Hello Nutanix Community,
I am currently evaluating a Nutanix Two-Node Cluster deployment for a small environment and have been reviewing the official documentation, including the Prism Web Console Guide and the Data Protection Guide.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to obtain clear technical guidance regarding Two-Node Cluster deployments from my local Nutanix sales representatives and SE teams in Japan and Singapore. As a result, I am trying to better understand the official requirements and supported deployment models directly from the community and Nutanix experts.
I would appreciate clarification on the following topics:
1. Witness VM deployment requirements
- Is a dedicated physical host required for the Witness VM when no remote datacenter is available?
- If the Witness is deployed in the same site, what conditions must be met to satisfy the "separate failure domain" requirement?
- Is a separate rack, power circuit, UPS, and network path sufficient?
2. Supported Witness hosting platforms
The documentation states that the Witness VM can run on a supported hypervisor and on Nutanix or non-Nutanix hardware.
- Can the Witness VM be hosted on a standalone AHV host that is not part of a production Nutanix cluster?
- If yes, what are the minimum hardware and software requirements for such a host?
- Is there any official reference architecture for this deployment model?
3. Licensing requirements
- Does a standalone AHV host used solely for hosting a Witness VM require Nutanix licensing?
- If licensing is required, which license editions are necessary?
- Are there any additional licensing requirements specific to Two-Node Cluster deployments?
4. Supported hardware and software
I would like to understand the officially supported infrastructure requirements.
- Which hardware platforms are certified or officially supported for hosting the Witness VM?
- Is there a Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) or support matrix specifically covering Witness deployments?
- What AHV, AOS, Prism Element, and Witness VM software versions are currently supported for Two-Node Cluster environments?
- Are there any version interoperability requirements between AOS and Witness VM releases?
5. Practical deployment examples
- Are there any reference architectures or best practices for customers who only have a single site and cannot place the Witness VM in a separate corporate datacenter?
- How do customers typically deploy the Witness VM in hotel, retail, branch office, or other small-site scenarios?
6. Deployment and operational guidance
I would also appreciate references to any official documentation covering:
- Witness VM installation and deployment procedures
- Initial configuration and registration
- Upgrade and lifecycle management
- Backup and recovery considerations
- Maintenance requirements
- Troubleshooting and support best practices
My goal is to understand the complete and officially supported design for a Two-Node Cluster with Witness, including hardware requirements, software versions, licensing, deployment procedures, operational considerations, and supportability.
Any guidance, documentation references, support matrixes, or real-world deployment examples would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Best regards,