Building a Secure Kubernetes Platform on Nutanix HCI

Location
Mumbai

Domain
Financial Services – Stock Broking & Capital Markets

Solutions Offered
Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP)

Overview

A leading financial services enterprise sought to modernize its IT infrastructure by deploying an enterprise-grade Kubernetes platform on its existing Nutanix Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI). The objective was clear: create a secure, offline (air-gapped) Kubernetes environment capable of supporting DevOps workloads while meeting the organization’s stringent compliance standards.

With a large customer base, nationwide presence, and technology-driven financial services portfolio, the organization needed a deployment that was both scalable and regulatory-compliant, providing a strong foundation for its future cloud-native initiatives.

Challenge

Operating in a regulated financial domain, the organization required its Kubernetes platform to function without internet connectivity, ensuring total isolation from external networks.

Key requirements included:

Air-Gapped Setup: All container images, charts, and services needed to be hosted locally.
Integration with Existing Infrastructure: The solution had to leverage the existing Nutanix AHV, storage, and network architecture.
Production-Grade Readiness: The environment had to be robust enough to support DevOps and application modernization in subsequent phases.

Our Approach

Network Techlab implemented a step-by-step deployment strategy that ensured smooth execution with zero downtime.

Preparation & Readiness:
- Network and firewall prerequisites were configured.
- Existing Nutanix infrastructure and NKP Ultimate licensing were validated.
Private Registry Deployment:
- A local container registry was configured and populated with the complete NKP air-gapped image bundle, enabling a fully offline deployment.
NKP Management Cluster Installation:
- Using the NKP CLI, the management cluster was installed in air-gapped mode on the Nutanix AHV environment.
- This created the central control plane for managing future workload clusters.
Validation & Enablement:
- Post-installation, all services were verified via the NKP dashboard and CLI.
- Enterprise features were activated through the NKP Ultimate license.

Results

The deployment was completed on schedule and without any errors, achieving the following outcomes:

Fully Secure & Compliant: The Kubernetes platform operates entirely offline, ensuring complete data security.
Robust & Scalable Foundation: The management cluster is production-ready and capable of supporting DevOps workflows.
Simplified Operations: Centralized management and lifecycle automation streamline future cluster provisioning.
Future-Ready Infrastructure: Equipped with enterprise-grade NKP features such as observability, autoscaling, and governance.

Conclusion

Through strategic planning and precise execution, Network Techlab successfully delivered a secure, compliant, and production-ready Kubernetes foundation on Nutanix HCI. The organization now has a scalable platform ready for DevOps adoption enabling it to accelerate digital transformation, improve agility, and drive innovation securely within a regulated environment.