Understanding Parallel Rendering

Parallel rendering is a powerful feature that allows you to distribute your rendering workload across multiple servers. While the total computation cost remains the same, you can significantly reduce rendering time by processing multiple frames simultaneously.

How Parallel Rendering Works

Instead of processing frames sequentially on a single server, parallel rendering distributes your animation frames across multiple servers. Each server works on a different set of frames simultaneously.

Single Server Render

The entire animation is rendered by a single server.

Multiple Servers Render

The animation is split into three parts, with each server rendering a different frame range.

Benefits of Parallel Rendering

1. Faster Delivery Times: Complete your projects significantly faster
2. Better Resource Management: Distribute workload efficiently
3. Minimal Additional Cost: Bootime cost is small compared to time savings
4. Flexible Scaling: Scale up or down based on project deadlines

When to Use Parallel Rendering

Parallel rendering is particularly beneficial when:

• You have tight deadlines
• Your animation has many frames
• You need quick iterations for client reviews
• Your project budget allows for immediate costs rather than spread over time
• Your project doesn’t have strict dependencies between frames

Example Render Time Reduction

Here’s how render time reduces with parallel processing:

Tips for Efficient Parallel Rendering

1. Estimate Your Needs: Calculate required render time per frame before starting
2. Plan Your Budget: Account for both render time and bootime costs
3. Consider Dependencies: Some frames might depend on previous frames
4. Monitor Progress: Track rendering progress across all servers
5. Balance Resources: Distribute frames evenly across servers

Additional Resources

• Server Specifications
• Benchmakings & Comparisons