* Problem Analysis:
* The customer needs to replace an existing 200TB filer with a Nutanix solution.
* The filer is used for storing archived images, requiring maximum storage density.
* The proposal includes using RF2 and Erasure Coding with a stripe size of 4/1 (data/parity).
* Erasure Coding Requirements:
* Erasure Coding (EC-X) in Nutanix improves storage efficiency by distributing data and parity across multiple nodes.
* A 4/1 stripe size means 4 data blocks and 1 parity block.
* To implement a 4/1 Erasure Coding stripe, a minimum of 5 nodes is required to ensure the distribution of data and parity blocks.
* Explanation:
* RF2 (Replication Factor 2): Requires at least two copies of the data to be stored on different nodes.
* Erasure Coding with a 4/1 Stripe: Requires 5 nodes to ensure there are enough blocks to store the 4 data and 1 parity blocks.
* Outcome:
* The minimum number of nodes required to support the maximum Erasure Coding stripe size of
4/1 is 5 nodes.
References: For more detailed information, refer to the Nutanix documentation on Erasure Coding and storage policies.