Comparative Analysis of Deadline Render Services: Deadline 10 vs. Deadline Cloud with CMF Fleet vs. Deadline Cloud with SMF Fleet

Written by Thierry Delran, DevOps Engineer

Companies face a multitude of choices when it comes to managing their rendering workloads efficiently. Among these options are the Deadline render management solutions, each offering distinct features and deployment models to cater to diverse business needs.

Understanding the differences between these offerings – Deadline 10, Deadline Cloud with CMF (customer managed fleet), and Deadline Cloud with SMF (service managed fleet) – is crucial for companies seeking to optimize their rendering workflows. These solutions vary in management type, compute resources, cost structures, and scalability, among other factors, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of their capabilities.

By delving into these nuances, companies can make informed decisions to align rendering infrastructure with their specific requirements, ultimately enhancing productivity and cost-effectiveness.

Feature/Aspect	Deadline 10	Deadline Cloud with CMF	Deadline Cloud with SMF
Management Type	On-premise or hybrid	Cloud-based, customer managed	Cloud-based, AWS managed
Compute Resources	Local, cloud instances, or Spot instances using Spot Event Plugin	Customer-provisioned instances, including on-demand and Spot instances	AWS-provisioned Spot instances
Cost	Fixed costs for local infrastructure or pay-as-you-go for cloud/Spot instances	Pay-as-you-go for cloud instances, including on-demand and Spot instances	Pay-as-you-go, with added costs for AWS-managed provisioning
Scalability	Limited by local infrastructure or customer provisioning	Scales with customer-provisioned instances	Highly scalable with Spot instances
Setup Complexity	Requires setup and maintenance of local infrastructure or configuration for cloud/Spot usage	Requires setup and management of cloud instances	Simplified setup, AWS handles instance management
Resource Management	Managed by user/admin	Managed by user/admin	Managed by AWS, with automatic scaling based on workload
Availability	High, depending on local infrastructure reliability or cloud resources	High, depending on customer management of cloud resources	Varies, as Spot instances can be interrupted
Flexibility	High, with control over infrastructure and cloud/Spot resources	High, with control over cloud resources	Medium, dependent on availability of Spot instances
User Control	Full control over infrastructure and software, significant control over Spot instances with some reliance on AWS for provisioning	Full control over instance types and configuration	Less control, with reliance on AWS for instance provisioning
Typical Use Cases	Companies with existing infrastructure, hybrid setups, or those leveraging cloud/Spot instances for cost efficiency	Companies needing control over cloud resources, specific instance types	Cost-sensitive projects, flexible workflows that can handle instance interruptions
Deadline Core Infrastructure	On-premise or in the cloud	In the cloud, managed by customer	In the cloud, managed by AWS
Worker Location	On-premise, in the cloud, or both	In the cloud, managed by customer	In the cloud, using AWS Spot instances
UI Used	Deadline Monitor (Desktop)	Deadline Cloud Monitor (Desktop), Deadline Cloud Console (AWS Management Console)	Deadline Cloud Monitor (Desktop), Deadline Cloud Console (AWS Management Console)
Render Worker Software Licensing	Local licenses, Usage-Based Licensing (UBL)	License endpoint, Usage-Based Licensing (UBL)	Usage-Based Licensing (UBL)
Render File Storage Possibilities	Local storage, network-attached storage (NAS), cloud storage (e.g., Amazon S3, Amazon FSx, Amazon EFS)	Cloud storage managed by customer (e.g., Amazon S3, Amazon EFS, Amazon FSx)	Cloud storage managed by AWS (e.g., Amazon S3, Amazon EFS, Amazon FSx)

Management Type

Deadline 10 offers the flexibility of on-premise or hybrid management, allowing users to tailor their infrastructure setup to specific needs. In contrast, Deadline Cloud with a customer managed fleet (CMF) shifts the management paradigm to a cloud-based model, placing control in the hands of the customer for infrastructure management. Deadline Cloud with a service managed fleet (SMF) takes this a step further by entrusting AWS with the management of cloud resources, offering users a fully managed service experience.

Compute Resources

Deadline 10 provides a range of options including local and cloud instances, as well as Spot instances utilizing the Spot Event Plugin for cost optimization. Deadline Cloud with CMF empowers customers to provision their own instances, including on-demand and Spot instances, granting greater control over resource allocation. Deadline Cloud with SMF relies on AWS-provisioned Spot instances, streamlining resource management for users by leveraging AWS’s infrastructure.

Cost

While Deadline 10 may involve fixed costs for local infrastructure or pay-as-you-go models for cloud/Spot instances, Deadline Cloud with CMF offers a pure pay-as-you-go model for cloud instances, including both on-demand and Spot instances. However, users should be aware of added costs associated with AWS-managed provisioning in Deadline Cloud with SMF. These models provide varied cost structures to cater to different budgetary requirements and usage patterns.

TrackIt’s recommendation: It may be more cost efficient to implement a CMF to reduce additional costs associated with an SMF pricing plan, while still benefiting from Deadline core infrastructure and features such as Usage-Based-Licensing (UBL) managed by AWS.

Scalability

Deadline 10’s scalability can be constrained by local infrastructure but can also benefit from a customer’s provisioning capabilities. Deadline Cloud with CMF scales with customer-provisioned instances, allowing for increased compute capacity as needed. The architecture of Deadline Cloud with SMF is heavily reliant on AWS-provisioned Spot instances and offers high scalability, adapting seamlessly to fluctuating workloads without user intervention.

Setup Complexity

Setting up Deadline 10 requires either configuring local infrastructure or navigating the complexities of cloud/Spot usage, demanding significant expertise and effort from users. In contrast, Deadline Cloud with CMF simplifies setup by focusing on the management of cloud instances, reducing the burden of infrastructure management. Similarly, Deadline Cloud with SMF further streamlines the setup process by delegating instance management to AWS, enabling users to focus on their rendering tasks.

Resource Management

Deadline 10 places the onus of resource management on the user or administrator, requiring active oversight and allocation of computing resources. Similarly, Deadline Cloud with CMF adopts a user-managed approach, granting control over instance provisioning and workload management. Deadline Cloud with SMF, however, shifts the responsibility toward AWS, leveraging automatic scaling mechanisms based on workload demand to optimize resource utilization.

Availability

Availability in Deadline 10 is contingent upon the reliability of local infrastructure or the stability of cloud resources managed by the user. In Deadline Cloud with CMF, availability remains high but is subject to the effectiveness of customer management of cloud resources. The availability of Deadline Cloud with SMF fluctuates due to the nature of Spot instances, which may be interrupted based on AWS’s capacity needs and market conditions.

Flexibility

Deadline 10 offers high flexibility, granting users control over both infrastructure and cloud/Spot resources for optimal customization. Deadline Cloud with CMF prioritizes flexibility in cloud resource management, allowing users to tailor instance types and configurations to their requirements. The flexibility of Deadline Cloud with SMF is also constrained by the availability of Spot instances, which may limit resource options in certain scenarios.

User Control

Users of Deadline 10 enjoy full control over infrastructure and software, with significant autonomy in managing Spot instances, albeit with some reliance on AWS for provisioning. Similarly, users of Deadline Cloud with CMF have full control over instance types and configurations, offering a high degree of customization. Users of Deadline Cloud with SMF have less direct control, relying more on AWS for instance provisioning, albeit with the benefit of simplified management.

Typical Use Cases

Deadline 10 is well-suited for companies with existing infrastructure, hybrid setups, or those seeking cost efficiency through cloud/Spot instances. Deadline Cloud with CMF caters to companies needing granular control over cloud resources and specific instance types. Meanwhile, Deadline Cloud with SMF is ideal for cost-sensitive projects and flexible workflows that can accommodate instance interruptions, leveraging AWS’s managed infrastructure.

Deadline Core Infrastructure

Deadline 10 offers the flexibility of on-premise or cloud deployment for its core infrastructure, allowing users to choose the setup that best aligns with their needs. Both Deadline Cloud with CMF and Deadline Cloud with SMF are cloud-native solutions, with the former managed directly by customers and the latter handled entirely by AWS.

Worker Location

Deadline 10 supports rendering across on-premise, cloud, or hybrid environments, offering versatility in worker deployment. In contrast, both Deadline Cloud with CMF and Deadline Cloud with SMF focus on cloud-based rendering, with the former allowing customer management of workers and the latter utilizing AWS Spot instances for scalability and cost-effectiveness.

UI Used

While Deadline 10 utilizes the Deadline Monitor for desktop-based management, Deadline Cloud with CMF introduces the Deadline Cloud Monitor and Deadline Cloud Console for cloud-based administration, providing a seamless transition for users. Similarly, Deadline Cloud with SMF adopts the same cloud-centric management tools, ensuring consistency in user experience across different deployment models.

Render Worker Software Licensing

Deadline 10 offers flexibility in software licensing, supporting both local licenses and Usage-Based Licensing (UBL) for efficient resource utilization. Additionally, both Deadline Cloud with CMF and Deadline Cloud with SMF utilize Usage-Based Licensing (UBL), ensuring consistency in licensing models across different deployment options.

Render File Storage Possibilities

Deadline 10 supports a variety of storage options, including local storage, network-attached storage (NAS), and cloud storage, offering flexibility in data management. Similarly, both Deadline Cloud with CMF and Deadline Cloud with SMF leverage cloud storage solutions such as Amazon S3, Amazon EFS, and Amazon FSx, providing users with scalable and reliable storage capabilities managed according to their preferences.

Conclusion – Making the Right Choice

The ideal choice among Deadline services depends on the unique needs and priorities of each company. Deadline 10 shines for organizations with existing infrastructure, hybrid setups, or those seeking flexibility in resource management. Deadline Cloud with CMF is well-suited for companies requiring granular control over cloud resources and specific instance types, while Deadline Cloud with SMF is ideal for cost-sensitive projects and workflows that can accommodate instance interruptions. By carefully considering these factors, companies can select the Deadline service that best aligns with their rendering requirements, ensuring optimal performance and efficiency in their rendering pipelines.

About TrackIt

TrackIt is an international AWS cloud consulting, systems integration, and software development firm headquartered in Marina del Rey, CA.

We have built our reputation on helping media companies architect and implement cost-effective, reliable, and scalable Media & Entertainment workflows in the cloud. These include streaming and on-demand video solutions, media asset management, and archiving, incorporating the latest AI technology to build bespoke media solutions tailored to customer requirements.

Cloud-native software development is at the foundation of what we do. We specialize in Application Modernization, Containerization, Infrastructure as Code and event-driven serverless architectures by leveraging the latest AWS services. Along with our Managed Services offerings which provide 24/7 cloud infrastructure maintenance and support, we are able to provide complete solutions for the media industry.

About Thierry Delran