Network rendering is a means of mass-processing multiple rendering tasks or jobs. In order to facilitate network rendering, Autodesk Backburner TM is installed with 3ds Max. The Backburner software is responsible for coordinating how job assignments are processed.
You can perform network rendering with both the default scanline and mental ray renderers. In its most efficient form, network rendering uses multiple computers, connected over a network, to perform rendering tasks; typically the rendering of animations with hundreds or thousands of frames. Even a small network of three or four PCs can save substantial rendering time and help you meet deadlines.
However, network rendering can be equally useful if you have only a single PC and need to render a number of images. You can assign the jobs that need to be rendered and Backburner can manage the rendering of each job while you're away from the computer. Commonly, jobs are assigned submitted just before you leave the office. when you arrive the next morning, all your rendering are waiting for you to review.
Network rendering is designed to render whatever is set up in your scene; that is, it will render the viewport, part of a viewport, camera view, and so on, as saved in the scene file. You can also pass batch-rendering tasks to Backburner from the Batch Render tool. You can queue up tasks from any number of cameras in a scene. Each task can load a save scene state or use a particular rendering preset.
The requirements and procedures presented here assume you are the administrator of a closed network set up exclusively for network rendering. In practice, you can use the network for file sharing and other purposes, but if conflicts arise, you might need to cancel those uses. The easiest network to set up, operate, and maintain is one dedicated to rendering.
If you're a system administrator for a more complex network, you can use the information in this file as a guideline. The basic approach is the same for any network.
The links on this page are ordered like chapters in a manual: a sequence of major topics containing more specific nested topics. Links marked Next Step indicate the next topic in the sequence. Moving from one topic to the next takes you through the necessary steps to set up your network for rendering.
Network rendering is performed by software named Backburner. Functionality is primarily the same as in previous versions of 3ds Max with the addition of the following:
The following table summarizes the Backburner Documentation set.
| For Information About: |
See: |
| Using Autodesk Backburner with 3ds Max | This Network Rendering section. |
| Autodesk Backburner User Interface (Manager, Server, and Monitor), Troubleshooting, and Administering Autodesk Backburner | Autodesk Backburner User Guide at www.autodesk.com/backburner-documentation(Autodesk Backburner 2011 Release User Guide information also applies to the Backburner 2012 release) |
| Autodesk Backburner Configuration | Autodesk Backburner Installation Guide at www.autodesk.com/backburner-documentation(Autodesk Backburner 2011 Release Installation Guide information also applies to the Backburner 2012 release) |
| Installing Autodesk Backburner with 3ds Max | 3ds Max Installation Overview and FAQ (Click the Installation Help link in the Autodesk Autodesk 3ds Max 2012 install media) |
Rendering networks are sometimes called “render farms.” In 3ds Max, one computer is set up as the network Manager. The Manager "farms out" or distributes the work to rendering Servers. You can also have the same computer function simultaneously as both Manager and Server, so computing cycles don't go to waste.
This topic contains basic procedures to follow when network rendering with 3ds Max.
Once you've set up the network rendering system and software, there are two steps to starting a network rendering session:
This is a guide to solving common problems associated with network rendering. Solutions to these problems vary, depending on whether you are using the network rendering programs as installed Windows Services, or running them in Desktop mode. Also see “Troubleshooting Backburner” in the Autodesk Backburner User Guide at www.autodesk.com/backburner-documentation.
The topics in this section describe how to check system requirements, and how to set up a network for rendering.
When you've configured the computers on your rendering network for TCP/IP, you're ready to load 3ds Max.
Use the Network Job Assignment dialog to name rendering jobs, specify the computers that will participate in the rendering, and submit jobs to the rendering servers.
The topics in this section describe how to set up and use the network Manager and Server systems.
The Queue Monitor application (monitor.exe) lets you manage, view, and receive status updates about all jobs currently submitted to the network rendering queue. This executable file is copied to the Backburner root directory during setup, and is available from the Start menu.
