The organization uses a Nutanix Files cluster, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), for back office data, with most data classified as Cold Data (infrequently accessed). They want to free up space on the Files cluster for future growth or newer data. They have added a new node with more storage to the cluster and are already using the Public Cloud for other storage needs. The goal is to migrate Cold Data to free up space while considering the best approach.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Set up another cluster and replicate the data with Protection Domain): Incorrect. Setting up another cluster and using a Protection Domain to replicate data is a disaster recovery (DR) strategy, not a solution for migrating Cold Data to free up space. Protection Domains are used to protect and replicate VMs or Volume Groups, not Files shares directly, and this approach would not address the goal of freeing up space on the existing Files cluster—it would simply create a copy on another cluster.

Option B (Enable Smart Tiering in Files within the Files Console): Correct. Nutanix Files supports Smart Tiering, a feature that allows data to be tiered to external storage, such as the Public Cloud (e.g., AWS S3, Azure Blob), based on access patterns. Cold Data (infrequently accessed) can be automatically tiered to the cloud, freeing up space on the Files cluster while keeping the data accessible through the same share. Since the organization is already using the Public Cloud, Smart Tiering aligns perfectly with their infrastructure and requirements.

Option C (Migrate cold data from Files to tape storage): Incorrect. Migrating data to tape storage is a manual and outdated process for archival. Nutanix Files does not have native integration with tape storage, and this approach would require significant manual effort, making it less efficient than Smart Tiering. Additionally, tape storage is not as easily accessible as cloud storage for future retrieval.

Option D (Back up the data using a third-party software and replicate to the cloud): Incorrect. While backing up data with third-party software and replicating it to the cloud is feasible, it is not the best approach for this scenario. This method would create a backup copy rather than freeing up space on the Files cluster, and it requires additional software and management overhead. Smart Tiering is a native feature that achieves the goal more efficiently by moving Cold Data to the cloud while keeping it accessible.

Why Option B?

Smart Tiering in Nutanix Files is designed for exactly this use case: moving Cold Data to a lower-cost storage tier (e.g., Public Cloud) to free up space on the primary cluster while maintaining seamless access to the data. Since the organization is already using the Public Cloud and has added a new node (which increases local capacity but doesn’t address Cold Data directly), Smart Tiering leverages their existing cloud infrastructure to offload Cold Data, freeing up space for future growth or newer data. This can be configured in the Files Console by enabling Smart Tiering and setting policies to tier Cold Data to the cloud.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Files Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Smart Tiering in Nutanix Files allows administrators to tier Cold Data to external storage, such as AWS S3 or Azure Blob, to free up space on the primary Files cluster. This feature can be enabled in the Files Console, where policies can be configured to identify and tier infrequently accessed data while keeping it accessible through the same share.”