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I had a lot of fun this week scripting an installation batch script for the renderfarm.  Basically, Bob helped me to break down each of the tasks required to install the MentalRay client, set up the RenderPal client, configure environment variables, and other related settings.  I decided to use DOS batch scripting, primarily since that is what I know and am comfortable with programming in right now.  I got the main tasks outlined, but I have yet to finish the last several settings and actually test the script.

This week, I believe that I am going to look at user restrictions, account setup, and time/resource management.  Also, depending on some initial troubles I have had with rendering projects, I may have to troubleshoot some of the sleeping renderfarm issues, or possibly some of the render client output issues.

Andrew

3 hours

After spending around thirteen hours last week working on the render farm, we have successfully managed to send a sizeable job through the pipeline.  Now, I just need to establish what the bounds of that pipeline are!  Regardless, I was able to configure the render farm last Friday in a way that would actually render frames on around thirty machines.  The only problem now is that the machines are falling to sleep and not waking up when commanded…

I wrote a script last week that copies the RenderPal directory from the server and initializes the service required to run the RenderPal client.  The script also updates computers that already have RenderPal installed, setting network shares up and other such requirements.  My main nemesis continues to be DeepFreeze, since whenever I think I make changes to the machines, the changes revert.  I think that the problem is that DeepFreeze has to be left off for an additional reboot cycle once I make changes, which does not really make sense.  Also, I need to be sure that any Windows updates install while I have DeepFreeze off so that they will not be stuck in a reboot cycle after DeepFreeze is turned back on.

Tomorrow I am planning to work on waking the render farm remotely!

Andrew

13 hrs.