Network render with the render command line utility

Licensing

Each Maya license allows you to render in Maya interactively on one machine and run batch rendering on five machines. You can therefore perform mental ray for Maya rendering on up to 6 machines.

NoteBatch rendering is different from rendering using Satellite and Standalone. With batch rendering, Maya runs independently on each machine, unlike Satellite or Standalone rendering, which relies on communication with the master mental ray for Maya.

Batch rendering licenses are per host, so you can use all cores on one machine for each batch render. Batch rendering licenses are only available for network licenses.

NoteEach batch render node must have its ADLM framework in place.

Managing your network render

You can automate the process by using Backburner or another third party renderer. See Network rendering with Backburner for information on how to use Backburner to manage your render jobs and render nodes while network rendering.

To render on several computers

NoteBefore you begin, you must have networked workstations. See your system administrator if workstations are not networked.

Install Maya on each machine.
We recommend that you pare down the installation to the minimum requirements. For instance, you do not have to load all options on each machine when installing (for example, documentation).
Initiate render commands on each render workstation.
This can be achieved manually by the Command Line Render command. To automate it, use simple scripting capabilities. See the Command Line Render Help (render -h) for more options.

For example,

If you have a 100-frame scene and want to distribute the rendering across 4 render workstations, type:

NoteUse the -r file flag to render using the renderer as set in the Maya file.

Render -r file -s 1 -e 25 filename for the first render workstation.

Render -r file -s 26 -e 50 filename for the second render workstation.

Render -r file -s 51 -e 75 filename for the third render workstation.

Render -r file -s 76 -e 100 filename for the fourth render workstation.

TipUsing -rep
You can use the -rep flag on the Render command to automate Maya software networked rendering.