Edit

About Nutanix Cloud Clusters on Azure

  • Article

The articles in this section are intended for the professionals participating in BareMetal Infrastructure for Nutanix Cloud Clusters on Azure of NC2 on Azure.

To provide input, email NC2-on-Azure Docs.

Illustration of NC2 on Azure features.

In particular, this article highlights NC2 features.

Unlock the benefits of Azure

  • Establish a consistent hybrid deployment strategy
  • Operate seamlessly with on-premises Nutanix Clusters in Azure
  • Build and scale without constraints
  • Invent for today and be prepared for tomorrow with NC2 on Azure
  • Scale and flexibility that align with your needs
    • Get scale, automation, and fast provisioning for your Nutanix workloads on global Azure infrastructure to invent with purpose.
  • Optimize your investment
    • Keep using your existing Nutanix investments, skills, and tools to quickly increase business agility with Azure cloud services.
  • Gain cloud cost efficiencies
    • Manage your cloud spending with license portability to significantly reduce the cost of running workloads in the cloud.
  • Modernize through the power of Azure
    • Adapt quicker with unified data governance and gain immediate insights with transformative analytics to drive innovation.

SKUs

We offer two SKUs: AN36 and AN36P. For specifications, see SKUs.

More benefits

  • Microsoft Azure Consumption Contract (MACC) credits

Azure Hybrid Benefits (AHUB) for NC2 on Azure

Azure Commercial benefits

Cost Savings: Leverage software investments to reduce costs in Azure

Flexibility: Use software commitments to run on-premises or in Azure, and shift from one to the other over time

Unique to Azure: Achieve savings unmatched by other cloud providers

Available licensing offers are:

  1. Azure Hybrid Benefit for Windows Server
  2. Azure Hybrid Benefit for SQL Server
  3. Extended Security Updates (ESU)

Azure Hybrid Benefit for Windows Server

  • Convert or re-use Windows licensing with active software assurance in Azure for NC2 BareMetal hardware.
  • Re-use Windows Server on up to 2 VMs and up to 16 cores in Azure.
  • Run virtual machines on-premises and in Azure. Significantly reduce costs compared to running Windows Server in other public clouds

Azure Hybrid Benefit for SQL Server

Azure-only benefit for customers with active SA (or subscriptions) on SQL cores

Advantages of the hybrid benefit over license mobility when adopting IaaS are:

  • Use the SQL cores on-premises and in Azure simultaneously for up to 180 days, to allow for migration.
  • Available for SQL Server core licenses only.
  • No need to complete and submit license verification forms.
  • The hybrid benefit for windows and SQL can be used together for IaaS (PaaS abstracts the OS)

Extended Security Updates (ESU) – for Windows Server

NC2 on Azure requires manual escalation to request, approve and deliver ESU keys to the client.

  • ESUs for deployment to the supported platforms are intended to be free of charge (Azure and Azure connected), however unlike the majority of VMs on Azure today, MSFT cannot provide automatic updates. Rather, clients must request keys and install the updates themselves. Supported platforms are:
    • Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2
    • Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2
  • For regular on-premises customers – there is no manual escalation process; these customers must work with VLSC and EA processes. To be eligible to purchase ESUs for on-premises deployment, customers must have Software Assurance.

To request ESU keys

  1. Draft an email to send to your Microsoft Account team. The email should contain the following:
    1. Your contact information in the body of the email
    2. Customer name and TPID
    3. Specific Deployment Scenario: Nutanix Cloud Clusters on Azure
    4. Number of Servers, nodes, or both where applicable (for example,HUB) requested to be covered by ESUs
    5. Point of Contact: Name and email address of a customer employee who can either install or manage the keys once provided. Manage in this context means ensuring that
      1. Keys are not disclosed to anyone outside of the client company
      2. Keys are not publicly exposed
  2. The MSFT response will include the ESU Keys and Terms of Use.

Terms of Use

By activating this key you agree that it will only be used for only NC2 on Azure. If you violate these terms, we may stop providing services to you or we may close your Microsoft account.

For any questions on Azure Hybrid Benefits, please contact your Microsoft Account Executive.

Support

Nutanix (for software-related issues) and Microsoft (for infrastructure-related issues) will provide end-user support.

Release notes

Nutanix Cloud Clusters on Azure Release Notes

Next steps

Learn more:

Use cases and supported scenarios