Nutanix provides its own software plugins for container support (both Docker and Kubernetes).

Nutanix also developed its own container platform software called "Karbon". Karbon provides on-premises Kubernetes-as-a-Service (KaaS) in order to enable end-users to quickly adopt container services.

Nutanix Karbon is not a hard requirement for running Docker containers and Kubernetes on top of ECP, however it does make it easier to use and consume.

Nutanix Karbon can only be used in combination with Nutanix native hypervisor AHV. VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V are not supported at this time. As Nutanix Karbon leverages Nutanix Volumes, it is not available for the Starter edition.