AWS storage gateway expands hybrid reach, adds support for Nutanix AHV Hypervisor

Move aims to capture workloads fleeing VMware, offering Nutanix users seamless access to S3 Cloud storage

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has bolstered its hybrid cloud portfolio by adding native support for the Nutanix AHV (Acropolis Hypervisor) within its AWS Storage Gateway service. This integration allows organizations running Nutanix’s hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) to connect their on-premises workloads directly to AWS's virtually unlimited cloud storage, primarily Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3).

The strategic move is seen by analysts as AWS capitalizing on the rising market opportunity created by the perceived exodus of customers from VMware following its acquisition by Broadcom. Nutanix's AHV is a leading competitor to VMware's ESXi.

Bridging Nutanix on-premises to AWS S3

The AWS Storage Gateway acts as a bridge, allowing local applications running on Nutanix AHV to utilize cloud storage for various hybrid operations. This addition follows AWS Storage Gateway's existing support for VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Linux KVM.

Nutanix AHV users can now deploy the Storage Gateway as a virtual appliance directly on their AHV-based infrastructure.

The gateway supports all three major types of Storage Gateway interfaces:

• S3 File gateway: For shifting local storage to cloud-backed file shares (using NFS and SMB).

• Volume gateway: For block storage needs (using iSCSI).

• Tape gateway: For cost-effective backup and archiving to the cloud (using iSCSI-VTL).

Simplified hybrid cloud

The integration provides a single, consistent way for AHV environments to leverage AWS for critical use cases like backup, disaster recovery, and data archiving without needing to overhaul their existing virtualization stack.

Strategic timing in the hypervisor wars

AWS's decision to specifically support AHV is viewed as a significant endorsement of Nutanix's alternative hypervisor at a time when the virtualization market is in flux.

Since the Broadcom acquisition of VMware, many enterprises have been re-evaluating their virtualization and cloud strategies due to changes in product bundles and licensing models. Nutanix is often cited as the top alternative, and this integration simplifies the path to hybrid cloud for any organization choosing to move to AHV.

KVM advantage

AWS noted that AHV is based on KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine), which likely simplified the technical integration effort compared to a completely proprietary hypervisor.

This collaboration accelerates the trend of simplifying hybrid multi-cloud operations, ensuring that customers can leverage their existing infrastructure investments while gaining the scalability and elasticity of AWS storage services.