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How Network Rendering Works 173
Basic Procedure 3: Network Rendering
from Manager and Servers
When rendering across a network, you first assign
one machine to be Manager, and then any number
of others as Servers. In this procedure, you’ll use
the Manager computer as a rendering Server as
well.
1. Start the Backburner Manager and start the
Backburner Server on all server s ystems that
you intend to make available for rendering jobs.
See S
etting Up Backburner Manager for the
Rendering Network and Setting Up Backburner
Server for the Rendering Network.
2. Return to the Manager system, star t 3ds Max,
andloadthefirstsceneyouwanttorender.
3. From the Rendering menu, choose
Render, or click the toolbar Render Scene
button.
4. Set the rendering parameters and specify an
output path and file name.
Tip: So that the Servers can find the output
path, specify the p ath in the Render Output
File dialog starting with Save In > M y Network
Places. Then navigate to the output folder,
specify a file name and output format (Save As
Type), and click Save.
5. In the Render Output group, turn on Net
Render, and then click the Render button.
The Network Job Assignment dialog appears.
Network Job Assignm ent dia log showing all the server
station p lus the manager station that is running Server.
6. Enter a job name (it’s a good idea to change
the default name) and then click the Connect
button.
The names of a l l Servers appear in the Server
window to the right. Those with green dots
next to their names are ready to start rendering.
By default, all the Servers that are listed will
take part in the rendering job. To assign a
specific Server to render a job, first turn off
UseAllServersintheOptionsgroup,andthen
highlight the server that you want to render
the job.
7. Click the Submit button.
The Manager submits the job to the Servers,
which begin rendering .
At this point, you can load and submit
additional scenes. When the first job is
complete, the next job wil l automatically begin
rendering on the Servers.
How Network R endering Work s
Rendering networks are sometimes called “render
farms.”