8

Starting Network Rendering 175
themapsandXRefs,theserverfailsforthat
part icular job.
This is why it is important to use UNC paths for
all maps and XRefs in your scene file, so that all
render servers can find them. However, if the
maps and XRefs were included, then 3ds Max
will get the ones that were unzipped into the
\jobtemp folder.
8. When a frame is finished rendering, 3ds Max
ontheServersavestheframetothelocation
specified via the Render Scene dialog before
you submitted it.
9. Once a Server successfully renders one frame,
the Manager assigns a block of frames to the
server to render; it might assign 20 consecutive
frames. This m inimizes the amount of
communication needed between the Server
and Manager.
10.The Server continues rendering f r ames for the
job until the job is done.
11.TheServerthencloses3dsMax,andgoesidle.
If the queue contains additional jobs, the Server
picks up the next job and starts the process all
over again.
You can use this explanation to help determine
the basic requirements for your network
rendering setup, based on the ty p e of usage.
If your fr ames render quickly, you’ll need a
fast file server machine to h andle the constant
output from a number of different rendering
servers. The same holds true of your scene uses
a large quantity of map files that are stored in
a central location. If you typically render large
files, rendering will take longer, and most of the
bandwidth will be required at t he start, when
thefilesaredistributedtotherenderingservers.
Star ting Network R endering
Once you’ve set up the network rendering system
and software (page 3–180) ,therearetwostepsto
starting a network rendering session:
• Star t the Manager program on one machine
See S
etting Up Backburner Manager for the
Rendering Network and the Server program on
every other machine in the network S
etting Up
Backburner Server for the Rendering Network.
The machine being used as a manager can also
be used as a rendering server.
• Start a rendering job from the software on a
networked machine with an authorized copy of
.3ds Max
The Manager and S erver programs need to
be started and left running during a network
rendering session. Either program remains in
operation until you shut it down or shut down the
machine.
When you’ve set up the Manager and Server
network services, you’re ready to submit an
animation to the network rendering queue. There
are two stages to starting network rendering:
• In the Render dialog , set all desired rendering
parameters, including resolution and rendered
output file type, and render the scene.
• Turn on Net Render, found in the Render
Output, Render Settings or Output groups,
and then click Render to open the
Network Job
Assignment dialog (p age 3–184)
,whichletsyou
make final deci sions about the job and submit
your animation to the rendering servers.
Procedures
These procedures explain how to start and submit
a network rendering job in 3ds Max.