Nutanix Data Lens, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), provides data governance and analytics for Nutanix Files, including features to optimize storage usage. The administrator wants to maximize available space on the file server by moving cold (infrequently accessed) data to an object store (e.g., AWS S3, Azure Blob), which aligns with a specific Data Lens feature.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Smart Tier): Correct. Smart Tier is a feature in Data Lens (and Nutanix Files, as noted in Question 34) that identifies cold data based on access patterns and tiers it to an external object store, such as AWS S3 or Azure Blob. This process frees up space on the file server while keeping the data accessible through the same share, maximizing available space as required.

Option B (Smart DR): Incorrect. Smart DR is a disaster recovery solution for Nutanix Files that automates replication policies between file servers (e.g., using NearSync). It replicates data to a recovery site for DR purposes, not to an object store, and does not free up space on the primary file server—it creates a copy.

Option C (Backup): Incorrect. Data Lens does not have a “Backup” feature. While Nutanix Files can be backed up using third-party tools or replication, this is not a Data Lens feature, and backups do not move cold data to an object store to free up space—they create additional copies for recovery purposes.

Option D (Versioning): Incorrect. Versioning is a feature in Nutanix Objects (as seen in Questions 11 and 15), not Data Lens, and it retains multiple versions of objects, not file server data. Even if versioning were applied to Files shares (e.g., via snapshots), it does not move cold data to an object store—it retains versions locally, consuming more space.

Why Option A?

Smart Tier, supported by Data Lens, identifies cold data on the file server and moves it to an external object store, freeing up space on the primary storage while keeping the data accessible. This directly addresses the requirement to maximize available file server space by offloading cold data, aligning with Data Lens’s data management capabilities.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Data Lens Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Data Lens supports Smart Tier, a feature that maximizes available file server space by identifying cold data based on access patterns and tiering it to an external object store, such as AWS S3 or Azure Blob. This process frees up space on the file server while maintaining data accessibility.”