Nutanix Simplifies Management and Operations of Kubernetes Clusters Anywhere to Speed Innovation

Rhea-AI Summary

Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX) has announced the Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) at the .NEXT Conference in Barcelona, Spain. NKP is designed to simplify the management of Kubernetes clusters across hybrid and multicloud environments. This CNCF-compliant platform aids Platform Engineering teams in deploying and managing containerized applications securely and efficiently. NKP offers centralized management, automation, and integration with Nutanix's suite of data services. It supports both Nutanix and non-Nutanix environments, including air-gapped setups. NKP comes in three tiers—Starter, Pro, and Ultimate—catering to different stages of cloud-native adoption. Expected release is summer 2024.

Positive

• Simplifies Kubernetes management across hybrid and multicloud environments.
• CNCF-compliant, avoiding vendor lock-in.
• Centralized management plane reduces complexity.
• Integrated with Nutanix’s data services for reliable storage solutions.
• Automates deployment, security, monitoring, and upgrades, reducing human error.
• Extends public cloud Kubernetes services like EKS and AKS with comprehensive platform services.
• Expected release of NKP in summer 2024 may boost market anticipation.
• Supports air-gapped environments, enhancing security options.

Negative

• Potential operational complexity in adopting the new platform.
• Possible delays in the release timeline could impact adoption.
• Initial integration may require significant resources and time investment.

Insights

Tech Expert

The Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) introduces a substantial upgrade in how enterprises manage their Kubernetes environments, offering a more unified and efficient approach across multicloud setups. NKP's compliance with the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) standards ensures that organizations can leverage the broad ecosystem of open-source tools without worrying about vendor lock-in. This is significant for businesses that prioritize flexibility and scalability, as it avoids the pitfalls of proprietary, forked versions of Kubernetes that can introduce compatibility and security concerns.

NKP's promise of simplified management through automation and AI-driven insights can drastically reduce operational overhead, making Kubernetes clusters easier to deploy, monitor and secure. This will appeal to companies that have struggled with the complexity of managing containerized applications at scale, particularly those using disparate platforms. Additionally, the ability to manage both connected and air-gapped environments under one platform is a unique feature that addresses security and compliance requirements for sensitive data and operations.

Market Research Analyst

From a market perspective, Nutanix's introduction of NKP is a strategic move to consolidate its position in the competitive hybrid multicloud market. By integrating advanced Kubernetes management capabilities, Nutanix is targeting a growing demand for cloud-native applications and infrastructure, which is a key trend driving enterprise IT investments. The hybrid and multicloud capabilities of NKP could help Nutanix attract new customers who are looking for flexibility in deploying applications across various environments, thus potentially driving revenue growth.

The tiered offering of NKP—Starter, Pro and Ultimate—allows Nutanix to cater to organizations at different stages of their cloud-native journey. This tiered approach can help in capturing a wider market segment, from small enterprises just beginning their Kubernetes adoption to large corporations needing advanced fleet management capabilities.

Nutanix Kubernetes® Platform enterprise-ready cloud native stack helps customers run containerized applications across hybrid multicloud environments

BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- .NEXT Conference – Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX), a leader in hybrid multicloud computing, today announced Nutanix Kubernetes® Platform (NKP) to simplify management of container-based modern applications using Kubernetes. NKP enables customers to innovate faster with a complete, CNCF-compliant cloud native stack that gives Platform Engineering teams a consistent operating model for securely managing Kubernetes clusters across on-premises, hybrid, and multicloud environments. This can help customers deploy more cloud native and containerized applications that can ultimately run anywhere.

“Enterprises have standardized on Kubernetes to speed application development and simplify portability across the hybrid cloud. However, the DevOps culture has led to adoption of disparate Kubernetes environments within the same organization leading to operational complexity, overhead and silos,” said Simon Robinson, Principal Analyst, Infrastructure, Enterprise Strategy Group. "Nutanix Kubernetes Platform offers a path to consistency across a fleet of Kubernetes clusters which can help drastically reduce cost of operations and speed time to market.”

NKP targets a new class of Kubernetes Platform Engineering teams to bring enterprise resilience, day-2 operations, and compliance to modern applications at scale. For example, customers can manage clusters running containers on Nutanix on-premises and clusters running in the public cloud with one single pane of glass, cutting down on complexity and operating costs. It also enables organizations to manage clusters running in non-Nutanix environments, including popular public cloud Kubernetes services, as well as both connected and air-gapped environments. This helps customers innovate faster by removing the hurdles in adopting cloud native architectures for their applications.

“One of the biggest challenges organizations face with cloud native applications is deploying, securing and managing the rapidly expanding fleets of Kubernetes clusters being deployed on premises and in public clouds and NKP simplifies this,” said Tobi Knaup, GM Cloud Native at Nutanix. “This work directly supports our vision, along with Project Beacon, to enable customers to run modern applications and their data anywhere.”

NKP helps enterprises manage the operational complexity of running enterprise-grade kubernetes deployments. Specifically, it delivers:

• Kubernetes Platform for Data-Driven Apps: NKP integrates with the industry-leading Nutanix portfolio of data services, providing reliable scale-out block, file, and object storage, as well as databases-as-a-service.
• Simplified Kubernetes Management through Automation: NKP is powerful in its ability to simplify Kubernetes deployment, security, monitoring and upgrades through best-of-breed automation and AI-driven operational insights that reduce complexity and human error, and establish consistency and standardization.
• Complete Platform without Vendor Lock-In: NKP is built on pure upstream CNCF-conformant Kubernetes, enabling customers to enjoy the innovation of the open-source community while avoiding the portability, compatibility, upgradeability, and security issues associated with forked Kubernetes versions and single-vendor solutions. Additionally, because NKP is part of the cloud native ecosystem, customers can easily leverage CNCF-compatible partner solutions to build a Platform Engineering stack that fits their particular needs.
• Multi-cluster Fleet Management: NKP eases the management of Kubernetes clusters through a centralized management plane, a user-friendly dashboard that acts as a single point of observability and control for clusters running on-premises, in public cloud, edge, and air-gapped environments. NKP extends public cloud Kubernetes services like EKS and AKS with a full suite of platform services, giving customers a single standardized way of managing their entire Kubernetes fleet.

NKP comes in three tiers, giving customers what they need at their stage of maturity in cloud native adoption. NKP Starter is included in Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure and effectively replaces the existing Nutanix Kubernetes Engine. It delivers turnkey clusters with pure, upstream Kubernetes. NKP Pro adds a suite of cloud native projects to provide a complete platform to securely run and operate individual clusters, including built in Nutanix Data services for Kubernetes when deployed on Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure. Lastly, NKP Ultimate brings fleet management capabilities, including the ability to install, run and monitor clusters in the public cloud.

This solution also builds on the work that Nutanix will deliver as part of Project Beacon to help customers deploy more cloud-native and containerized applications that can ultimately run anywhere. Organizations will be able to leverage NKP to manage Kubernetes applications and their data as well as the modern data services available natively in public clouds, on-premises, at the edge, and even other hypervisors.

NKP builds upon mature Kubernetes management technologies proven at scale by D2iQ’s Kubernetes Platform, which was acquired by Nutanix in 2023. NKP is expected to be available in the summer of 2024. More information can be found here.

Additional Resources:

• Blog: Nutanix Announces Nutanix Kubernetes® Platform to Remove Cloud Native Complexity to Speed Innovation Across the Enterprise
• Landing page: Nutanix Kubernetes Platform

About Nutanix

Nutanix is a global leader in cloud software, offering organizations a single platform for running apps and data across clouds. With Nutanix, companies can reduce complexity and simplify operations, freeing them to focus on their business outcomes. Building on its legacy as the pioneer of hyperconverged infrastructure, Nutanix is trusted by companies worldwide to power hybrid multicloud environments consistently, simply, and cost-effectively. Learn more at www.nutanix.com or follow us on social media @nutanix.

© 2024 Nutanix, Inc. All rights reserved. Nutanix, the Nutanix logo, and all Nutanix product and service names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or unregistered trademarks of Nutanix, Inc. (“Nutanix”) in the United States and other countries. Other brand names or marks mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be the trademarks of their respective holder(s). This press release is for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes a warranty or other binding commitment by Nutanix. This release may contain express and implied forward-looking statements, which are not historical facts and are instead based on Nutanix’s current expectations, estimates and beliefs, including statements about: the benefits and capabilities of our platform, products, services and technology; and our plans and expectations, including the timing of any product releases or upgrades or announcements, regarding new products, services, product features and technology that are under development or in process, including with respect to Project Beacon tools and services. The accuracy of such statements involves risks and uncertainties and depends upon future events, including those that may be beyond Nutanix’s control, and actual results may differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied by such statements, including, among others: failure to develop, or unexpected difficulties, delays or disruptions in developing, releasing or distributing, new products, services, product features or technology in a timely or cost-effective basis. Any forward-looking statements included herein speak only as of the date hereof and, except as required by law, Nutanix assumes no obligation to update or otherwise revise any of such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Certain products and features or functionalities described herein remain in varying stages of development and will be offered on a when-and-if-available basis. The development, release, and timing of any such products, features or functionalities are subject to change. Nutanix will not have any liability for any failure to deliver or delay in the delivery of any such products, features or functionalities. Any future product or product feature information is intended to outline general product directions, and is not a commitment, promise or legal obligation for Nutanix to deliver any functionality. This information should not be used when making a purchasing decision.

*NKP for Kubernetes v.1.12. Kubernetes ® is a registered trademark of The Linux Foundation in the United States and other countries, and is used pursuant to a license from The Linux Foundation.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240521348508/en/

Gabrielle Moynan

pr@nutanix.com

Source: Nutanix

FAQ

What is Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP)?

NKP is a platform designed to simplify the management of Kubernetes clusters across hybrid and multicloud environments.

When was NKP announced?

NKP was announced at the .NEXT Conference in Barcelona, Spain.

What are the benefits of NKP for NTNX investors?

NKP offers simplified Kubernetes management, automation, and centralized control, which could attract more customers and boost NTNX's market position.

How does NKP affect NTNX's business strategy?

NKP aligns with NTNX's vision to support cloud-native applications, potentially increasing its market share in the hybrid multicloud computing sector.

When will NKP be available?

NKP is expected to be available in the summer of 2024.