Nutanix Technology Champion - Nutanix Solution Architect

Julien DUMUR
Infrastructure in a Nutshell
Nutanix .NEXT 2025 keynote: Nutanix Central

We already heard about this announcement at Tech Connect in San Jose last October: the imminent arrival of Nutanix Central On-Premise!

Nutanix Central is a unified cloud console that allows you to view and manage all Nutanix services deployed either on-premises or on Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2), which until now were only available in the cloud.

.NEXT 2025 keynote: Nutanix Central presentation

This operating mode is problematic for anyone who doesn’t want to be dependent on the cloud or can’t, such as isolated environments.

This is particularly the case for defense services such as the US Navy, which came specifically to talk to us about their migration to Nutanix using Move, the management of their ships using Nutanix, and the backup of their infrastructure using the HYCU Backup solution.

US Navy customer story on stage at .NEXT 2025

In particular, it will be possible to manage the entire deployment, configuration and update of remote clusters from a single management interface!

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Nutanix .NEXT 2025 keynote: Dell and Pure Storage external storage

Rajiv’s first topic was the modernization of our infrastructure, with a major announcement regarding our platform architecture. Until now, we were used to HCI nodes, but Nutanix decided to change that and open up new possibilities by announcing support for external storage mixed with compute nodes!

Leading the way: DELL PowerFlex, which is already available, supported, and as easy to integrate and use as HCI platforms.

.NEXT 2025 keynote: Dell PowerFlex support announcement

Moody’s was invited on stage to share their customer experience with this announcement. As part of the Early Access program, they were among the first to migrate from VMware to Nutanix on existing Dell PowerFlex hardware!

Moody's customer story on stage at .NEXT 2025

Following on from this announcement, Rajiv also announced a partnership with storage solutions provider Pure Storage, with support for Flash Arrays in Early Access starting in summer 2025 and Global Access by the end of 2025!

.NEXT 2025 keynote: Pure Storage FlashArray partnership

Pure Storage CEO Charles Giancarlo joined Rajiv to discuss this new partnership, the ease of integration, the power of this new combination, and the possibilities now available to customers.

Official Announcement : https://www.nutanix.com/press-releases/2025/nutanix-and-pure-storage-partner-to-deliver-greater-customer-choice

To conclude this segment dedicated to supporting external storage solutions, Rajiv presented “FlashStack,” a complete architecture based on:

  • CISCO Nexus switches
  • Pure Storage FlashArray / FlashBlade storage arrays
  • CISCO UCS Fabric Interconnect switches
  • CISCO UCS servers
FlashStack with Nutanix architecture from Cisco and Pure Storage

This initial announcement may seem like a regression to the old 3-tier architecture models that differentiated network, compute, and storage, but that’s not the case. Until now, when you wanted to replace your infrastructure, for whatever reason, you were forced to discard your external storage arrays, which often required a significant investment and were not compatible with Nutanix.

Nutanix’s goal with this announcement is to enable customers looking for a high-performance and reliable hyperconverged system to reuse their existing hardware, thereby removing one of the barriers to adopting their hyperconverged system.

Official Documentation : Nutanix Cloud Platform with Dell PowerFlex Deployment Guide

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Nutanix .NEXT 2025 keynote: End User Computing

Among the existing End-user Computing solutions on the market, we’re all familiar with Citrix, which has been available and supported by Nutanix for some time.

As a reminder, Citrix End-User Computing (EUC) solutions are a set of technologies that enable businesses to provide secure, centralized, and high-performance access to applications, virtual desktops, and data, from any device, anytime, and anywhere.

Multi-cluster support for VDI under Citrix was also announced: https://www.nutanix.com/blog/multi-cluster-citrix-vdi-support-on-nutanix-ahv-with-prism#

Nutanix took advantage of the first .NEXT Keynote to announce the arrival of Global Access support for the Omnissa Horizon solution by the end of 2025.

Omnissa Horizon 8 on AHV demo during the keynote

Omnissa’s End User Computing (EUC) solutions are part of VMware’s EUC division, which became an independent entity in 2024 following its acquisition by the investment fund KKR. Omnissa positions itself as a major player in providing secure, intelligent, and adaptable digital work platforms, focused on the user experience, particularly with its dedicated virtual desktop product: Horizon 8.

For those interested in testing it, I visited their booth and they informed me that the open beta should begin in early summer.

Omnissa Horizon on Nutanix Official Annoncement : https://www.nutanix.com/blog/announcing-omnissa-horizon-on-nutanix-ahv#

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Nutanix .NEXT 2025: Zero Day in Washington DC

This year again, I was lucky enough to be invited, due to my status as Nutanix Technology Champion, to the annual event organized by Nutanix: .NEXT 2025!

Heading to Washington DC!

Every year, .NEXT moves to a new continent. Last year, Europe hosted the event in Barcelona, ​​Spain. This year, Washington DC, United States of America, has been chosen to host the event from May 7 to 9, 2025.

Run Anything Anywhere banner for .NEXT 2025 in Washington DC, May 7-9

This is my second trip to the United States (the first was during NTC Tech Connect in San Jose), so I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to spend an extra day as a tourist. It’s Zero Day!

A Relaxing Journey

The journey from my home in France to Washington, D.C., was relatively smooth. First, I took the TGV from Orange to Lyon on May 5th so I could sleep at the airport and be there the next morning.

Plane on the tarmac before boarding in Lyon
Boarding, Lyon

May 6th, early 7am, baggage check-in at 8am and takeoff at 10am after passing through all security checks without incident. Landing in Dublin at 11am local time, 1h30 of transit, just enough time to pass through US border control before boarding my transatlantic flight. 8 hours of flight, 3 movies (Top Gun Maverick, Deadpool 2 and finally Deadpool and Wolverine), a meal, a nap and a snack later, here I am finally at Dulles International Airport.

Dulles International Airport, Washington DC
Dulles International Airport, Washington DC

A final subway ride will allow me to arrive at the hotel around 5 p.m. local time, after a journey of about 15 hours… A shower later, I went out to walk around the hotel. I was able to see the Friendship Gate at the entrance to Chinatown and the FBI offices before the rain (it felt like Brittany) arrived and forced me to go back inside…

Federal Bureau of Investigations, Washington DC
Federal Bureau of Investigations, Washington DC

Zero Day: A “stroll” through Washington DC

Completely jet-lagged, I woke up at 5:00 a.m. A quick phone call home (convenient, it was 11:00 a.m. there), a shower, and off I went, wandering the streets of Washington DC at 6:30 a.m., heading for the White House!

The White House, Washington DC
The White House, Washington DC

After asking the Secret Service twice for directions (you guys are so nice, thank you!), I was able to tour the Residence (a very good series on Netflix, by the way) before heading to Constitution Avenue and its array of monuments.

I started with the Washington Monument. I then headed to the World War II Memorial while answering technical questions from a concerned customer, then walked along the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to reach the Lincoln Memorial.

Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC
Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC

A quick detour to the Vietnam War Memorial and I headed back the other way, across the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, which opened at 10 a.m. and for which I had reserved a spot.

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC
The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC

After a very interesting two-hour tour (honestly, if you absolutely want to read everything, plan on three or even four hours), I was off again. I visited the Smithsonian Castle before heading to the Capitol, recalling the good times I had watching House of Cards…

You might think the end of the day was approaching, but… No, not at all! Since I left the hotel at 6:30 a.m., it was barely 1 p.m.

So I decided to visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History! And I can tell you, it’s worth the detour. I spent another two hours there (same time as for the first museum, and it takes about three or four hours to read all the little signs) and I was absolutely not disappointed!

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC
The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC

Now I’m off to the convention center to pick up my pass for tomorrow…

Picking up the .NEXT pass

To avoid the queue tomorrow morning, I decided to pick up my 3-day .NEXT pass early. Since it’s right next to the hotel, I didn’t even have to go out of my way to get there.

.NEXT 2025 badge and lanyard

In 3 minutes flat I had recovered my precious sesame and found 2 of my NTC acolytes, Chad and Jason with whom I chatted for a few minutes before returning to the hotel to regain my strength before the evening with the Mikadolabs team!

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Road to Nutanix .NEXT 2025 in Washington DC

The world of hybrid computing and multicloud is about to experience a major moment with the Nutanix .NEXT 2025 event, which will take place from May 7 to 9 in Washington DC.

Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial by the water in Washington DC

This annual event is a must-attend platform for IT professionals, cloud experts, and technology enthusiasts.

With engaging sessions, innovative product demonstrations, and networking opportunities, Nutanix .NEXT 2025 promises to be an enriching experience. As a reminder, last year it was Barcelona’s turn to host the event!

Why attend .NEXT?

The Nutanix .NEXT event is much more than just a conference. It’s a unique opportunity to discover the latest advancements in hybrid cloud, artificial intelligence, and cloud-native applications. Attendees will have access to interactive sessions, hands-on labs, and free certifications. Topics include:

  • AI and ML in the Enterprise: Discover how artificial intelligence and machine learning can transform your organization.
  • Cloud-Native Applications: Learn how to manage VM-container convergence for modern applications.
  • Security and Networking in the Modern Cloud: Explore Micro-Segmentation and Ransomware Protection Solutions

Event Highlights

The event will feature keynote addresses (including Rajiv Ramaswami), new feature demonstrations, and networking opportunities. Speakers will include renowned figures such as José Andrés (chef, restaurateur, and author) and Evy Poumpouras (former special agent and interrogator for the Secret Service, national security analyst), who will share their experiences and visions for the future of IT.

Nutanix keynote presenting GPT-in-a-Box

Additionally, attendees will be able to take advantage of the event to meet event partners such as OVHcloud and HYCU directly at their respective booths.

My Nutanix .NEXT 2025 Schedule

As part of the Nutanix Technology Champion program, I’m fortunate to be invited to the event. Here’s an overview of my planned schedule for the event:

  • Day 0: May 6
    • As a “tourist” day, I’m arriving 24 hours early to enjoy a full day in Washington, DC.
    • No specific plans yet in mind for this day, but I’m likely to visit the major tourist sites.
    • I’m reserving my entrance fees to avoid the crowds on the first day.
  • Day 1: May 7
    • 8:00 AM: Networking Coffee, the perfect opportunity to expand your network
    • 8:30 AM: Booth exploration (get the goodies ready, I’m coming!)
    • 10:15 AM: Opening Keynote
    • 11:45 AM: Lunch and exhibition exploration
    • 3:00 PM: NCP Unified Storage 6.10 Certification (refresh)
    • 3:30 PM: Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure Super Session
    • 5:00 PM: Welcome Reception
    • I’ll likely do a short “Washington by Night” session before heading back to the hotel.
  • Day 2: May 8
    • 9:30 AM: AI and ML Keynote
    • 11:00 AM: NCM MCI 6.10 Certification (refresh)
    • 1:00 PM: Lunch
    • 2:15 PM: Cloud Security Session
    • 3:30 PM: Mastering the Nutanix Migration: Strategies, Tools, and Best Practices
    • 4:45 PM: Day 2 Closing General Session
    • 6:00 PM: .NEXT Celebration
  • Day 3: May 9
    • 8:00 AM: NCP Database Automation 6.10 Certification
    • 9:00 AM: Not much has been finalized yet, probably just a booth exploration
    • 11:45 AM: Event Close

If you see me in the aisles, feel free to drop by if you’re interested!

See you in Washington, DC!

Nutanix .NEXT 2025 is an exceptional opportunity to deepen your knowledge, expand your professional network, and discover the trends that will shape the future of IT.

Whether you’re a novice or an expert, this event has something for everyone. So, pack your bags and join me in Washington, DC for three exciting days!

Wanna join the event ? https://next2025.nutanix.com/

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