NKP offers it. In NKE, we created additional worker nodes and increased CPU and RAM capacity, but it required manual intervention."
"The product lacks some virtualization capabilities, making it an area for improvement where the solution can focus on providing users with more virtualization capabilities related to disk systems."
"It's mostly for lab purposes; we haven't seen a lot of traction in the market from enterprise customers yet."
"NKE could benefit from additional features that support more advanced Kubernetes functionalities and configurations."
"I have issues with the product's interoperability."
"A significant limitation of the Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) is its requirement for extensive Kubernetes knowledge."
"In Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP), I believe the migration process needs to be much simpler, similar to other Kubernetes platforms we are using, with all steps being clear and direct to facilitate an easier experience for everyone."
"They have to improve their marketplace offering for Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) which is currently limited."
"There are some limitations with the non-air gap version as it requires complete internet access, which poses restrictions due to government regulations."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I rate NKE's pricing a six out of ten."
"The product's licenses are included in the software version deployed in our data center."
"I rate the product price a five on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive."
"The platform is averagely priced. I rate the pricing as four out of ten."
"While deploying Kubernetes clusters on Nutanix is cost-effective, there may be additional costs for remote branch offices where Kubernetes is less common."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
15%
Retailer
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise4
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Nutanix Kubernetes Engine NKE?
The most valuable features of the Nutanix Kubernetes Engine (NKE) are its simplicity and efficiency during the initial cluster creation phase.
What needs improvement with Nutanix Kubernetes Engine NKE?
In terms of features, I cannot comment technically, but the real value is the consolidated out-of-the-box solution that Nutanix offers. Nutanix has built great branding and a lot of credibility and...
What is your primary use case for Nutanix Kubernetes Engine NKE?
I have experience with OpenShift, Kubernetes, and Nutanix, as we are one of the largest Nutanix resellers in the Middle East. We handle Kubernetes on the cloud as well, so we manage most of the Kub...
What needs improvement with Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP)?
In Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP), I believe the migration process needs to be much simpler, similar to other Kubernetes platforms we are using, with all steps being clear and direct to facilita...
What is your primary use case for Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP)?
For Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP), we are using applications, web servers, databases, and we have almost more than 100 servers running on NKP and microservices, which are the use cases in our c...
What advice do you have for others considering Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP)?
The security features of Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) help protect applications; we are utilizing the security level provided by NKP and also using a third-party tool, Palo Alto, to protect in...
 

Also Known As

Nutanix Karbon
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

JetBlue, International Speedway Corporation, SAIC Volkswagen
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