Production mode provisions a standard virtual machine (VM) on Thunder Compute with all low-level execution optimizations disabled. While this results in a higher hourly cost than the Prototyping tier, it guarantees maximum compatibility, predictable performance, and uninterrupted runtime.

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When to choose Production mode

  • Long-running training jobs
  • High-availability inference services
  • Multi-GPU workloads
  • Workloads that rely on graphics, custom kernels, or other components that are incompatible with the Prototyping tier

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Mode-Specific Configuration

Production mode uses the same infrastructure specifications as Prototyping mode, but with all low-level optimizations disabled for maximum compatibility.
For detailed hardware specifications, networking, and pre-installed software, see the Technical Specifications documentation.

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Production Mode Benefits

  • Full compatibility: All CUDA operations and libraries work as expected
  • Predictable performance: No performance variability from optimizations
  • Hardware metrics: Accurate temperature, wattage, and utilization reporting
  • Graphics support: Full support for OpenGL, Vulkan, and FFMPEG

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Switching between tiers

  1. Stop the instance.
  2. Select the desired tier in the CLI (thunder instance modify --mode production), the web console, or the VS Code extension.
  3. Start the instance.
The operation takes a few seconds and does not affect data stored on attached volumes. You can switch back at any time.