Nutanix extends Kubernetes in HCI hypervisor

In an effort to combine AHV virtualization with Kubernetes-orchestrated containers, Nutanix has revealed at the Kubecon event that a raft of containerized app support items are being added to its Cloud Platform software.

It announced broad support for the main Kubernetes container platforms, built-in infrastructure-as-code capabilities, and enhanced data services for cloud-native applications. The pitch is that developing and running containers inside Nutanix’s Cloud Platform environment gives developers linear scalability, performance and governance, and manages IT operating cost control by eliminating unused compute and storage resources.

Thomas Cornely, Nutanix
Thomas Cornely

Nutanix SVP for Product Management Thomas Cornely said: “Running Kubernetes container platforms cost-effectively at large scale requires developer-ready infrastructure that seamlessly adapts to changing requirements. … The Nutanix Cloud Platform now supports a broad choice of Kubernetes container platforms, provides integrated data services for modern applications, and enables developers to provision Infrastructure as Code.”

The company is adding:

  • Amazon EKS-A support, which adds to existing support for Red Hat OpenShift, SUSE Rancher, Google Anthos, Microsoft Azure Arc for edge deployments, and the native Nutanix Kubernetes Engine (NKE).
  • Updated API family along with its SDKs in Java, JS, Go and Python currently under development. It will provide automation at scale and consistent operations in the datacenter, public cloud, and edge sites. 
  • Combining these APIs with Red Hat Ansible Certified Content or the Nutanix Terraform provider means an automated DevOps methodology can provide Infrastructure as code.
  • Nutanix Database Service Operator for Kubernete enables developers to provision and attach databases to app stacks directly from development environments. The open source operator is available via artifacthub.io as well as by direct download at GitHub
  • Nutanix Objects supports a Container Object Storage Interface (COSI) reference implementation for easier orchestration and self-service provisioning. It also adds support for observability using Prometheus.
  • Nutanix Objects has been validated with the Presto, Dremio, and Vertica analytics apps, plus  Confluent Kafka to support data pipelines in real-time streaming applications. 

Nutanix reminded us it provides license portability across edge, datacenter, service provider, and hyperscaler points of presence. 

Paul Nashawaty, senior analyst at ESG, said that by having a virtual machine app, containerized app development and runtime environments in the same place, Nutanix Cloud Platform brings the best of both worlds: “Container development platforms promise faster application development speed, but will only be deployed by organizations who can maintain compliance, day 2 operations, and cost management control at scale. Nutanix offers a compelling path to speed the deployment of modern applications at scale and in a cost-effective manner, with full choice of Kubernetes container development environments and cloud endpoints.”