TAoA:M section for NetRender?

[MMZ_TimeLord]

Okay, so in the past I've written up a how-to on setting up a NetRender Farm.

 

I've revised it a bit with a VERY detailed example with modern hardware.

 

I have the following sections in my current document.

 

Setting up a Animation:Master NetRender Farm
By Jody Krivohlavek
09/08/2011
Basics: Understanding a NetRender Farm
How it all works: What does what.
Networking: Understanding basic Ethernet Terminology
Networking References:
Example Render Farm:
Hardware Needed:
	Example Estimated Hardware Costs:
	Example NetRender Farm Total Cost:
Ethernet Network Setup:
	Router:
	Netrender Nodes and Netrender Server (if separate):
	File Server (Linux):
Network Topology:
PC Setup and configuration:
	Windows Units:
	Linux File Server:
Putting all together:
Running a true test:
Epilog:

How detailed do people want it? Should I go down to the 'click this and click that' level?

 

AND... is this really something that people think is a proper addition for a document called "The ART of Animation:Master"?

[robcat2075]

How detailed do people want it? Should I go down to the 'click this and click that' level?

 

What you have there is likely more detailed than a TAoA:M lesson. There are two essential things I think a lesson on this should do:

 

-Show them how to use NetRender on just their own multi-core computer

-Show them how to bring in a second or third computer they have via their home network. What's the happy minimum you need to explain about networking to get them through that?

 

That would be my initial aspiration.

 

AND... is this really something that people think is a proper addition for a document called "The ART of Animation:Master"?

 

It wouldn't be part of the core 14-lesson budget but I think it would be very good to have it in the "Other things you want to know" section. I think Steffen did a very brief run through of Netrender but aside from that there's not how-to out there. And now everyone has NetRender with v16, it's not an extra cost option.

[MMZ_TimeLord]

How detailed do people want it? Should I go down to the 'click this and click that' level?

 

What you have there is likely more detailed than a TAoA:M lesson. There are two essential things I think a lesson on this should do:

 

-Show them how to use NetRender on just their own multi-core computer

-Show them how to bring in a second or third computer they have via their home network. What's the happy minimum you need to explain about networking to get them through that?

 

That would be my initial aspiration.

 

AND... is this really something that people think is a proper addition for a document called "The ART of Animation:Master"?

 

It wouldn't be part of the core 14-lesson budget but I think it would be very good to have it in the "Other things you want to know" section. I think Steffen did a very brief run through of Netrender but aside from that there's not how-to out there. And now everyone has NetRender with v16, it's not an extra cost option.

Robcat,

 

Yeah, that sounds easier to do. I do not have the latest version of NetRender yet, so I would have to work from what I have, which is V14.0.

 

I'll try and get V16 soon, but money is still tight being on disability right now.

[robcat2075]

Yeah, that sounds easier to do. I do not have the latest version of NetRender yet, so I would have to work from what I have, which is V14.0.

 

I'll try and get V16 soon, but money is still tight being on disability right now.

 

I dont' know how different the interface is but V16 is certainly different in that it can use more than one core on a single computer. That will be the scenario 90% of users encounter, so hold off on doing any actual writing until you have a chance to examine v16.

 

But in the meantime, think about out how to explain the networking stuff. AFAIK, the details keep changing with every new Windows OS so that may need to be touched on too.

[MMZ_TimeLord]

Yeah, that sounds easier to do. I do not have the latest version of NetRender yet, so I would have to work from what I have, which is V14.0.

 

I'll try and get V16 soon, but money is still tight being on disability right now.

 

I dont' know how different the interface is but V16 is certainly different in that it can use more than one core on a single computer. That will be the scenario 90% of users encounter, so hold off on doing any actual writing until you have a chance to examine v16.

 

But in the meantime, think about out how to explain the networking stuff. AFAIK, the details keep changing with every new Windows OS so that may need to be touched on too.

Wait, so you're saying that a single instance of NetRender is now utilizing multiple cores? I know it was being tried on V14.0 but it was unstable.

 

If it is stable now, then I'm not sure how that's going to be optimized... Render a single frame faster, or render multiple frames at the same pace.

 

Do the machine still need to have gobs of RAM to be efficient?, etc.

 

I'll have to pony up to see I guess...

[robcat2075]

Wait, so you're saying that a single instance of NetRender is now utilizing multiple cores? I know it was being tried on V14.0 but it was unstable.

 

If it is stable now, then I'm not sure how that's going to be optimized... Render a single frame faster, or render multiple frames at the same pace.

 

You've been sleeping! NetRender now treats each core as a separate rendering node. Each core works on its own assigned frame.

 

 

 

Do the machine still need to have gobs of RAM to be efficient?, etc.

 

You need enough RAM for each node to load the assets it needs. I have 4 GB.

 

For most scenes I can run four all four cores. I tried to re-render some TWO scenes and they are so big I can only run one or two cores.

[mouseman]

I'll try and get V16 soon, but money is still tight being on disability right now.

Please send me an email at mouse at intranet dot org.

 

Interesting, you were born 8 days after me.