Setup and Administration Guide

Chapter 2 Using the Installer 33
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 The This Computer cluster requires you to log in: Since the This Computer cluster
operates using the name of the current user that is logged in, it cannot be used until a
user logs in. This means that if your server computer is restarted, for example, after a
power interruption, Final Cut Server will not be able to use Compressor. If you create a
custom QuickCluster, as described next, the cluster uses the name of the person who
created it, meaning that it can be used even if no one is logged in to the computer.
 The This Computer name can be confusing: You actually choose the cluster to use with
Final Cut Server in the Compressor Preferences pane of the client’s Administration
window. The name of this cluster is always This Computer, no matter which computer
you are currently using to choose the cluster. The This Computer cluster always refers
to the computer Final Cut Server is installed on. See “Compressor Preference
Settings
” on page 117 for more information.
About Creating a Custom QuickCluster
Creating a custom QuickCluster in Apple Qmaster avoids the issues that exist with the
This Computer cluster. Creating a QuickCluster requires you to open the Apple Qmaster
pane of System Preferences once you have completed installing Final Cut Server.
Important: Install Final Cut Server before going through this procedure.
Note: The following steps describe a simple procedure for configuring a cluster to use
with Final Cut Server. You can create much more sophisticated clusters that include
password protection and other features. See the Distributed Processing Setup document,
available from the Compressor Help menu, for more information.