Linked clones share a base disk image and only store delta changes, making them the fastest and most space-efficient method for creating multiple similar VMs.

LCM Framework 2.4 introduced enhanced Dark Site capabilities for performing updates in air-gapped environments using local repositories.

Zookeeper is a distributed coordination service that maintains configuration, naming, and provides distributed synchronization across the cluster.

Shadow Clones are created when multiple VMs read the same data blocks frequently, creating a shared read cache to optimize performance.

Create the protection domain first, add VMs to it, define retention policies, and finally configure snapshot schedules.

The Replication Factor (RF2 or RF3) setting on a storage container determines how many copies of data are maintained for protection.

Both ncli (Nutanix CLI) for cluster operations and acli (Acropolis CLI) for AHV/VM operations are available from the CVM command line.

LCM manages firmware for hardware components like BIOS, controllers, and NICs, but does not manage software within guest VMs.

ILM (Intelligent Lifecycle Management) automatically tiers data between SSD and HDD based on access patterns, moving cold data to capacity tiers.

Guest Shutdown signals the guest OS to shut down cleanly, allowing applications to close properly before powering off the VM.

Medusa is the distributed metadata layer that tracks all storage metadata including block locations, RF status, and data attributes.

Nutanix Files is a scale-out file server solution that provides SMB and NFS file services for enterprise workloads.

CPU utilization and storage capacity are primary health indicators showing resource consumption and planning needs for the cluster.

First verify Ultimate license, configure external Key Management Server (KMS), enable encryption feature, and then rekey existing data if needed.

Nutanix recommends dual 10GbE network connections for CVMs to provide both high bandwidth and redundancy for storage traffic.

The LCM Dashboard‘s inventory section displays current versions of AOS and other software components across all cluster nodes.

Start with VM network configuration, verify physical network infrastructure, test connectivity at different layers, and review logs for error messages.

Storage latency (measured in milliseconds) directly indicates performance, with high values suggesting bottlenecks in storage system.

Always run NCC health checks first, review any warnings or failures, resolve issues found, and only then proceed with planned changes.

Prism uses Critical, Warning, and Informational severity levels, with Critical requiring immediate attention and Info providing general status updates.

Webhooks use HTTP POST requests to send alert data to external systems, enabling integration with ticketing and monitoring platforms.

Stargate is the primary data I/O manager that handles all storage requests from VMs and manages data placement and retrieval.

For LCM to manage ESXi updates, vCenter Server must be registered with Prism Element to coordinate the update process.

The cluster health check validates that all nodes, CVMs, and services are functioning properly before allowing the upgrade to proceed.

The VM list in Prism Element can be sorted by various metrics including storage usage to quickly identify high-consuming VMs.

LCM‘s update scheduling feature allows administrators to specify exact dates and times when updates should automatically run during planned maintenance windows.

First identify which node failed, verify that data integrity is maintained through replication, remove the failed node, and add a replacement node.

During AOS upgrades, VMs continue running as the cluster performs a rolling upgrade of CVMs and services one node at a time.

Start by identifying specific symptoms, check for recent changes that correlate, review detailed metrics, and then apply appropriate solutions.

With 30 days runway, administrators should plan and initiate capacity expansion to allow time for procurement, delivery, and installation.

Erasure Coding is applied by the Curator service during background operations on cold data, not immediately upon enablement or during writes.

Start by reviewing the specific error message and VM logs, then verify that adequate CPU, memory, and storage resources are available in the cluster.

Nutanix Move is specifically designed for VM migration from various hypervisors to Nutanix and can be part of disaster recovery strategies.

The Intelligent Life­cycle Management (ILM) automatically places frequently accessed hot data on the SSD tier for optimal performance.

First identify which specific CVM has high CPU, then investigate what processes or services are consuming CPU resources before taking corrective action.

VLANs provide network segmentation that isolates VM traffic into separate broadcast domains, preventing direct communication between VMs on different VLANs.

The “Success“ status in LCM indicates that the update operation completed without errors across all targeted nodes in the cluster.

Alert suppression allows administrators to temporarily silence alerts for specific entities or time periods during planned maintenance activities.

Nutanix uses quorum-based consensus mechanisms to ensure that only the partition with majority of nodes continues operations, maintaining data consistency.

AHV uses NFS protocol for VMs to access storage provided by the Controller VM, offering efficient and scalable storage connectivity.

LCM can update infrastructure components including AOS, hypervisors, and firmware across all nodes, but does not manage guest operating systems inside VMs.

In RF2, when a node fails, VMs are automatically restarted on other nodes using the replicated data copies maintained across the cluster.

Metric-based alert triggers monitor specific performance or utilization metrics and fire alerts when configured threshold values are exceeded.

Memory-inclusive snapshots capture both disk state and active memory contents, allowing VMs to be restored to their exact running state instantly.

The LCM Framework itself should be updated first to ensure it has the latest capabilities and compatibility information before updating other cluster components.

Prism Element is the integrated management interface for AHV, providing VM and cluster management without requiring separate management software installation.

Select the VM, power it off (unless hot-add is enabled), add the disk, configure its size and type, and then power the VM back on.

Compression typically provides the most significant data reduction, often achieving 2:1 or better ratios depending on data type and compressibility.

VLANs (Virtual LANs) provide Layer 2 network segmentation and isolation for VMs in AHV environments by creating separate broadcast domains.

The storage check category specifically tests storage system health, performance, capacity, and functionality within the cluster.

Start by reviewing the detailed NCC output, identify which specific check failed, research the issue in Nutanix knowledge base, and then apply the appropriate resolution.

Adding a storage-only node is the fastest way to expand capacity as it immediately contributes storage without requiring full compute resources or extensive configuration.

Start by selecting the template, customize VM settings like name and resources, choose the target storage container, and then deploy the VM.

Blackout Windows allow administrators to define time periods when LCM updates should not run, typically set to avoid business-critical hours.

Checking the Replication Factor setting and verifying that data is properly distributed ensures the cluster maintains proper redundancy for data protection.

Navigate to network configuration, create a new VLAN object, assign the appropriate VLAN ID, and configure which physical uplinks will carry the VLAN traffic.

AOS software updates can be performed with rolling upgrades where nodes are updated one at a time, maintaining cluster operations with minimal to no downtime.

Hardware failure alerts include the node location, disk serial number, and recommended remediation steps, but do not include unrelated performance metrics like CPU.

The Ultimate edition provides access to all Nutanix software features including advanced security, data protection, and automation capabilities.

First migrate VMs off the node, then enable maintenance mode to prevent new VMs from being placed there, perform the work, and finally disable maintenance mode.