Return-Path: Received: from mail-ob0-f169.google.com ([209.85.214.169] verified) by media-motion.tv (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2.10) with ESMTP-TLS id 4897204 for AE-List@media-motion.tv; Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:44:35 +0100 Received: by mail-ob0-f169.google.com with SMTP id lz20so2165749obb.28 for ; Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:47:47 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :content-type; bh=d2wcOsjoIw2tlLnH5h6CpIJ8IAGMhLITN/ppt9tgmJI=; b=0hg5hVqiQ+sehdccxS9/9nk6Zkq642/jtbbvpDM07R7PQyG2PC7fG5gRrSBQkThOZa D08P+N4U3h9OiWwKsl+AaeGErJg0CK8a9aVU4GPSC0EfMACRQR+WYdKex4gHOjoGx/yi HVMDvBMzvHVBOJ0rKN2hgkMUewQd3fHCeUt9IZxkO1Qo27uzcQgMgQgoltlRyNHHDqOM KdThuoQIZiBjwzkotrpbnSPz/9PcLuTZv1bN6cwcjYL2Wn3zRI4t8nrgrkNpAf87yPHN HeBmoAsveA4HBa3LTI6mvewIaLQUwQX1U0PrN6S75H34VN+tlS/+OQSaUiyGOE4whBVP /DSw== MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.60.22.5 with SMTP id z5mr1724358oee.88.1352753266913; Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:47:46 -0800 (PST) Received: by 10.182.12.1 with HTTP; Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:47:46 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: References: Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2012 15:47:46 -0500 Message-ID: Subject: Re: [AE] Semi OT: Yet another mac mini render farm thread From: rendernyc To: After Effects Mail List Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=e89a8fb1f2caf172a504ce52698e --e89a8fb1f2caf172a504ce52698e Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable It is, but then you dont run in to font/plugin/etc issues for going cross platform. A stable hackintosh render node would be interesting On Mon, Nov 12, 2012 at 3:41 PM, Teddy Gage wrote: > I really don't remember. This was about five years ago and we were trying > to network together ten Mac pros plus SCSI ram modules and a hugely > expensive and unstable RAID. Probably not the best example and I bet its = a > ton easier these days. However, there's probably a reason you don't hear > about this setup more often. It's certainly a lot more expensive per core > than an equivalent PC setup would be. > On Nov 12, 2012 3:20 PM, "Tony Romain" > wrote: > >> I think where I'm at is trying to figure out what the main limiting >> factor is here versus building something from the ground up, piece by pi= ece >> (probably PC based for cost). >> >> Do you have a sense of specifically what the networking issues were? Fo= r >> cinema rendering, my understanding is that once the net render files hav= e >> been distributed amongst the nodes, their really isn't a ton of network >> traffic, except for the rendered frames being copied back over to the >> server. However, I may be wrong on this=85 I don't know a ton of what g= oes >> on under the hood of these farms=85 >> >> Have been exchanging emails with the owner of this company: >> >> http://h-sq.com/products/minirack/index.html >> >> to see if he's heard any anecdotal info from any of his clients. He >> hand't heard anything specific other than describing one server set-up h= e'd >> heard of that utilized 160 mac minis for some type of test automation (n= ot >> sure what that is), but they were all being taxed 100% of the time and >> seemed to run fine=85 >> >> >> -- >> *tony romain* *|* *principal/creative director* >> >> *trance* >> *motion graphic animation and design* >> 323 651 1114 >> www.trancedesigns.com >> >> From: Teddy Gage >> Reply-To: AE list >> Date: Monday, November 12, 2012 12:05 PM >> To: AE list >> Subject: Re: [AE] Semi OT: Yet another mac mini render farm thread >> >> My main concern would be the networking back end. Unless you have an >> applescript wizard on hand you may run into some problems, even with a >> networked rendering package like deadline. We tried to do something like >> this at a place I was working a few years ago and it was rage-inducing. = The >> frustrating thing was "it should have worked" but it just didn't. There >> were always problems. maybe if you installed win 7 pro in bootcamp on al= l >> of them. but I guess that would defeat the purpose. Things have probably >> come along since then however >> > --=20 danny princz exposedideas.com --e89a8fb1f2caf172a504ce52698e Content-Type: text/html; charset=windows-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable It is, but then you dont run in to font/plugin/etc issues for going cross p= latform.

A stable hackintosh render node would be intere= sting


On= Mon, Nov 12, 2012 at 3:41 PM, Teddy Gage <teddygage@gmail.com> wrote:

I really don't remember. = This was about five years ago and we were trying to network together ten Ma= c pros plus SCSI ram modules and a hugely expensive and unstable RAID. Prob= ably not the best example and I bet its a ton easier these days. However, t= here's probably a reason you don't hear about this setup more often= . It's certainly a lot more expensive per core than an equivalent PC se= tup would be.

On Nov 12, 2012 3:20 PM, "Tony Romain"= <to= nyr-aelist@trancedesigns.com> wrote:
I think where I'm at is trying to figure out what= the main limiting factor is here versus building something from the ground= up, piece by piece (probably PC based for cost).

Do you have a sense of specifically what the networking= issues were? =A0For cinema rendering, my understanding is that once the ne= t render files have been distributed amongst the nodes, their really isn= 9;t a ton of network traffic, except for the rendered frames being copied b= ack over to the server. =A0However, I may be wrong on this=85 I don't k= now a ton of what goes on under the hood of these farms=85

Have been exchanging emails with the owner of this comp= any:


to see if he's heard any anecdotal info from any of= his clients. =A0He hand't heard anything specific other than describin= g one server set-up he'd heard of that utilized 160 mac minis for some = type of test automation (not sure what that is), but they were all being ta= xed 100% of the time and seemed to run fine=85



From: Teddy Gage <teddygage@gmail.com>
= Reply-To: AE list <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
Date: Monday, November 12, 2012 12= :05 PM
To: AE list <AE-List@media-motion.= tv>
Subject: Re: [AE] Semi OT: Yet ano= ther mac mini render farm thread

My main concern would be the networking = back end. Unless you have an applescript wizard on hand you may run into so= me problems, even with a networked rendering package like deadline. We trie= d to do something like this at a place I was working a few years ago and it= was rage-inducing. The frustrating thing was "it should have worked&q= uot; but it just didn't. There were always problems. maybe if you insta= lled win 7 pro in bootcamp on all of them. but I guess that would defeat th= e purpose. Things have probably come along since then however



--
= danny princz

exposedideas.com
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