Nutanix NCP-CI-Azure Nutanix Certified Professional - Cloud Integration - Azure (NCP-CI-Azure v6.7) Exam Practice Test

Allowlisting the Azure Subscription:This step ensures that the Azure subscription is recognized and permitted by Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2). Without allowlisting, the necessary resources and permissions within the Azure subscription may not be available for NC2, potentially blocking the creation and management of clusters.

Creating an App Registration:This involves setting up an application within Azure Active Directory (AAD) to enable secure communication between NC2 andAzure. The app registration process includes assigning permissions and obtaining necessary authentication credentials, facilitating the interaction and management of Azure resources by NC2.

References:

Nutanix Documentation on NC2 Setup

Azure Active Directory Application Registration Guide

Flow Gateway Network Security Group (NSG):NSGs control the traffic flow to and from network interfaces associated with VMs and other resources. Configuring the NSG correctly is crucial for ensuring that required traffic is allowed.

Internal NIC Configuration:To allow Native Azure instances in the Prism Central VNet (10.20.0.0/24) to access the web servers in the Tier1 subnet, the internal NIC of the Flow Gateway must be configured to allow traffic from 10.20.0.0/24. This ensures that inbound traffic from these instances is permitted and properly routed to the web servers.

References:

Azure Network Security Group Documentation

Nutanix Flow Gateway Configuration Guide

Floating IP Address Limitation:The cluster already has 25 floating IP addresses in use by other VMs. If the administrator cannot assign a floating IP address to the new VM, it is because the pool of available floating IPs is exhausted.

Requesting Additional Floating IPs:To resolve this issue, the administrator needs to request additional floating IP addresses to be allocated to the NAT subnet. This will ensure that there are enough IP addresses available for all VMs requiring inbound connectivity.

References:

Nutanix Networking Configuration Guide

Azure IP Address Management Documentation

No-NAT Path Requirement:For a No-NAT path to function, the external networks must be able to route traffic directly to the Nutanix User VPC without translation.

Externally Routable IP Address:The externally routable IP address ensures that traffic from outside networks can reach the Nutanix User VPC.

Address Space Compatibility:Sharing the same address space as the Nutanix User VPC allows for seamless integration and communication between the external network and the User VPC.

References:

Azure Virtual Network Documentation on IP Addressing

Nutanix NC2 Configuration Guide on No-NAT Networking

Resource Group Requirement:When deploying NC2 on Azure, it is essential to organize resources such as VNets, subnets, and other components in a dedicated resource group. This helps in managing and maintaining the resources efficiently.

New Resource Group:Creating a new Azure resource group ensures that all the necessary NC2 resources are isolated and managed together, avoiding conflicts with existing resources and providing a clear separation for administration and billing purposes.

References:

Azure Resource Group Documentation

Nutanix NC2 Deployment Guide

Local Key Manager (LKM):The native local key manager in Nutanix requires a minimum number of nodes to function correctly and provide key management services.

Minimum Node Requirement for LKM:To support the Nutanix native LKM, at least three nodes are needed. This configuration ensures that the key management service can achieve the necessary quorum and redundancy for secure operations.

References:

Nutanix Data Encryption Documentation

Nutanix Cluster Configuration Guide

To allow access from the native Azure VMs to the workloads running in the Nutanix User VPC, the administrator needs to:

Adjust the Inbound Network Security Group (NSG) on the Flow Gateway VM's Internal NIC.

Specifically, allow traffic from the subnet range of the native Azure VMs (10.20.80.0/20) in the Inbound rules of the NSG associated with the Internal NIC of the Flow Gateway VM.

This configuration change permits the desired network traffic, ensuring that the native Azure VMs can communicate with the workloads in the Nutanix User VPC.References

Azure Network Security Groups Overview

Nutanix Networking and Security Best Practices

Equal-Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) Routing:ECMP allows multiple gateways to be used simultaneously for load balancing traffic across multiple paths. In this scenario, ECMP is configured to point to the external subnets in the Nutanix Transit VPC.

Traffic Distribution:All four Flow Gateway instances will be used to distribute the outgoing traffic from the application server based on the ECMP default route configuration. This ensures efficient load balancing and utilization of all available gateway resources.

Bidirectional Traffic:Both sending and receiving traffic will utilize all four Flow Gateway instances, ensuring high availability and performance for network-intensive applications.

References:

Nutanix NC2 Networking Guide

Azure Networking Documentation on ECMP

Outbound Communication Whitelisting:For NC2 Azure API calls and telemetry data to function correctly, certain outbound communications must be allowed. If these communications are not whitelisted, API calls can fail, and telemetry or health data might not be reported correctly.

First Check:Given the symptoms (failing API calls and missing telemetry), the first step should be to ensure that all necessary outbound communications are correctly whitelisted. This includes ensuring that endpoints and services required for NC2 operation are accessible.

References:

Nutanix NC2 Networking Requirements

Azure Networking and Security Configuration Guide

NC2 Console:The NC2 console is specifically designed for deploying and managing Nutanix clusters on Azure. It provides the necessary tools and interface to configure, monitor, and manage the NC2 clusters effectively.

Cluster Deployment:Using the NC2 console ensures that all configurations and integrations with Azure are correctly handled, providing a seamless deployment experience.

References:

Nutanix NC2 Deployment Guide

Nutanix Console Documentation

Payment Method Options:When using a Pay As You Go subscription plan and opting to pay directly to Nutanix, wire transfer is a valid and secure payment method.

Direct Payment:Wire transfers allow for the direct transfer of funds from the organization's bank account to Nutanix, ensuring a straightforward and efficient payment process.

References:

Nutanix Billing and Payment Documentation

Pay As You Go Subscription Payment Methods Guide

Jump Host VM in External VNet with VNet Peering:

Deploy Jump Host VM:Deploy a VM in an external VNet that is not within the same network as Prism Central.

VNet Peering:Establish VNet peering between the external VNet and the Prism Central VNet. This allows the Jump Host to communicate with Prism Central securely.

Jump Host VM in Prism Central VNet Inside a Delegated Subnet:

Deploy Jump Host VM:Deploy the Jump Host VM directly in the Prism Central VNet within a delegated subnet. This places the Jump Host in the same network environment as Prism Central, allowing direct access.

References:

Azure VNet Peering Documentation

Nutanix NC2 Networking and Access Configuration Guide

When the administrator notices that the VMs cannot reach resources outside the network, even by IP address, it is likely that a default route was not configured for the external subnet. The default route is essential for directing traffic from the VMs to external networks. Without it, the VMs will not know how to route traffic to external destinations, which leads to connectivity issues.

References

Azure Virtual Network Documentation

Nutanix Flow Networking Best Practices

NC2 on Azure Deployment: Deploying Nutanix clusters in Azure involves configuring various components, each needing appropriate network isolation and configuration.

Components and vNets:

Bare-metal instance: Requires its own vNet to ensure proper network isolation and performance.

Prism Central: Needs a dedicated vNet to manage and monitor the Nutanix environment, ensuring it has the required network access and isolation.

Azure Load Balancer: Does not require its own vNet but needs to be associated with the appropriate vNet where services are deployed.

Virtual Network Gateway: Is used for VPN connections but does not necessitate a separate vNet; it operates within an existing vNet.

Network Isolation: Providing separate vNets for Bare-metal instances and Prism Central ensures optimal performance and management capabilities.

Conclusion: Both Bare-metal instances and Prism Central require their own vNets in the NC2 on Azure deployment.

References:

Nutanix Clusters on Azure Deployment Guide

Azure Virtual Network Documentation

IP Forwarding in Azure:Enabling IP forwarding allows the VM to forward network traffic that is not specifically addressed to itself. This is necessary for network devices like the Flow Gateway VM to route traffic correctly.

Network Interface Configuration:Both the Azure portal settings and the VM's operating system must have IP forwarding enabled to ensure proper traffic handling and routing capabilities.

References:

Azure Virtual Machine Networking Documentation

Nutanix Flow Gateway Configuration Guide

Minimum Node Requirement:For production deployments, Nutanix typically requires a minimum of three nodes to ensure high availability and fault tolerance within the cluster.

Azure Ready Nodes:Deploying at least three Azure Ready Nodes allows the cluster to provide redundancy, ensuring that the failure of a single node does not affect the overall availability and performance of the cluster.

References:

Nutanix NC2 on Azure Deployment Guide

High Availability and Redundancy Best Practices

Jump Host Deployment:A Jump Host provides a secure method to access the NC2 environment when direct connectivity is unavailable. Deploying it in an external VNet allows flexibility in managing network access and security.

VNet Peering:By peering the external VNet (where the Jump Host is deployed) with the VNet containing Prism Central, the administrator can establish a communication pathway. This setup enables secure and controlled access to Prism Central from the Jump Host.

References:

Azure VNet Peering Documentation

Nutanix NC2 Configuration and Access Guide

Port Requirements: The specified ports (22, 2009, 2020, 2049, 3260, 9440) are commonly used for various services and require TCP communication.

Port 22: SSH

Port 2009: Used for Nutanix internal communication

Port 2020: Nutanix services

Port 2049: NFS

Port 3260: iSCSI

Port 9440: Nutanix Prism management

Communication Type: To ensure proper disaster recovery setup, bi-directional communication is needed to allow traffic to flow both from on-premises to Azure and vice versa.

TCP Protocol: These ports use the TCP protocol, which provides reliable communication between devices.

Conclusion: Creating a bi-directional (TCP) rule on the firewall allows the necessary communication for disaster recovery processes.

References:

Nutanix Networking and Security Documentation

Azure Networking Documentation

my.nutanix.com Portal:This portal provides access to various Nutanix services and features, including the NC2 deployment interface.

NC2 Tile:The NC2 tile within the portal is specifically designed for deploying and managing Nutanix Cloud Clusters. It provides the necessary tools and settings to initiate and configure NC2 clusters on Azure or other cloud environments.

References:

Nutanix NC2 Deployment Guide

my.nutanix.com Portal Documentation

Free Trial Expiration:Once the NC2 free trial period expires, the administrator needs to switch to a paid subscription plan to continue using all the features and functionalities provided by Nutanix NC2.

Paid Subscription Benefits:Transitioning to a paid subscription ensures uninterrupted access to NC2 features, support, and updates, maintaining the operational capabilities of the existing clusters.

References:

Nutanix Subscription and Billing Documentation

Nutanix NC2 Support and Subscription Guide

Azure Monitor Overview: Azure Monitor is a comprehensive monitoring service that collects, analyzes, and acts on telemetry data from Azure resources.

Key Metrics Monitoring: Azure Monitor enables the monitoring of various Azure services such as virtual networks, virtual machines, and bare metal hosts, providing insights and visibility into their performance and health.

Comparison of Services:

Resource Manager: Manages Azure resources but does not provide detailed monitoring capabilities.

Azure Service Health: Provides personalized alerts and guidance when Azure service issues affect you but is not a comprehensive monitoring solution.

Azure Network Watcher: Focuses on network performance monitoring and diagnostics but does not cover all resource types.

Conclusion: Azure Monitor is the most suitable service for monitoring key metrics across a wide range of Azure services.

References:

Azure Monitor Documentation

Nutanix NC2 on Azure Monitoring Guide

Error Message Analysis:The error message indicates that the node cannot boot successfully and will be replaced with a new node. This points towards an issue related to the specific node type or configuration.

Bare Metal Node Support:One common cause for such deployment failures is selecting a bare metal node type that is not supported in the chosen deployment region. Azure has specific regions where certain node types are available, and attempting to use an unsupported node type in a region can result in provisioning failures.

References:

Nutanix KB 9768 for troubleshooting deployment issues: KB 9768

Azure Region Availability Documentation

Nutanix NC2 on Azure Deployment Guide