Nutanix Xi Leap Shutdown: What's Next for Your Disaster Recovery Strategy?

In December 2023, Nutanix announced its decision to discontinue its Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) solution, Xi Leap, citing profitability concerns and a strategic shift toward software for hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) and enterprise cloud solutions. Xi Leap, known for its simplicity, attractive pricing, and ease of use, will cease operations on April 15, 2025, prompting customers to swiftly evaluate alternative solutions to protect their mission-critical workloads.

As the deadline approaches, businesses that have relied on Nutanix Xi Leap need robust disaster recovery (DR) solutions. Below, we explore the most viable DR alternatives, optimized for your business needs and budget.

Traditional On-Prem Disaster Recovery

In traditional DR setups, VM snapshots (recovery points) are created and replicated onto a secondary on-premises Nutanix cluster designed specifically for disaster recovery.

 

Pros:

• Rapid Recovery: Offers the shortest Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO), with Nutanix NearSync enabling recovery points every minute.

Cons:

• Higher Costs: Continuously active infrastructure means increased capital and operational expenses.
• Inefficient Resource Use: DR clusters typically remain underutilized except during actual recovery events.

DRaaS with Service Providers: Pilot Light Clusters

A cost-efficient alternative is leveraging Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) through service providers using Pilot Light Clusters (PLCs). These compact, storage-optimized clusters maintain minimal VM activity for quick startup during DR events. Additional compute nodes are provisioned only when needed, reducing costs significantly.

Pros:

• Cost-Effective: Reserved capacity lowers operational costs.
• Efficient Resource Utilization: Minimal nodes running during normal operations.

Cons:

• Longer RTO: Additional compute nodes activation may extend recovery times from one hour up to four hours.

Evolving DR Solutions: Multi-Cloud Snapshot Technology (MST)

Nutanix’s recent AOS 7.0 release introduces an innovative and economical option—Multi-Cloud Snapshot Technology (MST). MST enables businesses to send Nutanix recovery points to cost-effective S3-compatible Object Storage, offering significant savings for businesses comfortable with longer recovery timeframes.

Considering this, there are two primary use cases where this technology can be particularly advantageous. The first use case is if you’re looking to maintain an off-site backup copy of your snapshots purely for data protection purposes. The second applies to businesses that can tolerate longer recovery times, typically around 24 hours or more. In this scenario, storing snapshots in cost-effective object storage allows significant savings until recovery becomes necessary.

Another key advantage, especially relevant for those with expiring Xi Leap subscriptions, is the immediate ability to migrate these snapshots to public cloud storage, private cloud infrastructure, or your own on-premises Nutanix Objects service, ensuring continuity and flexibility in your disaster recovery strategy.

Pros:

• Lowest Cost Option: Object storage significantly reduces costs compared to always-on DR clusters.
• Flexible Storage Options: Recover snapshots in a public cloud, private cloud, or Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2) environments.

Cons:

• Extended Recovery Process: Two-step recovery process can lengthen RTO significantly, especially if reserved nodes must be provisioned upon recovery.
• Testing Essential: Accurate benchmarks are necessary to determine realistic recovery expectations.
• Potential Cloud Costs: Recovery may incur additional public cloud costs due to data hydration and micro-benchmark testing requirements.

Understanding Data Seeding & Transfer Times

When setting up DR replication, Nutanix first takes a full snapshot of your VM or volume. From that point on, only changed blocks (CBT) are replicated, reducing bandwidth and storage requirements.

Wondering how long the initial full copy will take? Consider this rough estimate:

• 1 Gbps network connection can transfer 1 TB in ~2.5 hours.
• If your cluster has 50 TB of data, expect the initial replication to take around 5 days.

For a precise estimate, leverage a network throughput calculator or consult your service provider.

Don’t Wait—Act Now to Secure Your DRaaS Solution

With the deadline for transitioning away from Xi Leap quickly approaching, it’s important to start planning your next steps for disaster recovery. Taking the time now to assess your needs and explore your options will help ensure your business remains protected and operational when you need it most. Transitioning to a reliable DRaaS solution will provide peace of mind and ensure your business continuity strategy is solid moving forward. If you’re considering your options, here’s what you should keep in mind:

1. Start Planning Immediately: The shutdown date for Nutanix Xi Leap is rapidly approaching. Delaying could risk last-minute complications. Evaluate DR needs and identify the best alternative solution now.
2. Assess DR Needs: Determine your RPO and RTO requirements. Do you need rapid, always-on recovery (traditional DR), cost-effective PLC-based DRaaS, or is the MST model sufficient?
3. Choose the Right Model:

• • Traditional DR: Ideal for businesses with minimal tolerance for downtime.
  • Pilot Light DRaaS: Balances cost savings with quick recovery capabilities.
  • MST with Object Storage: Offers significant cost reductions for organizations that can accommodate longer recovery periods (24+ hours).

4. Execute and Test Your Solution: Implement and thoroughly test your chosen solution to establish accurate recovery expectations. Confirm that infrastructure and processes align with business continuity objectives.

Why US Signal’s ReliaCloud DRaaS is the Ideal Replacement:

Recognizing the urgent need created by Xi Leap’s discontinuation, US Signal has successfully transitioned numerous customers to ReliaCloud DRaaS, powered by Nutanix. Designed specifically for customers migrating from Xi Leap, ReliaCloud DRaaS delivers comprehensive, scalable, and affordable disaster recovery solutions tailored to your organization’s needs.

Benefits of US Signal’s ReliaCloud DRaaS:

• Comprehensive Data Protection: Covers everything from backup to full-scale disaster recovery.
• Seamless Migration: Streamlined migration processes with minimal disruption to your existing operations.
• Scalable Solutions: Flexibility to scale resources according to your evolving business needs.
• Powered by Nutanix: Leverages Nutanix technology, ensuring seamless integration and familiarity.

Why Choose US Signal?

US Signal has deep expertise in disaster recovery solutions, a commitment to customer-first support, and the infrastructure necessary to deliver reliable, efficient DRaaS services. Our focus on simplifying complex transitions ensures your business continuity strategy remains uncompromised.  Contact us today to for a free consultation.