HydraVenues

Getting Started Overview

Deployment Model

A HYDRA deployment, whether a single-day event or a permanent multi-year installation, involves two independent decisions: where the compute lives and how the network is provided. These choices are independent of each other and can be combined freely. In all cases, the venue minimum requirement is a wired ethernet connection and power at the installation location.

Decision 1: Compute (HYDRA Body)

The HYDRA Body is the high-end GPU compute that renders and processes all immersive content. It can be located on-site or hosted remotely.

Option A: On-Site Compute

HYDRA Body units are physically installed at the venue. All rendering and processing happens locally on the same network as the headsets.

Attribute Detail
Hardware Location At the venue (floor, table, or racked)
Rack Space 19U rack, 24-inch depth minimum; or standalone on floor/table
Power 1 kW per unit (dedicated circuit recommended)
Network Bandwidth Gigabit Ethernet minimum; 10 GbE recommended for high-density
Internet Dependency Not required for VR streaming (management only)

Option B: Remote Compute (HYDRA District)

HYDRA Body units are hosted at a remote HYDRA District, a regionally placed compute cluster that guarantees the required latency to the venue. VR frames are rendered remotely and streamed to the venue over the internet.

Attribute Detail
Hardware Location Remote (HYDRA District)
Rack Space None required at venue
Power No compute power required at venue
Minimum Bandwidth 100 Mbps downstream per VR headset (200 Mbps preferred)
Bandwidth Example 4 headsets = 400 Mbps minimum, 800 Mbps preferred
Latency Sub-22 ms round-trip for VR (guaranteed by HYDRA District); higher latency acceptable for flat-screen experiences
Connection Type Dedicated wired ethernet, not shared WiFi or consumer broadband

Decision 2: Network (HYDRA Neck)

The HYDRA Neck is the networking layer that connects headsets, workstations, and compute. It can run on the venue's existing enterprise infrastructure or on a dedicated router we supply.

Option A: HYDRA-Supplied Network

We deploy a dedicated, API-managed router as the primary gateway for all HYDRA traffic. The venue simply provides a wired ethernet uplink and power. We handle everything else.

Attribute Detail
Venue Provides Wired ethernet connection (uplink) + power outlet
Router Managed router with REST API / SSH (from HYDRA product line)
Management Fully managed by HYDRA team remotely
VLAN Support Dedicated VLANs for VR traffic, wired clients, and guest WiFi
Venue IT Effort Minimal: provide the ethernet handoff and power

Option B: Venue Enterprise Network

If you have an existing enterprise-grade network (Cisco, Aruba, Meraki, UniFi, etc.), we can integrate into your infrastructure.

Attribute Detail
Venue Provides Dedicated VLAN + API credentials for HYDRA traffic segment
VLAN Dedicated VLAN for HYDRA devices (VR headsets + compute)
API Access REST API key or equivalent credentials for our VLAN
Bandwidth Minimum 1 Gbps dedicated; 10 Gbps recommended
Latency Sub-20 ms to local compute (same LAN)
QoS Traffic prioritization for VR streams (DSCP marking support)

Deployment Matrix

Combination Description Venue Provides
B + A Remote compute + HYDRA-supplied network (recommended) Wired ethernet + power (lightest footprint)
B + B Remote compute + Venue infrastructure VLAN + API credentials + internet bandwidth
A + A On-site compute + HYDRA-supplied network Wired ethernet + power + rack/floor space for compute
A + B On-site compute + Venue infrastructure VLAN + API credentials + rack/floor space for compute

B + A has the smallest venue footprint: only a wired ethernet connection and power outlet are required. All compute is remote and all networking is managed by HYDRA.