Case Study

The Problem

Fermyon faced the challenge of needing robust and reliable GPU resources for their serverless AI inferencing offerings. A critical aspect of this challenge was finding a solution capable of providing high-quality GPUs, particularly the in-demand NVIDIA A100, amidst market scarcity.

Equally important was securing these resources at a cost-effective rate, ensuring the solution was financially viable for their growing needs. Additionally, they required a platform that offered not just technical capabilities, but also top-tier support to assist in optimizing their use of these advanced technologies.

Fermyon's commitment to technological sustainability necessitated a provider whose values and practices aligned with this ethos, further narrowing their search for a suitable partner.

Objectives

Fermyon was in search of a cloud provider that could meet the following key objectives:

How Civo helped

Civo's assistance to Fermyon was critical in several ways, each contributing to the overall success of the collaboration. A key factor was the provision of NVIDIA's A100 GPUs by Civo at competitive prices. This was not just a technical requirement for Fermyon, but also a financial advantage. Fermyon CEO Matt Butcher underscored this, stating, "the first thing that drew us to Civo, of course, is that you had the right kind of GPUs that we needed." The availability of these high-quality GPUs was especially crucial given the market's scarcity.

In addition to meeting hardware needs, Civo's Deep Green initiative deeply resonated with Fermyon's sustainability goals. The innovative approach of repurposing waste heat from GPUs for heating swimming pools was a testament to this alignment. Matt expressed his excitement about this synergy, remarking, "It was so cool... we're taking the waste out of one thing and using it in a way that's aligned with our sustainability objectives."

The partnership between Civo and Fermyon went beyond the mere provision of hardware. It encompassed a high level of ongoing support and collaboration, which was greatly valued by Fermyon. Matt and the Fermyon team appreciated the continuous dialogue with Civo's engineering team, stating, "We've had many conversations over time with engineers at Civo to make sure that we were using the GPU in the most effective way." This close communication was crucial in ensuring that Fermyon could optimize the use of GPUs for their specific needs. Matt further emphasized the significance of this support by referring to it as “top tier support," which illustrates the value Fermyon placed on the technical and customer support provided by Civo.

The operational benefits of Civo's platform, particularly the use of Civo's Terraform providers, were crucial in streamlining Fermyon's infrastructure deployment, saving considerable time and resources. Matt highlighted Civo's straightforward usability with the overwhelming options presented by other cloud providers like AWS or Azure, highlighting the efficiency and user-friendliness of Civo's services.

This ease of use and efficient tooling facilitated Fermyon's smooth transition first to traditional GPUs and then to the more sustainable, carbon-neutral Deep Green GPUs. This seamless shift not only met their immediate needs but also supported their growth and scalability in the competitive tech landscape.

Results

The partnership between Fermyon and Civo has been highly fruitful, marked by significant enhancements in Fermyon's serverless AI offerings. The access to Civo's A100 GPUs was a game-changer, enabling Fermyon to achieve greater efficiency and power in AI inferencing.

In addition to the significant performance advancements, the adoption of Civo's Deep Green GPUs marked a major step forward in Fermyon's sustainability journey. This move dovetailed with their commitment to eco-friendly practices, enhancing their computing efficiency while contributing to an eco-conscious technology ecosystem.

Matt Butcher summed up the experience with Civo, reflecting on the ease and effectiveness of the partnership: "It's just worked for us, right? We've just been able to use things as they are... This is familiar. I'm comfortable with this." His words reinforce how Civo's solutions not only met Fermyon's immediate technical needs but also played a pivotal role in their growth trajectory and commitment to sustainable computing.

Products and tools used

Fermyon utilized several Civo services to achieve their objectives:

Civo's Cloud GPUs

• Enabled efficient AI inferencing for Fermyon's serverless offerings.

Deep Green GPUs

• Provided a sustainable solution, aligning with Fermyon's eco-friendly approach.