Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) Reviews

We are deploying Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) for a client. We are using Nutanix Files for one of the Kubernetes platforms for storage volume. We need to map the storage, so we are using Nutanix Files and a CSI driver. We are mapping Nutanix Files to OpenShift.

Additionally, the main objective of using Nutanix Files is to replace on-premise storage appliances. Customers are spending substantial money on buying NetApp, EMC storage, or a separate storage unit for NAS file systems. We have a Nutanix platform for compute. They are already onboarded. They can utilize our Nutanix HCA hardware for file systems. It helps to avoid storage costs.

The benefit for our customers is cost effectiveness. The customer is spending substantial money refreshing NetApp storage. We identified a use case from a NAS point of view. Using Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) helps in reducing costs, as they are not spending a dedicated cost for storage procurement. They can use our HCA hardware itself for the NAS file system.

With traditional NAS file systems, we have a challenge with archiving and how data is modified. We don't have control. We just onboarded Nutanix Lens. From a cybersecurity point of view, it gives a view of changes, and it also provides visibility into the archive aspect, such as the data not changing for more than a year or a long time. It gives very good visibility.

Its features can be further enhanced from the DR and high availability points of view to match other vendors, such as NetApp. It has snapshot, replication, high availability, and other data and storage-level replication, but there are some limitations.

I have been using Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) for almost three years.

The stability and reliability depend on the VMs deployed while creating the namespace.

So far, scaling Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is not challenging. It is performing well. At the same time, we are also not giving a lot of workload. We will come to know if we add more load, in terms of applications or user onboarding, which will show the real performance. As of now, it's good.

Nutanix support is awesome and good. For the last three to five years, we have been on a journey to make our customers exit VMware and onboard AHV. We have 90% of our environment virtualized, with 88% already converted to AHV. Only 2% is still run on VMware because some applications do not support AHV for some unknown reason. We have a dedicated Nutanix team to support us, so there is no challenge. We get very good support.

I would rate their support an eight out of ten. I'm reducing two points because there are still some ongoing issues that we are following up on. It's not that they are not supporting us, but it may take time to resolve some issues, such as compatibility issues with other tools.

Positive

The customer is using NetApp File share, and they also explored EMC storage. They wanted to standardize the vendor with respect to storage and compute. 

They evaluated NetApp for the benefits of NAS file systems and file sharing. However, EMC involved more costs and added additional physical devices in the data center, which is a challenge they are still facing.

They went for Nutanix because of the desire to go with a single vendor. They don't want to engage with multiple vendors for storage, such as IBM, NetApp, EMC, etc. They want to standardize the vendor for storage and compute.

As part of the NAS deployment, we have to create a file system cluster in Nutanix Central. Based on the requirements, we then create three or five VMs. Whenever we create a new namespace, we need to add more servers and more VMs, which generates CVMs inside Prism Central. 

Managing CVMs and managing VMs is not storage-specific. It is completely compute-specific. Hence, the storage team doesn't have complete visibility. It is still the compute team that has that visibility. The customer is trying to educate the storage team to explore Nutanix.

Our customers have seen a return on their investment with Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS). As mentioned, we are trying to avoid purchasing NetApp storage. We are utilizing existing Nutanix hardware to create a NAS. There is a very good return on investment from the customer's point of view.

The licensing currently works based on a software license. If we have files, volumes, and other licenses combined, that would be more valuable. I don't want to go for a separate license for files and a separate license for volumes. We have unified storage, so the licensing should also be unified. That would be helpful.

Other companies considering Nutanix can seriously adopt Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS). If they want to go for software-defined storage and think about a future software-defined data center, they can utilize Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS).

I would rate Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) an eight out of ten.

I am using Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) in several ways. It can be used as a NAS replacement for home directories and user profiles. We can utilize it with iSCSI storage, and it works with object storage as S3 capable storage. These are the main use cases we have implemented with Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS).

What I appreciate most about Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is its user-friendly nature. When comparing it to other storage solutions such as NFS, NTFS, SMB, and block storage, Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) removes complexity. The built-in virtualization cloud provided by Nutanix, AHV, allows for scalability without complexity.

The performance aspects are particularly impressive, especially regarding high throughput and low latency. It effectively handles real-world performance requirements. The system is designed according to hardware configuration, allowing us to increase CPU, RAM, and storage input/output capacity when required. We can implement data locality in AHV or VMware, and manage SSD for hot data and HDD for cold data.

Regarding areas where Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) could improve, they should focus on pricing transparency and reducing licensing complexity. There is a need to resolve monitoring issues and implement deep performance analytics. Third-party integration and storage improvements are necessary, especially when compared to competitors such as NetApp and AWS in terms of file sharing capabilities.

With people working on cloud platforms such as NetApp and Azure AppStacks, performance tuning issues need resolution. The system should move towards AI-driven optimization and enhance S3 object storage capabilities. Additionally, stronger data protection measures and improved data automation features would be beneficial.

I have been using Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) for the past year while working at Nutanix. Though I do not have extensive experience spanning 5 to 10 years, I possess basic knowledge and continue to update my understanding of the system.

Stability issues can occur during downtime when VMs are in maintenance mode, or when moving data between locations. Performance issues may arise from misconfigurations, software bugs, or high CPU memory disk input/output in VMs. These situations require monitoring through prints on central and various commands to address and fix the issues.

The scalability of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) can be increased whenever required without any significant issues.

I have not yet had the occasion to contact technical support.

Positive

The initial deployment was straightforward for me, given my 10 to 15 years of experience in IT sectors. The process involves checking hardware and software requirements, managing external management systems, and following step-by-step installation procedures. I can handle central management for Nutanix Files and Objects, including implementing necessary commands and services.

I work with VMware storage, including VMFS storage, NFS, and iSCSI. As a VMware certified instructor and Microsoft certified professional, I have experience with block storage, blob file storage, stacks, and vSAN storage. When comparing Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) with other solutions, the choice depends on user requirements, company products, cost considerations, and the specific environment needs.

Regarding cybersecurity features, Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) implements zero trust principles. It includes native data protection and compliance measures to reduce risk. The system offers encryption capabilities, including data address encryption and data in transit encryption, along with snapshot control.

I have limited experience with the Data Lens feature, which is a tool set component used for governance and analytics solutions in Nutanix Files.

Maintenance is essential for Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS). This includes managing data movement, ensuring data safety, and maintaining the environment. Regular checks of network communication and hardware communication are necessary.

On a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest, I would rate Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) between 8 and 9.

As a Partner Alliance Engineer at Nutanix, I collaborated with multiple vendors to validate their solutions within Nutanix environments, especially with Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS). One of the prominent use cases I focused on was Nutanix Files, which offers built-in threat detection through ICAP-based antivirus integration. This capability played a critical role in securing SMB shares by identifying and mitigating malware threats.Nutanix Unified Storage stood out for its flexibility in supporting file, block, and object storage across diverse workloads. In my current organization, where we build deep observability and network telemetry solutions, many of our customers deploy our product within Nutanix environments, benefiting from its performance, security, and integration readiness.

In my previous role, Nutanix Unified Storage delivered significant performance improvements. I was directly involved in performance benchmarking and observed consistently low latency, even under heavy data loads.Security-wise, Nutanix Files’ ICAP integration provided real-time virus detection, ransomware prevention, and options for automated file quarantine or deletion. Data Lens, another key feature, offered a consolidated dashboard to monitor security events, access patterns, and threat alerts—bringing transparency and control to data governance.At my current organization, Nutanix continues to be an essential platform. Our product complements the Nutanix stack well, and the overall experience has been smooth and well-supported. Nutanix’s robust documentation and responsive support have made it easy to operate and integrate.

Some of the most valuable features of Nutanix Unified Storage include:User-Friendly Interface: The intuitive UI simplifies management, making it easy for both new and experienced users to navigate and operate the environment without extensive training.Integrated Security: Built-in ICAP support and Data Lens for threat visibility elevate the platform’s security capabilities.Multi-Protocol Support: Seamless handling of file (NFS/SMB), block (iSCSI), and object (S3-compatible) storage from a single platform enhances operational efficiency.Scalability & Flexibility: Its ability to scale horizontally and support diverse workloads—on-premises or in hybrid cloud—makes it future-ready.

Nutanix Unified Storage is already a robust and forward-thinking platform. That said, one area for potential improvement is pricing. While it offers great value through its features and support, more flexible pricing models could make it accessible to a broader customer base, especially in emerging markets.

I worked extensively with Nutanix Unified Storage during my tenure at Nutanix until 2023. In my current organization, I continue to engage with Nutanix environments based on customer requirements, though not as frequently. However, the platform remains a key part of our supported ecosystem.

In my hands-on experience, the solution has proven highly stable across various use cases. I have not encountered major outages or issues, and the system has handled production loads gracefully. I would rate its stability a 9 out of 10.

Scalability is one of Nutanix’s core strengths. Unified Storage supports seamless scale-out as business needs grow, whether in a single site or across multiple data centers. I rate its scalability a perfect 10 out of 10.

They are awesome. I would rate their support a nine out of ten because they excel in their support efforts.

Positive

The initial deployment of Nutanix Unified Storage is straightforward. Whether deploying on Nutanix hardware, on-prem infrastructure, or hybrid cloud environments, the process is intuitive.For newcomers, setup may take about a week to complete and understand fully. For experienced users, it can be completed in a day or two, assuming foundational networking is already in place.

Nutanix solutions are often perceived as premium-priced, but they deliver substantial ROI in terms of performance, reliability, and ease of use. Organizations should evaluate the TCO holistically, factoring in reduced operational overhead and faster time-to-value. It’s also advisable to engage early with the Nutanix team to explore bundled offerings and licensing flexibility.

I highly recommend Nutanix Unified Storage for any organization looking to build or modernize their storage infrastructure, especially within a hyperconverged environment. The combination of security, performance, simplicity, and integrated features makes it a compelling choice. Nutanix continues to innovate with every release, and their ongoing support is commendable.If I were to rate the solution, I would give it a solid 10 out of 10 for overall value.

My main use case for Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is to move file servers from Windows file server VMs to the Nutanix Files.

It's a centralized place for management. With all our virtual machines and Kubernetes in there, it's a single place to manage all of our resources, instead of having to jump around to different places. These features benefit my company by helping us resolve issues if we have any. Being familiar with the platforms, we know where to check for alerts or errors. Support is the same. We go to the same place for everything. 

I haven't directly worked with Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) enough to suggest improvements. A centralized file share permissions console might be useful for Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS). Getting in and directly managing permissions instead of using the snap-in from Windows itself might be something to consider, but that's a small thing.

I have been using Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) for about six months.

I assess the stability and reliability of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) as good. We get alerts if something does go wrong, and if it does, we've got redundancy or some failover plan in place, so our users aren't without their data; they can always access it.

Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) has been able to scale with the growing needs of my company. We can add or remove storage as needed.

Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) as a whole is fantastic. It's super easy to get hold of someone. The people I get paired with to work on tickets are always super knowledgeable. If there's something we don't understand or have questions about, they can always explain it.

Positive

Our experience was great.

We used a VAR to get the cluster initially set up for us. We then took it and installed it. We applied licensing, initially on a trial basis, and then applied the full ones later. The process was pretty smooth.

I have seen a return on investment in terms of ease of use and manageability. It's beneficial to bring storage to a platform that we were already in every day.

I'm sure there's a cost component to it. It's never something I worry about, but I'm sure it's there. By being able to use the storage-focused Nutanix hardware, we can get that cost-effective advantage. I would assume Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) has helped to reduce the total cost of ownership by 25%, but I'm not certain.

It's competitive and attractive for moving things to it and then prioritizing those newly freed up resources for something else.

We considered sticking with our regular virtual machines running Windows Server 2022 as a file server. We're trying to get more integrated into Nutanix and create a single pane of management, so going with Nutanix was something that would leverage it and build the ecosystem.

With Nutanix Unified Storage, we don't have to manage the Windows operating system. We can just have it run on Nutanix that we already have or have already purchased. It just runs it directly instead of having to manage Windows updates or security concerns with Windows itself.

My impression of the cybersecurity features of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) when dealing with unstructured data, such as ransomware threats, is positive. If we can integrate with backups and some of the integrated Nutanix data protection policies and things, that's a plus for us. We've got an external backup solution that I don't know if we've used for Files yet. 

I would rate Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) a ten out of ten. It's pretty good, and there are no issues. We haven't been able to get in there and explore it enough. We don't find anything missing in it.

I assess Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) for unstructured data management, and although we don't normally use it for audio and video, we use it for medical images. We are a health care company, and for that, we'll compare to traditional NAS and SAN that we used to use in the past; we find similar, if not better, performance.

I assess Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) for unifying my organization's block, file, and object storage as it gives me centralized management capability, allowing me to know which different branch offices are utilizing how much capacity and where all my data is, along with what is critical, providing that overall single pane of glass view.

From different locations, Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) helps my organization manage the storage through Prism Central, which is their management console; with that, we are able to manage the entire estate using a single console.

Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is used in an environment that spans multiple locations, with around forty-three sites across the globe.

The most effective features of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) for us are about making multiple copies of our data across hardware nodes, ensuring that if there is a hardware failure, we still don't lose our data, which I think is the most important. Also, they have a file solution that is good for file shares, and that is of value to us.

The switch from solutions such as IBM to Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) was driven by the need for different skill sets for a separate storage team and separate compute team. Maintaining these old devices was getting prohibitively high, so consolidating everything onto Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) made sense and allowed one set of Nutanix engineers to manage the entire estate.

For future updates, I think Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) should look at features similar to what ONTAP of NetApp is doing, such as tiering to the public cloud. If my data is getting stale and old, I need them to keep it on-premise, but I could also probably tier it to cheaper storage on cloud, maybe archival storage on the public cloud.

I have been using Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) for over four years now.

I consider Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) to be a stable solution, as I have never experienced major outages.

My impressions about the scalability of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) are that it is very scalable, allowing us to keep adding nodes to the cluster, which it simply recognizes.

In the future, I plan to expand the number of users and devices for Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS). While users may not grow, the amount of data our factories generate keeps increasing, necessitating the expansion of these nodes.

I find Nutanix support service to be very responsive. When we have feature requests, it may take longer for delivery, but for incidents or problems, they are able to quickly resolve them.

Positive

Before choosing Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), I evaluated options such as Cisco HyperFlex, but unfortunately, that product has been announced as end of life.

The initial deployment of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) was straightforward.

We managed to deploy Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) globally within a matter of six months.

Our implementation strategy for Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) involved creating a parallel environment, keeping the data in sync, and then taking an appropriate downtime window for the cutover to Nutanix.

In deploying this product within my organization, there were about eight members from the partner organization responsible, including project managers, engineers, and administrators; it was a mix.

After implementing Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), I observe a return on investment, particularly since it was a unique case of exiting old hardware, with immediate savings given the high maintenance costs we were previously paying.

My advice for those wanting to implement Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) in their organization is to ensure they have a good implementation partner and that licenses are well negotiated for a good price, as that is the best way forward. My overall rating for Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) would be nine out of ten, as I have no complaints.

The main use case for Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is for storage.

The features I appreciate the most about Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) are the compatibility with the market. My clients express satisfaction with the environment and the product. 

The efficiency and the product are very good. It's a fast product with no latency. The facility to use Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) benefits our company greatly, as both ourselves and the end client find it to be a wonderful product.

My experience with using Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) for data-intensive workloads in a hybrid cloud environment is limited as I don't have a hybrid environment. For massive storage, this process is normal. All storage has some latency; when changing from old storage to new storage, you have this little latency, however, it's fast, though I really can't compare with another product.

My impression of the cybersecurity features of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) when dealing with unstructured data such as ransomware threats is good. I normally use additional prevention software and backup services to protect data from loss or ransomware threats to avoid any future problems.

Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) helps my clients reduce their total cost of ownership as it's a good product for this; the zero-cost licensing is a great part. The customer appreciates that it's zero cost, and in reality, it's really good.

I do not know if Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) can potentially reduce in costs. Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) itself is satisfactory; I don't have any comments about improvements. 

There is potential to push this product more since it's not common in the market. They could increase their marketing efforts. 

I have been using or have experience with Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) for maybe a half year or one year ago.

The stability and reliability of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) are very good. We do not have the necessity to increase the product, but I see the performance is satisfactory.

I do not know at the moment how Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) scales with the growing needs of a company. All my clients have this product just for file server or similar purposes, and we do not need to scale this part.

Customer service and technical support are great. We work with the partnership here with Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS). We always have good attention, and when I raise a ticket or just a question, I get a quick answer. I would give the customer service and technical support a ten out of ten.

Positive

I work with other solutions such as the Acropolis or the hypervisor, and this part is more for trying to migrate to VMware Nutanix and trying to improve the Supermicro servers.

I can't fully assess the return on investment when using Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) from a technician perspective. I can confirm there is a good impact for the investment and total cost.

The pricing, setup costs, and licensing of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) are amazing, in my view.

There are some differences between VMware and Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS); the principal idea of the VMs or stretches is similar, but we can do other things. We can examine the different principles for licensing, and the prices are interesting; the compatibility with the hosts or devices is also interesting.

I am not using the Data Lens high-cost feature of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS).

I rate Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) a nine out of ten.

My main use case for Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is for files, specifically file analytics. We're looking to do file stores, either SMB or NFS shares.

We don't run any AI or ML workloads.

With File analytics, we have granular visibility. We are able to keep an eye and see the usage of users using File services. We can use File analytics to see which files are accessed more frequently, or if we have someone who's potentially exfiltrating files. We can see which files are being accessed, and if we did have some sort of data exfiltration going on, we would have the introspection to see that.

We transitioned from a three-tier architecture to Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS). With the Files offering out of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), we were able to migrate those shares with a smaller footprint. We didn't have to create a bunch of Windows file servers and reset everything. We could just migrate our current environment, and that migration has been very nice for us. If we were doing it currently with Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) Files, the Move functionality is built in. Five years ago, I had to do scripting. There are certainly time savings with the Move feature. Using the scripting method that I worked on required finding the right times for particular groups and all the coordination. I needed to make sure everything was right.

Five years ago, the integration and the provisioning setup for NFS were not automatic. That has been improved greatly in the latest release or the 5.x releases. There have been many great improvements. 

Pain points are just in the management and understanding of how the functions work. As far as updating and day-to-day operations, if my staff is properly trained and we have those proper training sessions, we don't have that many issues. There can be more educational resources from their side.

I have been using or working with Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) for five years now.

Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is very stable and very reliable, running multiple virtual machines or virtual appliances with unstructured files. It's very reliable.

Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) scales effectively with our growing needs. We just add to the cluster.

Customer support for Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is top-notch. They're very knowledgeable.

Positive

Prior to adopting Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), we were using another solution, specifically NetApp and a three-tier architecture.

It's an easy, quick process.

We had some training. Through Nutanix University, I have attended good learning sessions. We have partnered with Nutanix to have some education sessions, and Nutanix also throws great events.

For new users, the ROI would be in terms of time savings through the File analytics of how the data is being used, as well as with the migration aspect. If we were using a more current version of Move, those migration aspects would have taken less time. So, there could have been potential time savings for current users. 

I assume Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) has helped reduce our total cost of ownership.

We considered other solutions, such as using Windows distributed file systems and file shares, and maybe looking into some other sort of NFS or SMB sharing.

The negative aspect of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) at the time of implementation was provisioning. That's something that's been greatly improved in the last five years. A positive aspect of comparing Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) to Microsoft would be that it has lower licensing costs.

The advice I would give to other companies considering Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is to make a good implementation plan and also ensure good communication with users, including file users and accounting users. 

My overall rating for Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is a nine out of ten. Five years ago, it would have been at an eight, but today, I would rate it a nine since we don't use it for anything other than file shares.

Our use case for Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is basically for virtual machines, so all of the users' virtual machines are hosted on our Nutanix currently.

The best features of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) include redundancy, and there are many more features, with NetApp being one of the best. What makes Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) stand out are the support and customization capabilities.

Areas for improvement in Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) include more redundancy to ensure no data loss, and balancing the workloads is very important to maintain managed workloads throughout the year.

I have been using Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) for around two point five, almost two point seven years now.

I rate the stability of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) between nine to ten, as it remains stable throughout the year.

Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is scalable.

The technical support for Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) deserves a rating of ten.

Positive

Currently, since it's on-prem right now, we have twenty plus users working with the solution.

In terms of time and resources savings with Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), it saves about 50% for the cloud environment and 70 to 80% for on-prem since everything is manual.

The pricing of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) can be quite high for higher utilization scenarios, but it may become cost-efficient if we can bring more on-prem data into the cloud. Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is cost-efficient when moving to the cloud, as it's in the hybrid model that it can either be cost-effective or not optimal as on-prem.

The performance of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) is pretty much satisfactory, but I do not have much visibility on it since it is not just the storage that I've worked in. I am not using the Data Lens high-cost feature. There are a few technologies that we can incorporate with Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) to maintain high-quality data for storage, but I'm currently unable to recall them.

Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) requires maintenance, including scheduled hardware replacements in case of outages or drive failures. The system requires regular maintenance just any other system to ensure security and performance. The duration of maintenance depends on the data that the storage has.

I would recommend Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) because of its data redundancy and security features. I rate Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) nine point five to ten, as it's easy to manage, scalable, has great performance, and includes advanced features.