The Cost Benefits of a Cloud Solution Dedicated to Simulation

The speed and productivity benefits of high-performance public cloud computing are well documented. For numerically large engineering simulations, a flexible cloud environment typically delivers faster run times, allowing engineers to solve complex problems quickly ― and launch products more rapidly. The world's leading product development teams are already leveraging high-performance computing (HPC) resources, yet many of them remain uncertain about the costs of replacing on-premises hardware and software with public cloud hosting.

To clear up the confusion and demonstrate that public cloud delivers a total cost of ownership that is lower than on-premises computing, Ansys has published “A Break in the Clouds: The Cost Benefits of Ansys Cloud.” The white paper illustrates how Ansys Cloud delivers all the speed and efficiency that customers expect from HPC in the cloud ― along with Ansys’ software ― at a cost lower than an on-premises approach.

Here’s a sneak peek of what the white paper covers, including the benefits of cloud computing and the often-overlooked costs associated with on-premises HPC.

Benefits of Cloud Computing

The on-demand, flexible nature of the public cloud means that computationally intensive activities can be managed nimbly. Computing needs are seamlessly and automatically matched to the required computing resources. Numerically large problems, such as engineering simulations, can be solved rapidly and seamlessly by capitalizing on multiple processing cores and parallel computing schemes. Asset uptime and human productivity are both maximized, as technology implementation and maintenance are outsourced for 24/7 responsiveness.

This means that engineers can quickly run even the most complex simulations and repeat them iteratively, applying multiple physics and considering hundreds or thousands of design parameters. Because it eliminates capacity limitations and other technology barriers, cloud computing supports a more thorough analysis of every aspect of product performance. There is no need to cut corners with rough meshes, low-fidelity models or limited physics. Simulation users don’t have to buy new hardware, wait for outages to be resolved or fight for their share of limited computing resources.

In addition, a cloud approach means that engineering teams can always access the most recent versions of hardware and software to support faster design innovation. As soon as new features or functionality are released, they are available automatically, which means that product developers have ongoing access to the latest and greatest tools to support their work.

The Hidden Costs of On-Premises HPC  

Companies hosting their own simulation software on-premises typically have a higher cost of ownership for their HPC resources. By choosing to support their own storage and processing needs, they are incurring significant expenses.

There are additional hidden costs of on-premises hosting, that are detailed in the white paper, including:

• Rapid aging of assets.
• On-premises software becomes outdated over time.
• Productivity losses based on less-than-optimal design.
• Lost sales due to delayed market launches.
• IT investments reflect peak computational needs, not the average.
• Many related costs are fixed, whether computing capacity is needed or not.

Faster, Cheaper Computing in Ansys Cloud

In addition to case studies, the white paper also provides total cost of ownership breakdowns. It compares, line by line, Ansys Cloud for software and hardware hosting costs vs. on-premises hosting to show direct and indirect cost savings.

To learn more, read our free white paper, “A Break in the Clouds: The Cost Benefits of Ansys Cloud.”