computer build question

[joyride]

Im doing some really heavy rendering projects coming up soon. I currently only have a desktop with i7/8gig ram. I would like to start a render farm for this project. The render engine I use is highly processor dependant. The moe processors, the more render buckets I get. So really all I need are some extra processors.

Can I just use a pretty bare server for this? I can geta quad xeon for fairly cheap. I would basically only be putting an OS and the render program on this. I just dont know if it would operate similar to my current machine?

[fuzzysnuggleduck]

What is more important to your rendering software: performance per core or number of cores?

If you're looking for a TON of cores, get a 4-way 6100 Opteron setup. 48 cores in 1U, 2U, 4U or a workstation case. 48 cores from AMD will cost you about the same as 12 cores from Intel but if you're looking for the best per-core performance, you can't beat the latest Xeons 5600 (DP) or 7500 (MP).

Your rendering software isn't tweaked for GPU-based rendering is it?

[joyride]

nope, no GPU needed. I have a decent one in my desktop, but that just helps the view ports mesh faster when moving the camera. The render engine is purely based on CPU power. It seems as though most people are going with the 5600 series. Im not looking for a ton of power, just something I can add relatively cheap. Looking on ebay, there are several of the xeon ones for really cheap (although shippin is ridiculous!)

My other question is how in the hell would I network these? I can see this being a huge pain in the ass. They will be sitting next to the main desktop, so could I just use a switch to keep them hardwired together? If I did that, would it eliminate my ability to use the wireless internet on my desktop while being hooked into the other network?

Something like this would save me a ton of time:

http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-XSERIES-445-887 ... 963wt_1137

[fuzzysnuggleduck]

Networking with a switch would be fine. Wireless for Internet would still work.

The 5600s are super popular because they scream.

What rendering software are you using? Does it have native built-in functionality for distributing rendering to remote systems?

[joyride]

I will be using vray for Rhino and Flamingo Nxt. Both programs have a DR Spawner to distribute the rendering. So it should be no problems. From what I understand, you just slap in an IP and it should find that on the system.

[fuzzysnuggleduck]

Sweet, then it sounds like you'll be ready to go once you get a rendering box, a good switch (not the $10 ones) and some cables.

Do you have somewhere to put the server where it won't be annoying you with it's loud fans and heat production?

[blind_ex]

as for cables You can try Belkin... kick ass cables, pentagram is have good switches as cheap I think and make sure your comps dont stand to close to themselvs... Ive done it with 4 server for wireless network ive build with fried and with no reason they would switch of..... once we put then in corners they went to 175 days without reboot

[joyride]

So I think I have made up my mind on the server im going to get. I plan to run a pair of IBM 366 with 4x 3.66ghz processors/8 gig ram in each box. I will need to have an a windows based OS to run the cad programs. Will win 7 allow for more than 2 physical processors? I have yet to find a straight answer.

[fuzzysnuggleduck]

Ultimate and Enterprise support up to 2 physical processors and unlimited cores.

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_skus_compare.asp

So you'll need Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition (up to four) or such.

[stipud]

Seriously? They force you to use different versions of windows just to get multiprocessor support?