What is our primary use case?
We use Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure to operate our critical server infrastructure and achieve cost savings by migrating from AWS servers to a Nutanix cluster.
How has it helped my organization?
Nutanix offers a unified platform for managing databases, virtual machines, and applications. This simplifies management by consolidating everything into a single interface.
While Nutanix may have a higher upfront cost compared to other hypervisors, it can significantly reduce the resources needed for infrastructure management. With our previous hypervisor, we needed nearly ten IT personnel. Nutanix has allowed us to streamline our team to just three members.
We use a combination of database technologies, including SQL databases and web servers such as IIS, BHP, and NGINX.
Nutanix features helped our organization reduce downtime. I don't recall the last time we had downtime related to Nutanix because it is such a stable product.
Nutanix, a reliable product, helps us streamline our processes, which in turn improves company revenue. We began to see the benefits after two years, with a 40 percent reduction in operational costs.
We migrated 200 servers from AWS to Nutanix.
Nutanix may not consolidate applications, but it helps us run them more efficiently on its platform.
Updating is simple with one click. I would rate the updating processes 10 out of 10.
Adding compute and storage on demand is not difficult. However, we need to factor in the existing and new firmware and software requirements.
What is most valuable?
One-click setup is a valuable feature because it allows us to set up a server automatically with a single click.
The update process is smooth.
What needs improvement?
The documentation could be improved. To better assist new users, I'd recommend including more detailed instructions and making the content more user-friendly. For example, it would be helpful if Nutanix offered a video explaining the key differences between their features and those of their competitors.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure for 7 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Nutanix is generally considered stable, but its performance can also be influenced by the type of hard drive used in the system.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is excellent. Even for issues outside their usual scope, they have access to expertise in specific domains. For example, if I understand the data structure and cluster concepts but lack knowledge in another area, the Nutanix support representative might directly contact the engineering team, without informing me necessarily, to find someone who can fix the issue. This demonstrates exceptional support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we relied on a hypervisor and VMware for our virtualization needs. While VMware offered some advantages, the process was entirely manual. This led to frequent issues that required time-consuming workarounds. Additionally, every new VMware release necessitated manual installation on all our computers and servers, which was a major headache.
Nutanix, on the other hand, provides a one-click solution. Both installation and updates can be completed with a single click, saving us significant time and resources. On top of its efficiency, Nutanix boasts high reliability. Unlike VMware updates, which occasionally cause problems or software malfunctions, Nutanix upgrades have been smooth and trouble-free. The challenges we faced with VMware are no longer present with Nutanix.
How was the initial setup?
Setting up Nutanix for the first time was challenging because we weren't familiar with the product. However, with experience, it has become much easier. Now, it only takes a single click to begin the fully automated installation process. While we do need to wait for the installation to complete, providing the required information upfront ensures a smooth experience.
The initial deployment was for a six-node cluster and took three hours to complete. Now that we have experience we can deploy in half that time.
What about the implementation team?
During the initial implementation, a Nutanix employee assisted us.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Nutanix can be expensive. I would rate the price seven out of ten with ten being the most expensive.
While the licensing is good, it's important to note that Nutanix offers five-year licenses. After five years, the product reaches end-of-life and requires new hardware purchases to continue using it.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure nine out of ten. The cost is high, otherwise it would be a ten.
Our Nutanix servers are deployed on-premises in Texas and California.
We provide hosting services, including server setup, database configuration, and application deployment. We manage all our clients' servers on-premises using Nutanix, a hyper-converged infrastructure platform. Our primary focus is assisting clients with application-related setups on Nutanix. We manage a large-scale infrastructure with over 300 hundred virtual machines running on Nutanix.
While Nutanix Cloud offers a compelling option for data storage, particularly its disaster recovery capabilities against ransomware and viruses, our current organizational structure is better suited for an on-premises solution. This allows us to focus on controlling costs associated with on-premises licensing rather than cloud service fees.
Nutanix requires minimal ongoing maintenance. However, when they release new features and updates, installing them becomes necessary. Thankfully, the installation process is straightforward. The support team is also happy to assist with any maintenance needs. Expanding our storage capacity is the one major maintenance task. This involves purchasing additional servers and integrating them into our existing cluster. On average two people can handle the maintenance.
The most important consideration is understanding your infrastructure needs. Based on that assessment, we can recommend the best option for you. Recently, we assisted a client who wanted to purchase their own server. We facilitated the purchase of a Nutanix server on the client's behalf and ensured its delivery to their location. There are two main cost models to consider: upfront investment and ongoing costs. A one-time purchase requires a larger initial investment but eliminates ongoing costs for several years. Conversely, cloud services like AWS require monthly payments for as long as you use them. By comparing the total cost of ownership over a set period, you can potentially save 70 to 80 percent compared to cloud services.
I strongly recommend Nutanix. After purchasing Nutanix, we found it to be so effective that we no longer needed to consider any other products.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises