Hi Team,

We are considering deploying a Nutanix cluster environment to meet best practices while addressing our current demands. We plan to set up Site A as the production cluster and Site B as the disaster recovery cluster.

Nutanix Disaster Recovery Solutions offer two options: Protection Domain-Based and Prism Central-Based, along with different replication modes such as Sync, NearSync, and Async.

If we choose the Protection Domain-Based solution, for Sync (Metro Availability) we plan to deploy one cluster at each site (A and , a VM witness in a VMware environment at Site C (which will be registered with Prism Element at each site), and a Prism Central at either Site A or Site B. The built-in continuous backup will protect Prism Central, and it will manage the Prism Elements of each site.

If we opt for the Prism Central-Based solution, which offers more advanced features like protection policies and recovery plans, I understand that the witness is a service integrated with Prism Central. This raises a question:

• With Metro Availability, Can we still deploy a VM witness at Site C in the VMware environment if Prism Central is located at either Site A or B to manage both clusters ?

• If we want to run an on-prem AZ (Availability Zone) corresponding to each site, with a Prism Central at each site, do we still need a witness? If so, how should we configure the witness for this setup, or are there any other specific requirements?

Many thanks for your reply and support.

Best Regards

Bin