Render machine RAID

[Bryce]

I'm looking for you're opinion on using a RAID configuration to speed up the rendering process. I've heard that striping allows the cpu to spread the information on to multiple drives faster than it would save it onto a single disk. In that, I'm wondering if using a RAID 5 configuration would be less efficient? Or if it makes that much of a difference at all.

 

Also, If you have information, or know where I could go to find out which parts of the machine are used when rendering.

 

I have a dual 2gb system with 1gb RAM and nVidia's 128 Mb card. While rendering, both processors peg out. My ram steps up to approx. 256 Mb, and I'm not sure how to check the video performance. I know this contradicts what you were saying about opengl not being multithreaded and thus not using dual processors? If you can elaborate on this more for me I'd be grateful.

 

Please let me know if you'd like more information from me, I'm using Viz4 for rendering. Also using the Opengl driver.

[Greg Hess]

Disk performance won't effect render times unless your dealing with ram issues. (Aka running out of ram.) As long as your system has sufficent ram, your harddrive performance won't matter much.

 

Harddrive performance matters most when doing video work, which is why most video editing boxes use scsi disks, usually in stripped configurations, or larger raids arrays for speed and redundancy.

 

"Also, If you have information, or know where I could go to find out which parts of the machine are used when rendering. "

 

The CPU...The Ram....thats it. If you run out of ram, then the hd too.

 

"While rendering, both processors peg out."

 

Always good to know your computer is working.

 

"My ram steps up to approx. 256 Mb, and I'm not sure how to check the video performance. "

 

Video accelerators have NOTHING to do with rendering. NOTHING. Not a single thing. Performance will not change at all by switching video cards. Video accelerators are used to accelerate the viewport maniuplations, (aka model creation) before the rendering begins. Once you press render, they go to the bar.

 

Feel free to check the max faq at 3dluvr.com for more information on processors, rendering, and ram.

 

http://www.3dluvr.com/content/article/7

[Bryce]

Thanks Much Greg.

 

Went to the web site and cruised through your info. I'm happy. No buyers remourse. I will be looking to go Raid5 for saving walk throughs. Sounds like the safe way to go.

 

Thanks again,

 

Bryce

[Greg Hess]

Bryce...

 

You could also save some money by getting an external usb2 or firewire drive and using it to ghost backups of the primary system onto.

 

Or a Dvd-burner for hard media

 

combined with a simple raid 1 for redundancy.