While indulging in a late night Tinder swipe a few days ago, I was surprised to see cloud-hosted CFD (computational fluid dynamics) software EXN/Aero pop up as a potential match, right after the guy posing next to a sedated tiger (if you're on Tinder, you know about this). The advert for EXN/Aero claimed that it could reduce my simulation times, simulation costs and increase my productivity. So I did it. I swiped right. We matched. As I did so, I got to thinking about the many reasons cloud-hosted, on-demand CFD simulation software has so much more to offer than an actual date, and thought I'd share my thoughts with you in this article.

Nine reasons why

1) It's on-demand This time of year is the perfect time for a new relationship, with long, cozy nights by the fire and ice skating in the park. However, by spring, I'm ready to fly solo for a summer in the south and enjoy sun-drenched single life once more. What I really need, is an on-demand relationship – a ‘plus one’ to come to family weddings and someone who'll give you a lift home from work when it's raining and you've forgotten your umbrella. This 'on-demand' quality is one of the huge advantages of this latest CFD trend. You use what you want, when you want it. For engineering consultants in particular, this can be a hugely valuable asset when pitching to new clients. Include the software in your pitch and only sign up when the client employs you. Similarly, it can help with overall cash flow, allowing you to increase or decrease simulation assets as and when a project requires. 2) It doesn't invade your space (lives in the cloud) Having some time alone is a pretty essential part of any relationship, and letting someone into your home can be a tricky transitional phase. Having someone move their expansive shoe collection, repulsive vintage furniture or two-mile long model train set into your home can leave you feeling a little out of place. With cloud-hosted CFD software, your space is never invaded. Why? Well, that's the advantage of working in the cloud. No expensive capital expenses required. Cloud resources have changed the way we work as engineers, reducing the traditional space and cost requirements associated with bulky, expensive hardware. Companies can now pay a monthly fee to access the high performance software they need when they need it, as opposed to investing huge amounts of money on hardware that could quickly depreciate or become out of date. 3) It's cheaper Relationships require a huge amount of investment. Aside from currency, the emotional investment is huge. The time investment is another consideration, especially when you find yourself wasting hours of your life you'll never get back watching bad rom-coms. The cloud-hosted CFD trend is a really affordable way of accessing high performance CFD thanks to the 'pay-as-you-go’ and monthly options. You'll never pay the expensive annual licenses or support contracts (many of which lay dormant between jobs) that were once essential in CFD. Instead, CFD can be accounted for within operating expenditure budgets, rather than capital expenditure. Overall projects can become more profitable, and simulation budgets can be better utilised. Cloud-based resources typical start at around $200 per month. 4) No long-term commitment (no subscriptions or expensive licensing costs) Commitment can be a beautiful thing; don't get me wrong. However, when it comes to dating, no one wants to be jumping straight into commitment until they're sure they've found a great match. Previously, the CFD world was like an overly keen date, requiring an 'all or nothing' approach from engineers. Essentially, you had to commit to 'marriage and kids' after meeting for the first time with expensive, upfront long-term license costs of $30,000-$70,000 along with high-end workstations. While open source options do help, the lack of technical support or even high-performance solutions can add further restriction. Month-to-month, on-demand CFD solutions generally come without long-term contracts and can be used as and when needed, and terminated as such. 5) You won't be left waiting Whether you're sitting around waiting for your date to turn up, waiting for them to get ready or waiting for the date to be over, time is a huge issue when dating. No one wants to sit around waiting and this is a hugely hot topic in the world of CFD. Engineers require faster design iterations and reduced project times and on-demand, cloud-hosted CFD software resources are achieving exactly this. With the right software, you'll leverage powerful GPU and CPU resources to reduce your simulation times up to 20x without simplifying models or sacrificing accuracy. 6) It's simple to use and has a user manual Ever wondered just how you're going to get through to your partner? Feel like you're banging your head against a wall? Wouldn't it be easier if you knew exactly what they wanted, how they thought and what they were thinking? Most cloud-hosted CFD software now comes with a user manual. Written by the team behind the software, you'll find handy details as to how the software works, and access the insights that help to create the most desirable and favourable results. There's also usually a theory manual packed full of technical equations and explanations – a recipe for CFD harmony. 7) It combines youth and experience Youth and experience rarely go together in the dating world. Date older and people think you're out with your parent; date younger and people think you're the parent. Modern CFD solutions generally combine both youth and experience. You'll always have the latest version thanks to handy updates, and the software utilises the very latest technology. What's more, the software is built by hugely experienced engineers with years of experience, and the theory and equations used to write this software are built on years of experimentation and validation. 8) Relationship guidance is always available (technical support) In a world where everyone seems to have a therapist these days, it's clear that we all need a little support from time to time. This is definitely the case in relationships. We pretty much spend our whole relationship wondering what the other person is thinking – whether the fact that they left their coat in your hallway is a sign they're ready to commit, or the fact they smiled at a stranger means they're bored and ready to ditch you. With this type of CFD software, there's usually a team of experienced engineers fully clued up on all the great features, know-how and industry experience, to help you sail through those turbulent times (no software pun intended), and live happily ever after. I n some cases, vendors even host webinars and training exercises to ensure you are getting the most out of the software. Technical support is a key advantage of this kind of software, and the cost is included in the package you select. It's win-win. 9) You can 'try before you buy' If you could have had an ex on trial for seven days, to really get to the bottom of all those flaws, how much heartache and inconvenience could you have saved yourself? With software such as EXN/Aero, you can have a seven-day trial where you can really get to know each other, use the software for up to 35 compute hours and decide whether you really are the perfect match before taking things further. What's more, you can both walk away with no hard feelings, or jet off into a simulation sunset!

Conclusion

So there you go – all the reasons why cloud-hosted CFD simulation software really has more to offer than a date. Fair enough, it won't fill your hot-water bottle when you’re sick or kiss you goodbye in the morning. However, with the time and money savings you'll make by using cloud-hosted CFD, you'll spend less time waiting on simulations and get more compute power for your money. I think it's safe to say: it's love. Author: Rachael Hopwood Jarvis is Envenio’s PR and marketing manager