Going Remote: Running VFX Virtual Workstations

Sohonet FastLane
For Virtual Workstations
Chuck Parker
chuck@sohonet.com

Behold…the Sohonet Media Network
19 countries. 56 cities.
400+ companies. 1600+
connections.

SMN challenges are the same for direct
connect
Eliminate the Internet from your route.
Be able to add bandwidth on demand and turn
it off when you don’t need it anymore.
Reduce latency to the lowest possible level.
Have the ability to change onramps when you
need to, without requiring a new contract.

Public Cloud Access – DIY vs. Sohonet FastLane
VS

Sohonet FastLane is Direct Connect for M&E
8 ms
10 ms
11 ms
6 ms
3 ms
12 ms• 48-Hour set-up for SMN
customers
• 4 Hour Burst SLA (up to 10 Gbps)
• All onramps ≤ 12 ms latency
• Save 80% on egress costs

Bursting for Linear Scaling of Virtual
Workstations
• Adding bandwidth
as workstations are
brought online
avoids fixed costs
• Also important to
be able to reduce
bandwidth during
lulls

Render
Leverage the massive
compute resources of the
public cloud Store
Access cloud storage with a
burstable, non-Internet pipe
Virtuali
zeRapidly deploy VFX
workstations and save on
hardware, software, power and
cooling.
FastLane Use Cases
Wide range of tools for
transcoding,
watermarking, and
packaging
Access

Cloud Render
For when you need All the Cores
Where it all began for M&E Cloud.
Problems that had to be solved:
• Latency must be ultra-low
• Bandwidth needs are hard to predict
• Every cloud provider works differently
• Studio security requirements are complex
Use Case

Case Study: MPC and The Jungle
Book
● VFX for Disney’s the Jungle Book was behind schedule and conflicting with a second project -- that
year’s John Lewis Xmas advert
● MPC did not have enough physical render capacity to handle both
● Home-grown efforts to use cloud-based compute were not working
● Implement FastLane for public cloud access with sufficient bandwidth bursting for the project
● Block internet traffic and create a secure network, integrated with local pipeline
Problem
Solution
• 20,000 cores utilized for rendering (millions of core
hours over the length of the projects)
• Jungle Book’s Oscar™ winning VFX completed in mix
of local and cloud render
• VES Award Winning “Buster the Boxer” for John Lewis
was rendered completely in the cloud

Cloud Storage via FastLane
Direct Access to Cloud Storage
from your site
• Minimize egress fees (up to
80% savings)
• Stay within security guidelines
• Flexible bandwidth as needs
change
• Guaranteed delivery
Use Case

Case Study: The Anywhere Backup
London Studio
London Post
Facility
LA MoCap
Studio
Sohonet
Media
Network
FastLane
AWS eu-west1
AWS us-west1
• Multiple tentpole features shooting at Pinewood London plus Post
production in London and LA and additional MoCap work in LA
• Camera originals replicated to S3 from each point on SMN via FastLane
• No Internet transit
• Burstable connectivity
• Low latency

FastLane brings the cloud inside your
network
Use Case
Take advantage of ultra-low
latency, private network
security and the lowest
egress fees available to
transform your other
workflows
Transcode pipeline overflow without
massive fees for file transfer
Securely access packaging and
processing services for Pre-Release
Guaranteed delivery of content to cloud-
connected OTT services

15
Case Study: Adstream global AWS
diversity
● Geographic optimization of servers to be closer to broadcasters
● Linking OPEX to customer revenue through use of cloud services
● Reduces cost of entry into new markets
Problem
● Existing network subject to frequent outages and performance issues
● Elastic compute and global reach were needed to scale the business
● Move from own infrastructure and datacenters to AWS required advanced connectivity
requirements that couldn’t be DIYd
Solution
● Deploy resilient distribution network that supports Adstream’s delivery guarantees.
● Move Infrastructure & application servers into multiple AWS regions globally
● Deploy FastLane to enable upload to & distribution directly from Cloud-based platform

Cloud VFX Workstations? That actually
work?
Use Case
We’ve all seen the
experiments, the betas, the
smoke-and-mirror demos,
but this future is here today
Latency must be ≤ 12 ms or graphics
tablet doesn’t work well
Bandwidth needs must keep pace with
the project
Security audits are still a thing
The teams may move, so the onramp
might need to change, too
Search online for “aws sohonet teradici” or
head to:
https://vimeo.com/268499162

Try it now for free, before you need it
for real.
A test done now
will pay huge
dividends when
you need to run
Cloud
workstations on
a real project.
Determine the optimal
geographic onramp
Establish a per machine
bandwidth baseline
Resolve any internal
network routing and
firewall policy changes
Document architecture for
customer security survey
and audit
Trial Scope

Collaboration requires
good partners. Meet ours.

VFX Cloud Workstations
Ian Main
Technical Marketing Principal
Teradici

© 2018 Teradici Corporation.
2018
Teradici Innovation and Disruption
2004
Captured
Remote
Workstation
Market with IBM,
HP and Dell
2014
2009
Disrupted
VDI Market
with VMware
Created DaaS
Market with
Amazon
2016
Extended public
cloud support for
rich 3D visualization
20
Introduces Cloud
Access Manager,
AMI on AWS,
Wacom for Cloud
Access and more to
come!
Developed
revolutionary
PCoIP multi-codec
remote workstation
protocol
Launches four end-
to-end cloud-ready
solutions for all
PCoIP customers
2007
2017
All Access

© 2018 Teradici Corporation.© 2016 Teradici Corporation. 21
Teradici Cloud Access Software
Differentiation Benefits
High performance user
experience
1 PCoIP protocol provides the industry’s highest image quality with efficient build to
lossless and full color accuracy. Automatically delivers best possible user experience
under changing network conditions.
Ultra secure remoting and
endpoint architecture
2
Teradici architecture means that no data leaves the data center or public cloud, only
encrypted pixels are transmitted – all PCoIP traffic is secured with strong AES 256
encryption. Stateless zero clients provide the most secure, easy to manage endpoint.
Ease of deployment &
management via a simple
and reliable solution3 Lightweight, simple, easy to deploy solution with brokering, provisioning and
endpoint management included. It just works.
Widest platform flexibility
4
Optimized for on-premises and public clouds. Supports both Windows and Linux
applications, GPU and non-GPU enabled, and virtualized and bare metal host
architectures, including the ability to customize many components.

© 2018 Teradici Corporation. 22
PCoIP: Color Accurate Computer Graphics
H.264 PCoIP Original
http://connect.teradici.com/blog/the-importance-of-lossless-support

© 2018 Teradici Corporation.© 2016 Teradici Corporation.
Why VFX Workstations in the Cloud?
23
Co-locate data, compute and graphics
• Rapid scale artists, not just render jobs
• Distributed workforce, freelancers and hiring
talent across the world
• Anywhere, anytime access from any device
• Solve on-premises data sync/cache problem
Reduce studio overheads, physical
footprint - OPEX, not CAPEX
Flexibility and scalability – accelerate
business with faster time to value
Realize unprecedented security with
PCoIP – data never leaves the cloud
• MPAA/Studio requirements
• New Trusted Partner Network
Uncompromised user experience
with PCoIP – lossless, true color
accuracy, distortion-free graphics,
high frame rates

Workstation Evolution in Media and Entertainment
TRADITIONAL
WORKSTATION
PUBLIC CLOUD
PRIVATE
DATACENTER
PCoIP Remote
Workstation Card
PRIVATE
DATACENTER
Virtualized or
non-virtualized
Linux or
Windows
WACOM
tablets
from cloud
or LAN
Upgrade
Path to
HDR

The Hybrid Solution Architecture

Hybrid Architecture Brokered by Cloud Access Manager
CLOUD ACCESS
CONNECTOR
ON-PREMISES
REMOTE WORKSTATIONS
PCoIP
ZERO CLIENTS PCoIP
SOFTWARE CLIENTS
PUBLIC CLOUD
REMOTE WORKSTATIONS
PUBLIC
CLOUDON-PREMISES
MOBILE
CLIENTS
VPN
SG
PCoIP SECURITY
GATEWAY
PCoIP TRAFFIC
NOTES
SG
DMZ
PCoIP
SOFTWARE CLIENTS
PCoIP
ZERO CLIENTS

Cloud Access Manager – User Assignment

Content Security Protection Architecture
Pixel-Only Airgap for Content Security:
 Provision a virtual desktop outside the secure
content zone
 Use a second PCoIP connection to access the
virtual desktop
 Using such an approach, only pixels get relayed
across the secure boundary.
 Files uploaded to the virtual desktop are then
subjected to security checks before being made
available to the secure remote workstation

Session Planning – Network Bandwidth Considerations
Network Bandwidth Demand:
 A variety of contributors to network bandwidth
 Display topology & resolution (e.g. single vs. dual monitor; HD vs. UHD resolution)
 Content & protocol frame rates (e.g. 30 fps vs. 60 fps)
 Workload and artist role (content creation vs. content playback)
 Protocol quality settings
 We recommend starting with a Proof of Concept (PoC) using a representative set of users
Studio Example Configuration:
 69 x Dual HD displays
 Selection of VFX apps including Nuke, MAYA, etc.
 363 Mbps accumulated average bandwidth:
 5.3 Mbps per user on average

© 2018 Teradici Corporation.
Learn More
Teradici for Media and Entertainment:
teradici.com/media-entertainment
Teradici Cloud Access Free Trial:
connect.teradici.com/cas-trial
30
Key Contacts
Tracey Bon (tbon@teradici.com) Corp. Executive Sales
Kevin Ottomeyer (kottomeyer@teradici.com) Solutions Architect

© 2018, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates. All rights reserved. Amazon Confidential and Trademark© 2018, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates. All rights reserved. Amazon Confidential and Trademark
Running VFX Workstations
in the Cloud

© 2018, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates. All rights reserved. Amazon Confidential and Trademark
SOHONET

Amazon Web Services
VFX Workstation Preview

Many VFX customers asked for:
• Virtual workstations in AWS
• Linux - CentOS
• Dual HD monitors
• Color/Pixel accuracy
• Video/Audio sync
• FULL Wacom support: New Pro, Old Pro, Intuos 5, 8K vs. 2K pressure
WHAT?

• Burst artists, not just burst compute
• Fast, pop-up VFX studio
• Solve the on-prem data sync/cache problem
• Secure, only streaming pixels, MPAA/Marvel, no external drives
• Distributed workforce, freelancers, use most talented artists in the world
• Tax credits, beats Brexit in the UK
• Solve the local studio power problems in London, NYC...
• Reduce studio overhead, physical machines footprint & workplace environment
• Flexible high-spec EC2 instances for large simulations ~TB of data
• Global studio, global pipeline tools
WHY?

HOW?

• CPU
• RAM
• GPU
• Net/Disk I/O
• PCoIP Zero Client
• Users expect:
• 1. Image quality
• 2. Frame rate
• 3. Interactive low latency
REQUIREMENTS:

• For Wacom tablet work, less than 25 ms latency is required.
• If Latency > 20ms, use ‘local termination’ for zero-clients on Linux for PTH-660/860
(Windows support is on the roadmap)
• Always chose the geographically closest AWS Region – Speed Of Light is a limit!
LATENCY

• USA/CA Regions:
• Oregon,
• N.California,
• Montreal,
• N.Virginia,
• Ohio
• EMEA Regions:
• Dublin,
• Frankfurt,
• London,
• Paris
SOME REGIONS TO CONSIDER

• London, Tokyo, Montreal, Sydney to their respective closest region:
• Public Internet ~10 ms
• Direct Connect ~2 ms
• Los Angeles to N.California:
• Los Angeles to Oregon:
• Local termination of input devices required!
• Vancouver to Oregon:
DISCLAIMER: All latency figures depend on multiple factors and are not guaranteed
MEASURED LATENCY EXAMPLES

EC2 g3 Instance Type:
Model vCPUs RAM # GPUs vRAM CUDA Cores
g3.4xlarge 16 122 1 8 2048
g3.8xlarge 32 244 2 16 4096
g3.16xlarge 64 488 4 32 8192
• All based on NVidia Tesla M60
• GPU pass-through supported, GRID licensed, One concurrent user per vGPU
• g3.4xl is half of one M60 with 2048 CUDA cores and 8GB vRAM
• E5-2686v4 CPU 2.3Ghz base speed, all cores turbo to 2.7Ghz 18 physical cores (Turbo
3Ghz up to 2 cores)
• Multiple GPUs good for CUDA processing/rendering. Do NOT enhance viewport performance.
• Supports up to 4 x monitors with max 4096 x 2160 resolution.
EC2 WORKSTATION

EC2 g3 Instance Type:
Model vCPUs RAM # GPUs vRAM CUDA Cores
g3.4xlarge 16 122 1 8 2048
On-Demand pricing for 10 hours / day, 5 days / week:
On Linux: $247/month [PDX/IAD] ($1.14/ our); $332/month [SFO] ($1.534/hour)
On Windows: $405/month [PDX/IAD] ($1.87/ our); $492/month [SFO] ($2.27/hour)
Teradici Cloud Access Software: $0.50/hour or $240/year per EC2 instance
AWS Direct Connect: Egress charge $0.02 per GB
EC2 WORKSTATION

• AWS region via Direct Connect, g3.4xlarge
• CentOS 7.4.1708 (Core) (AWS community base AMI): VFX Platform compliant
• kernel 3.10.0-693.17.1.el7.x86_64
• gcc version 4.8.5 20150623 (Red Hat 4.8.5-16)
• ldd (GNU libc) 2.17
• NVIDIA GRID driver version 390.30 (367.106 GRID)
• Teradici CAS 2.12:
• Wacom PTH-451, PTH-660, PTH-860 in low-latency (< 25ms) with PCoIP Tera2 Zero Clients
• Increased default frame rate: 60FPS
• Improved performance on multiple-display systems when one display is idle
• Wacom X driver 0.39 (min. 0.35 added ‘Pressure2K’ env var)
VFX WORKSTATIONS

CUDA Cores
p3 g3
5,120 2,048
20,480 4,096
40,960 8,192
NVIDIA “VOLTA”

AWS MARKETPLACE
https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace

MAKING IT REAL
Virtual Workstation Proof of Concept (POC) Pilot
• AWS usage credits
• Teradici Cloud Access Software trial licenses
• Sohonet Media Network customer trail of FastLane
• Autodesk evaluation software
• Dedicated support team

THE AWS WORKSTATION BLOG BY MIKE OWEN
https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/building-a-gpu-workstation-for-visual-
effects-with-aws/

Q & A
AWS, Teradici, and Sohonet

Thank You!

Going Remote: Running VFX Virtual Workstations

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