Nutanix is now making it possible to run its own platform without a hypervisor. As a result of Project Beacon, the company aims to serve not only hundreds of thousands of data center users but also millions of cloud-native customers.
Innovation at Nutanix NEXT
According to Lee Caswell, SVP Product & Solutions at Nutanix, Project Beacon is the most interesting innovation during Nutanix NEXT. The project itself is not new; in fact, it has long been the name for the vision for Nutanix’s future plans.
Project Beacon’s initial aim was to decouple applications and data from the underlying infrastructure. This would make it much easier to move workloads between on-prem, edge, and public cloud environments. Previously, Nutanix enabled its Database Services on public cloud services. Now, these cloud capabilities are being scaled up further.
Addressing Hybrid Cloud Challenges
Hybrid cloud environments often face the issue of data and storage being trapped within the public cloud it resides in. Transferring an application from AWS, for example, requires painstakingly moving storage from Amazon’s services to an alternative. Nutanix aims to eliminate this problem, preventing data silos and accelerating development time, thus simplifying the process.
Kubernetes Integration with Project Beacon
A core aspect of Project Beacon is its approach to Kubernetes. Caswell indicates that platform engineers need a consistent Kubernetes platform across all environments. Kubernetes has become standardized, with various cloud workloads leveraging it. “Containers are the fastest way to develop applications today,” Caswell explains.
These teams need tools to deploy, manage, secure, and operate Kubernetes continuously. They also require data services for block, file, and object storage that enable applications to run quickly in new environments. Nutanix offers these capabilities through Project Beacon under the Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP).
Introducing Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP)
NKP is the first product to emerge from the acquisition of D2iQ. D2iQ was already focusing on large-scale Kubernetes management, but Nutanix’s scale is a step above. NKP provides a “single pane of glass” for enterprise-scale Kubernetes management, layering on top of existing Kubernetes environments like Red Hat OpenShift, AKS, EKS, or Rancher.
Security integration is crucial as Kubernetes lacks inherent security measures. Nutanix offers features like secure snapshots and disaster recovery to ensure business continuity during cyberattacks or cloud failures. “Kubernetes has no inherent security approach,” states Caswell. So, it’s up to a software layer on top of Kubernetes itself to provide that.
Nutanix Kubernetes Platform: Build once, run anywhere for true cloud agility. #NutanixNext #FiraBarcelona@RajivRamaswami pic.twitter.com/f8hqk6SrcS
— Ibrahim Quraishi (@ibrahimquraishi) May 21, 2024
Future Vision: Cloud Native AOS
Caswell notes that a project at Nutanix has a 2 to 3-year vision. The next step is offering its stack without a hypervisor on a cloud-native basis, starting with Cloud Native AOS (Acropolis Operating System) on AWS EKS. This will allow automatic replication of all container data, ensuring a container can access all necessary data.
“It is the first building block of offering Nutanix without its own hypervisor, but this does not actually matter too much to the company. The hypervisor is not a paid option on top of the Nutanix offering,” Caswell emphasizes. Cloud Native AOS will enable automatic replication of all container data, so a container can address all the data it needs.
In time, all Nutanix features seen elsewhere should make their way to cloud native platforms, adding simplicity to complex material.
How Will Nutanix’s Project Beacon Transform Cloud-Native Operations?
Nutanix’s Project Beacon represents a significant leap forward in cloud-native support, simplifying the management of hybrid cloud environments and enhancing Kubernetes integration. By addressing key challenges and incorporating robust security measures, Nutanix is paving the way for more efficient and secure cloud-native operations.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on Nutanix’s latest innovations! How do you think Project Beacon will impact cloud-native applications and hybrid cloud management? Share your comments below!
