Rendering

Abstract

This document describes methods, systems and computer program products related to cloud-based rendering. The subject matter of this document is embodied in a method that includes receiving, at a server, information associated with a job of rendering one or more frames at the server, and using, at the server, an application to perform at least a portion of the rendering. The use of the application to perform the rendering bears a charge according to a usage license associated with the application. The method also includes measuring, at the server, an amount of use of the application in performing the rendering for use in determining the charge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method executed by data processing hardware that causes the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a job request comprising a file to render frames via an image-editing application;   selecting a first virtual machine that includes a first resource to execute the received job request;   determining that the first resource of the first virtual machine does not satisfy a requisite resource requirement for the received job request;   in response to determining that the first virtual machine does not satisfy the requisite resource requirement for the received job request, selecting a second virtual machine that includes a second resource to execute the received job request;   determining that the second resource of the second virtual machine satisfies the requisite resource requirement for the received job request;   determining that the second virtual machine satisfies a licensing agreement; and   in response to determining that the second virtual machine satisfies the licensing agreement and that the second resource of the second virtual machine satisfies the requisite resource requirement for the received job request, executing the job request using the second virtual machine.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein executing the job request comprises reserving the second virtual machine for a uniform unit of continuous time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the uniform unit of continuous time is shorter than ten minutes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise charging a customer for the uniform unit of continuous time at a full standard price per the uniform unit of continuous time when an actual amount of time used for executing the job request is less than the uniform unit of continuous time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise paying for an actual amount of time used for executing the job request executes without regard to the uniform unit of continuous time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the second virtual machine satisfies the licensing agreement comprises buying a license corresponding to the second virtual machine. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the second virtual machine satisfies the licensing agreement comprises:
 determining that a license corresponding to the second virtual machine is available; and   in response to determining that the license corresponding to the second virtual machine is available, checking out the license.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the execution of the job request failed;   determining a point of failure for the execution of the job request; and   compensating a licensing entity corresponding to the second virtual machine based on the point of failure.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise maintaining a queue of tasks that are waiting on a licensed resource. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise managing assignments of a plurality of licenses to a plurality of virtual machines. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 data processing hardware; and   memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:   receiving a job request comprising a file to render frames via an image-editing application;   selecting a first virtual machine that includes a first resource to execute the received job request;   determining that the first resource of the first virtual machine does not satisfy a requisite resource requirement for the received job request;   in response to determining that the first virtual machine does not satisfy the requisite resource requirement for the received job request, selecting a second virtual machine that includes a second resource to execute the received job request;   determining that the second resource of the second virtual machine satisfies the requisite resource requirement for the received job request;   determining that the second virtual machine satisfies a licensing agreement; and   in response to determining that the second virtual machine satisfies the licensing agreement and that the second resource of the second virtual machine satisfies the requisite resource requirement for the received job request, executing the job request using the second virtual machine.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein executing the job request comprises reserving the second virtual machine for a uniform unit of continuous time. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the uniform unit of continuous time is shorter than ten minutes. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise charging a customer for the uniform unit of continuous time at a full standard price per the uniform unit of continuous time when an actual amount of time used for executing the job request is less than the uniform unit of continuous time. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise paying for an actual amount of time used for executing the job request executes without regard to the uniform unit of continuous time. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein determining that the second virtual machine satisfies the licensing agreement comprises buying a license corresponding to the second virtual machine. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein determining that the second virtual machine satisfies the licensing agreement comprises:
 determining that a license corresponding to the second virtual machine is available; and   in response to determining that the license corresponding to the second virtual machine is available, checking out the license.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the execution of the job request failed;   determining a point of failure for the execution of the job request; and   compensating a licensing entity corresponding to the second virtual machine based on the point of failure.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise maintaining a queue of tasks that are waiting on a licensed resource. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise managing assignments of a plurality of licenses to a plurality of virtual machines.