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Nutanix Cloud Connect with Amazon Web Services (AWS) Demo

aluciani
Userlevel 7
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The Nutanix cloud connect feature enables you to configure Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a remote site for virtual machine backups. The AWS remote site is a single node cluster which creates an m1.xlarge EC2 instance. A bucket is created in AWS S3 that can store up to 30 TB of data.

You need to keep the following points in mind while creating a backup in AWS:
  • You need to generate an access key and secret access key in AWS. You will add these keys while creating a remote site for AWS.
  • For production version, it's recommended that you use VPN Connection. You need AWS Direct
  • Connect to use this option. For this demonstration, SSH Tunnel option is used.
  • The container should have the same name in Nutanix cluster and AWS.
This demonstration is divided into following four tasks:
  • Create a container
  • Create a VM in the container
  • Create a Remote Site
  • Create a Protection Domain



Relates Articles
Announcing Nutanix Cloud Connect
Building Flexible Hybrid Clouds with Nutanix

This post is authored by Deepa Pottangadi, Instructional Designer at Nutanix
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngeloLuciani

18 replies

S
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Thanks for Demo.
B
Rank
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Lots of clicks, but at least no commands needed.
B
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So I've got snapshots replicating from Nutanix appliance to an EC2 instances which then copies it to S3, is that correct?



If I need to restore these snapshots can I restore them to an EC2 instance? Are these recongized as AWS EBS snapshots or just data blobs sitting on S3 which only Nutanix appliance can interpret?



In otherwords what happens when I need to restore that data due to a primary location failure? Do I need to copy it back down? Can I restore in the cloud?
S
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Thanks for demoQuestion: what happen If you stop the aws instance? (No terminate but only stop)I tested it and secure connection dont restart
aluciani
Userlevel 7
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Hi  - Here is some feedback from 



So I’ve got snapshots replicating from Nutanix appliance to an EC2 instance which then copies it to S3, is that correct? Ans: Yes, data goes from the primary cluster to EC2 instance which then writes it to S3.



If I need to restore these snapshots can I restore them to an EC2 instance? Are these recognized as AWS EBS snapshots or just data blobs sitting on S3 which only Nutanix appliance can interpret? Ans: Restore of snapshots is not allowed on the EC2 instance: EC2 instance never writes data to EBS volume. Data always remains in AWS S3 which only Nutanix appliance can interpret.



In other words what happens when I need to restore that data due to a primary location failure? Do I need to copy it back down? Can I restore in the cloud?ANS: For restore, the only option is to copy it back (snapshot retrieve) to the physical cluster. There is no cloud DR solution available as yet, only backup and restore workflow is available for cloud right now.
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngeloLuciani
aluciani
Userlevel 7
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Hi  - Here is some feedback from 



Question: what happen If you stop the aws instance? (No terminate but only stop)I tested it and secure connection dont restartAns: Instance restart resumes the normal operation if the instance is created in VPC. For ssh tunnel instance public IP will change on restart so manual steps would be needed to reconfigure the connection. Currently, ssh tunnel is not recommended for production use due to its performance issues.
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngeloLuciani
aluciani
Userlevel 7
Badge +35
Hi  - Here is some feedback from Deepa



Lots of clicks, but at least no commands needed.

ANS: Creating a backup on AWS involves 2 steps: create a remote site and create protection domain. The first two steps in this demonstration is used to create a seamless demonstration.
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngeloLuciani
Jon_Hall
Userlevel 1
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Great Demo, Nutanix and Amazon. this is a great way to backup your vms with out the big cost.
S
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HiCan i restore / retrive a snapshot to a different cluster?
B
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Can I do file level restores from the data in S3 or is it just full VM restore?
D
Rank
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Hi , Your question was: Can i restore / retrive a snapshot to a different cluster?

Ans: Data that is replicated to any cloud region can also be pulled down and restored to any existing, or newly created Nutanix cluster which has the cloud remote site(s) configured.
D
Rank
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Hi , thanks:)
aluciani
Userlevel 7
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Hi  - feedback provided by Pranav Kumar Ojha



Question: Can I do file level restores from the data in S3 or is it just full VM restore?

Ans: No, you cannot. You will need to retrieve snapshot from S3 to local cluster to do file-level restore using that snapshot.
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngeloLuciani
A
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Question: I have a container already that filled with my VMs in Nutanix AHV. I have configure the Remote Sites and able to proceed with the access keys and secrets keys and the configuration.

Do I need to create an EC2 instance in AWS with S3 storage or just an S3 storage to be able to do the remote site backup or as shown in the video, I just need to create a separate VM (running in ubuntu - do the VM really needs to be running in Ubuntu or I can use Windows on it?) within my physical Nutanix machine? I'm having an error in my configured Remote Sites in AWS (see screenshot).







BTW, I've already create a S3 bucket in my AWS account and the nutanix was able to create 2 buckets when I configured the remote site but again the error occured when I'm trying to do a snapshot within one of my VM.





Thanks
D
Rank
Badge +1
Hi aomega



My response to your queries:

Question: I have a container already that filled with my VMs in Nutanix AHV. I have configure the Remote Sites and able to proceed with the access keys and secrets keys and the configuration.

Do I need to create an EC2 instance in AWS with S3 storage or just an S3 storage to be able to do the remote site backup or as shown in the video?

Ans: No, Cloud Connect will create the EC2 instance and S3 bucket for you, you do not need to do any additional configuration changes in AWS to enable remote site backup.



Question: I just need to create a separate VM (running in ubuntu - do the VM really needs to be running in Ubuntu or I can use Windows on it?) within my physical Nutanix machine?

Ans: VMs can have any guest OS, Cloud Connect feature is independent of Guest OS.



Question: BTW, I’ve already create a S3 bucket in my AWS account and the nutanix was able to create 2 buckets when I configured the remote site but again the error occurred when I’m trying to do a snapshot within one of my VM.

Ans: You do not need to create a bucket in AWS, Cloud Connect will create an EC2 instance for your cluster and will create an S3 bucket.

Question:

I’m having an error in my configured Remote Sites in AWS (see screenshot.

Ans: The warning alert regarding connectivity to the remote site is not normal. This could be due to some transient network issues and if the network is fine after a while this alert should not be seen.



Hope this helps!
C
Badge +5
When I follow this process, I get an error when saving the schedule for the Protection Domain:



Error saving schedule: Unexpected application error kRetry raised



any thoughts are appreciated.
leoleonhardt
Userlevel 2
Badge +13
Me too, the same issue, in my case i'am testing with Nutanix CE: Error saving schedule: Unexpected application error kRetry raised
---Leandro Ariel Leonhardt | Nutanix NPP, NTC, NSEC, NSES, NSEN | VMware vExpert, ex-VCI, VCAP, VCP-DCV/NV
C
Badge +5
I am also using Nutanix CE

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