Basic Replication and Support for that in Nutanix and VMWare ESXi

Basic Replication Explained

Basic replication is a data protection technique that copies data from a source system (primary) to a target system (secondary) at regular intervals. This creates a replica of the source data on the target system, allowing for quick recovery in case of a disaster or outage on the primary system. Here are some key characteristics of basic replication:

Asynchronous: Data is copied periodically (e.g., every hour), not in real-time. This means there might be some data loss between the last successful replication and the point of failure on the primary system (Recovery Point Objective - RPO).

One-way: Data flows in one direction, from the source to the target system.

Simple Setup: Basic replication is typically easier to set up and manage compared to more complex disaster recovery solutions.

Nutanix AHV and VMware ESXi capabilities for Basic Replication

Both Nutanix AHV (Acropolis Hypervisor) and VMware ESXi offer functionalities for basic replication of virtual machines (VMs). Here's a breakdown of their capabilities:

Nutanix AHV:

Built-in Functionality: AHV integrates data protection features directly within the hypervisor. It offers asynchronous replication of VMs to another AHV cluster for disaster recovery.

Snapshot-based Replication: AHV utilizes snapshots to capture the state of a VM at a specific point in time. These snapshots are then replicated to the target system.

Simple Management: AHV's web-based interface (Prism) allows for easy configuration and monitoring of replication jobs.

VMware ESXi:

Requires Additional Software: Basic replication on ESXi typically requires additional software tools from third-party vendors or from VMware itself (e.g., vSphere Replication).

Similar Functionality: Third-party tools or vSphere Replication offer functionalities similar to AHV, enabling asynchronous VM replication to another ESXi cluster for disaster recovery purposes.

Management: The management interface for replication might vary depending on the chosen solution (third-party tool vs. vSphere Replication).

Choosing Between AHV and ESXi for Basic Replication:

Ease of Use: If easy setup and management are priorities, AHV's built-in replication might be preferable.

Existing Infrastructure: If you already have a VMware environment with ESXi, using vSphere Replication or a compatible third-party tool could be a good fit.

Specific Requirements: Evaluate the specific features and functionalities offered by different solutions to match your needs (e.g., RPO requirements, supported platforms).

references:

Gemini