Amazon DCV
High-performance remote desktop protocol
A remote display protocol (formerly NICE DCV) that streams desktops/graphics-heavy applications from a server (with GPU) to the user's machine smoothly and securely.
- Cost$ Low
- Difficulty●●●●●
- Costs money when idle?No
- Self-managed
Think of it asLike a monitor on a very long cable to a powerful workstation sitting in the data center.
When to use it
✓ Use it when
You need to work remotely with 3D graphics, CAD or video editing applications running on GPU EC2.
✗ Avoid it when
You need an all-in-one virtual desktop with built-in user management → WorkSpaces; streaming applications to many users → AppStream 2.0.
Common uses
- CAD/3D workstations on GPU EC2
- Viewing HPC simulation results remotely
- Remote video post-production
What does it cost?
- Pricing model: On EC2 there is no DCV license fee (you only pay for EC2); on machines outside AWS you need to buy a license.
