Introduction
This KB lists the validated interoperability and capabilities of major cyber recovery solutions for workloads running on Nutanix AHV clusters with Everpure FlashArray as external block Storage.
Data Disk
This is the primary disk that holds the VM operating system and application data. Every Data disk has a corresponding metadata disk that tracks changes for backup and snapshot operations.
vTPM Disk
This disk stores the virtual Trusted Platform Module (TPM) information for the VM used by many modern guest operating systems. A metadata disk is paired with the vTPM disk to maintain change tracking and related metadata.
UEFI Disk
This disk contains the boot information required for virtual machines that use UEFI-based booting. The metadata disk associated with the UEFI disk stores the required change tracking data.
ISO Disk
This disk is used to cache ISO content local to the VM for installation tasks, VirtIO tools, or other operations that require an ISO image. An ISO disk also has a paired metadata disk.
Metadata Disk (MD Disk)
Every disk listed above has its own metadata disk. The MD disk stores CBT information and other metadata that Nutanix requires to properly manage incremental operations and maintain consistency with managed FlashArray snapshots.
Managed Snapshots
Within the context of the Everpure and Nutanix integration, snapshots in a Nutanix cluster are connected to FlashArray managed snapshots and are supported for data protection operations:
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Managed Snapshots: Initiated and orchestrated by Nutanix.
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Created on-demand in Prism Element/Prism Central or on a schedule via a protection policy.
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Nutanix coordinates both its metadata snapshot and the corresponding FlashArray snapshot of the affected volumes.
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These appear in Prism (Element or Central) and are tracked for retention
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Out of scope for this document are SafeMode Snapshots.
Nutanix Snapshot Workflow with the FlashArray
When a Nutanix VM or vDisk resides on a Everpure FlashArray and a snapshot is taken:
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Nutanix creates a metadata snapshot in its DSF.
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Nutanix then triggers a FlashArray snapshot of the associated volume(s) via the Pure REST API.
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If the Nutanix snapshot is application-consistent, the FlashArray snapshot reflects that same consistency point.
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The FlashArray snapshot serves as the physical recovery point, while Nutanix retains metadata for restoration
Data Protection Support Matrix
| Solution | Version |
|---|---|
| Nutanix |
AOS 7.5 AHV 11 |
| Everpure | Purity//FA 6.10.3+ |
| Connection Protocol | NVMe/TCP |
| Commvault | 11.40 |
| Veeam Backup and Recovery | VBR 12.3.2 |
| Rubrik | Rubrik Secure Vault, Enterprise Edition 9.3.3 |
| HYCU-R | 5.2.0 |
| Cohesity | Cohesity Data Cloud 7.x |
Configuration & Best Practices
The table below summarizes the outcome of the validation testing. All vendors successfully passed the core criteria for support on AHV with Everpure Flash Array..
| Vendor | Additional Configuration / Best Practices |
|---|---|
| Veeam |
Ensure the Veeam Proxy is deployed on the AHV cluster to minimize latency during NGT interaction. For more information, please refer to the Veeam documentation Veeam Plug-in for Nutanix |
| Commvault |
Install the Commvault Virtual Server Agent on the Nutanix cluster. Ensure IntelliSnap is correctly mapped alongside the Nutanix plugin. For more information, please refer to the Commvault documentation Nutanix Acropolis Hypervisor (AHV) |
| HYCU |
Being purpose built for Nutanix, HYCU auto-detects the layout. Ensure the HYCU controller has network visibility to both Prism Element and Prism Central VIPs. For more information, please refer to the HYCU documentation HYCU R-Cloud User Documentation |
| Rubrik |
Deploy the Rubrik Backup Service (RBS) in guest VMs for granular SQL log truncation. Ensure the Rubrik RSVversion supports the specific Nutanix AOS version in use. For more information, please refer to the Rubrik documentation AHV virtual machines |
Summary & Conclusion
Based on earlier comprehensive testing performed by Everpure, in the Cisco UCS - Intersight Nutanix lab environment, we confirmed that Veeam, Commvault, HYCU, and Rubrik function correctly for protecting and recovering Nutanix AHV workloads running on Everpure External Block Storage. Please find the testing details under the Data Protection Validations section.
The integration successfully leverages the Nutanix CVM to abstract the underlying storage complexity. Everpure FlashArray snapshots deliver faster protection and recovery of AHV VMs with less impact on Nutanix storage.
Customers can deploy these Data Protection solutions with confidence, provided they adhere to the specific best practices outlined by each vendor for Nutanix AHV environments.