How to set up a working cluster

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Level 1

14 points

How to set up a working cluster

Hi all,

this seems like a seriously flawed feature. I have tried, after purchasing the latest version from the app store, to set up a multi-node cluster to cut down on compression times and have had little luck. Computer nodes show up, disappear, show up, i add them to a new cluster, the new cluster does not show up in the submit menu...and round and round. There needs to be a walkthrough on how to do this, otherwise, this software seems rather useless. The idea of grid computing to speed up compression makes a ton of sense, but the practical reality is right now I am wanting my 50$ back. Any help would be appreciated.

thanks.

chris

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Oct 21, 2013 12:29 PM

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Answer 1

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Oct 21, 2013 1:29 PM in response to Chris Nidel

Are you trying to distribute processing among multiple Macs, or trying to set up a Quick Cluster?

What have you done so far in your attempts and what are you following in the way of instruction?

BTW, I could not disagree more with the idea that Compressor is useless without this functionality.

Russ

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Answer 2

Chris Nidel Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 21, 2013 1:43 PM in response to Russ H

Thanks for the response Russ. I am not sure if i need anything more than a quick cluster. I want to distribute the processing to my other imac and to my mac mini. I have tried setting them all up to share the load (installed compressor, set as shares). At some point today, I got them all to show up in my cluster. I made a new cluster, and finally got all the nodes (including one for each core of the processors) to show up and i dragged them into the cluster. That seemed like i had solved the issue. But then i went to submit the render to the cluster and it only showed "my computer" or "this computer" as the option for clusters - not the cluster i had just made. I did various restarts of compressor and the qmanager, and the cluster I had made disappeared and ultimately so did the nodes...

so....

hope that makes sense.

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Answer 3

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Oct 22, 2013 5:50 AM in response to Chris Nidel

Chris Nidel wrote:

I am not sure if i need anything more than a quick cluster.

A Quick Cluster may well accomplish what you need and is a lot more simple than distributing the processing among multiple machines.

For C4, it can all be set up from Qmaster in the Compressor toolbar. Hereis a brief video on the settings and procedure (with candid commentary).

If you definitely want to distribute processing across multiple machines and you're having problems, take solace in knowing you're not the first. Start by verifying that all of your machines have the same versions of Compressor, QMaster and QuickTime. And although I've heard from some that they had success using machines with different OS versions, ideally the OS should be the same as well.

Post back and let us know how you make out.

Russ

Message was edited by: Russ H to insert missing link

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Answer 4

Chris Nidel Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 22, 2013 7:15 AM in response to Russ H

Russ,

so i went ahead and changed all settings to support a quick cluster (set my main machine up as quickcluster and then the nodes as services). In the qmaster, the quickcluster shows up, but

1) requires a password (none is set/required in the settings for the cluster - i set one just to see if that worked, and that did not work)

2) does not show the other nodes to add

3) the quick cluster does not show in the dropdown when i go to submit the render

so....

i am left scratching my head and wondering why i paid 50$, and also how i will render this output when it is at 15% having gone overnight!!

chris

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Answer 5

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Oct 22, 2013 7:37 AM in response to Chris Nidel

Please post screen shots of the dialogue windows: Apple Qmaster>Share This Computer>Setup…also Advanced.

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Answer 6

Chris Nidel Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 22, 2013 7:42 AM in response to Russ H

here you go!

thanks!!!

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Answer 7

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Oct 22, 2013 8:02 AM in response to Chris Nidel

The only thing I see that I'd change is to uncheck the Require These Services. The rest looks good.

Forgot to say that there is not universal agreement about how many instances to select in Options (next to the Compressor Check box) – particularly with CPUs that have hyper-threading. Sleeting half the available;e instances is a good starting point.

After you've made all your settings choices and hit OK, close Qmaster and then Compressor. Re-launch Compressor and hopefully you'll have a Quick Cluster choice whren you submit.

BTW, what is your encoding project that is turning out to be such a bear?

Russ

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Answer 8

Chris Nidel Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 22, 2013 8:14 AM in response to Russ H

OK. that is some progress. however, the cluster shows up, the nodes show up, but i can't modify the cluster as it says a password is required, but as you can see from the screen shots, none is set/required!

the video is a day long deposition. no effects or anything, simply joining files and rendering one file for output of the deposition. (part of my day job as a lawyer)....

chris

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