Managing the Network Computation

You can use network resources to add computing power for interactive or background rendering. You can spread the computation over a cluster of computers (satellites) using the hardware available on each computer.

You can install the background rendering server on a different host that is shared by multiple 3DEXPERIENCE sessions.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin:
  1. On host 1, install 3DEXPERIENCE.
  2. Select either Use satellites (to use satellites), or Remote (to use a remote background rendering server and enter the server host name) in the Batch or Interactive section.
  3. To take into account the selected option, restart the 3DEXPERIENCE session.

Install Satellites

Before you begin: On host 2, create a directory (e:\satellite, for example).
  1. Open a Command Prompt window.
  2. Go to e:\satellite
  3. Run "\\host1\C$\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\Bn\win_b64\code\command\CATNeuInstallSatellite.bat" " \\host1\C$\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\Bn" E:\Satellite , where n is the release number.
  4. Run CATNeuSatellite.exe.

    You can use the following options: [-n address] [-cpu|[-gpu|-mixed [assignment]]] [-v] [-log priority] [-h|-?]

    OptionDescription
    -n address Sets the base multicast address used for networking.

    The default address is 224.1.1.9.
    -cpu Defines the CPU only render mode.
    -gpu [assignment] Defines the GPU only render mode.

    assignment specifies which GPUs are used.

    For example, assignment="iray:2,3" uses GPUs 2 and 3.
    -mixed [assignment] Defines the mixed render mode where CPUs and GPUs are used. assignment specifies which GPUs to use with this assignment.

    By default, this mode is selected.
    -v Enables verbose logging.
    -log priority Sets the logging priority of this host.

    the priority is defined to 1.
    -h or -? Shows command options.
    Note: When you render from the 3DEXPERIENCE session or from the background rendering server, all the computers that share the same multicast address in the local network are used for computation.

The satellites are installed.

Install the Remote Background Rendering Server

Before you begin: On host 2, create a directory (e:\Server, for example).
  1. Open a Command Prompt window.
  2. Go to e:\Server.
  3. Run "\\host1\C$\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\Bn\win_b64\code\command\CATNeuInstallServer.bat" "\\host1\C$\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\Bn" E:\Server.
  4. Run CATNeuServer.exe.

    You can use the following options: [-cache directory] [-out directory] [-n [address]] [-http address] [-listen address] [-admin_http address] [-mode render_mode] [-remote address] [-cpu|[-gpu|-mixed [assignment]]] [-v] [-log priority] [-h|-?]

    OptionDescription
    -cache directory Sets the directory where job data is stored.

    The default path is %TEMP%\BatchRendering\Cache.
    -out directory Sets the directory where the rendered images are saved.

    The default path is %TEMP%\BatchRendering\Image.
    -n address Enables the network rendering using satellites.

    The address is the multicast address used for networking.

    The default address is 224.1.1.9
    -http address Sets the listen address for client requests.

    The default address is 0.0.0.0:10001.
    -listen address Sets the listen address used to upload jobs.

    The default address is 0.0.0.0:8998.
    -admin address Sets the address of the administrative http server.

    The default address is 0.0.0.0:10002.
    -mode render_mode Selects the render mode such as iray, irt, iray_cloud, or nitro_cloud.

    The default mode is Iray.
    -remote address Sets the remote server address.

    This address is required when you use a cloud renderer.

    -cpu Defines the CPU only render mode.

    This is the default mode.
    -gpu [assignment] Defines the GPU only render mode.

    assignment specifies which GPUs are used. For example, assignment="iray:2,3" uses GPUs 2 and 3.
    -mixed [assignment] Defines the mixed render mode where CPUs and GPUs are used.

    assignment specifies which GPUs to use with this assignment.
    -v Enables verbose logging.
    -log priority Sets the logging priority of this host.

    The default priority is defined to 100.
    -h or -? Displays help.

Notes:

To shut down the server from any host, do one of the following:

  • Use the URL http://host3:port/shutdown, where port is the port number used with the -http option. The default port is 10001.
  • In the Network tab, click Shutdown Server.

To access this procedure, click Cluster Mode Help from the Live Rendering section of the action bar.