I just purchased a new Boxx computer and a Boxx RenderPro2.
I talked to Boxx and they said I needed to make sure I have Maya installed on the renderpro and to set up a shared folder between the two machines.
Does anyone have experience with this and could you possibly help me?
If you intend to use the second machine only for DR rendering, you don’t need Maya there and you don’t necessarily need shared folders. You just need to install V-Ray with render server installation type.
You will need to turn on the “transfer missing assets” option if your textures are not on a file server somewhere.
If you want to use the machine for batch render through backburner, then you will need a Maya installation.
Best regards,
Vlado
Thanks Vlado.
So I need to install V-Ray with render server type on the second machine, or both machines?
Where is the download for this?
Is there an additional cost for this or can I use my vray 3 license information?
Also…
What is the major difference between Batch Rendering and Vray Distributed Rendering?
You need a full install on your main machine and a server install on your second machine.
There is no additional download, you can use the same installation you already have, but you will need an additional Render Node license.
Batch rendering is a Maya feature that utilizes Maya without running its GUI, it can run in a command prompt - this way it will use a bit less resources. It will rely on both Maya and VRay being installed.
VRay DR on the other hand only relies on itself, it does not require Maya to be installed on every machine. VRay for Maya will contact the DR machines and send them a .vrscene file (which stands fro vray scene).
You can read a bit more about it here: Chaos Docs
Thank you Alex.
Question - I already have a full install on my main machine. Can you elaborate by what you mean a server install on my second machine? Where do I find this and how do I install?
As far as the additional Render Node License, will this include a dongle as well?
Just use the regular V-Ray for Maya installer and when asked choose Standalone only instead of Full.
Also you can check the docs at Chaos Docs
Thank you. I will try this when I get home.
To render at two machines at the same time you will need two Render Node licenses.
When you install server only on your second machine, you can click Customize to set up the licensing and you can direct it to the machine where you’re running your license server.
You can also do this after the installation with the Change License Settings tool (start menu > all programs > Chaos Group > V-Ray > <Maya version>
If you’re running the dongle license on your main machine, then the license server is running there. You need to tell the “server only” machine to get its license from the IP of the main machine.
Here’s more info on this: Chaos Docs
Let me know if there’s anything else you need help with.
Considering I ONLY want to use the renderpro for rendering and not the main workstation, do I still need an additional render node license?
No, you only need as much licenses as the number of machines you’re rendering on at the same time.
If you’re starting the render from Maya with DR to another machine, make sure to tick off “use local machine” in the DR settings.
This way the machine with Maya will not render (it will use the V-Ray for Maya license) and the “standalone only” machine will only render (it will use the Render Node license).
My plan is to not use Maya’s batch render. Only use Vray DR.
I now know I only need the included render node license. If I get another renderpro in the future, I will only then need a new render node license.
Question -
Do I need to launch the Vray License Server on BOTH machines when i want to render out a scene?
No. The lisence server needs to run on the same machine where you’ve plugged the dongle. It doesn’t matter which machine that will be. Then the machine where it’s running (say, machine1) will need its license settings to be “local”, and the other one (machine2) to be set to “remote”. In this case you can tell the “change license settings” tool on machine1 to get license from 127.0.0.01 and machine2 - from the IP of machine1.
Thank you for the explanation Alex. I will let you know if I run into any issues.
I have completed the steps below and I am receiving this error message.
// Error: Local machine is not used for distributed rendering and there are no enabled hosts!
Update:
I am now receiving this.
// Warning: Local machine is not used for distributed rendering and no slaves can join!
I cannot set this up. I need help. 
It means it can’t see the slave (where a “standalone only” installation was made.
It might be one of the following:
1. the main machine is not set up to look for slaves - you need to tell vray in maya what machines to use for DR
2. The standalone-only machine is not running its standalone’
3. The standalone-only machine is unable to obtain license (thus, not joining the rendering)
To resove:
1. In the render settings, go to where the DR is enabled in the settings tab and when enabled, there will be a large button called setting. Click it to open the DR setttings and enter the slave’s IP. The default port is 20207.
2. Check if a vray.exe process is running. If there is one but you don’t see a vray standalone console, then it’s running as a service. If there isn’t one - you need to start it manually from Start menu > Chaos Group > V-Ray > Maya(version) > launch vray render slave.
3. Get the vrayMayaSpawner log from your user’s temp directory on the slave machine. On windows, for quick access to it, you can open a windows explorer and in the path field above just type %temp%
To resolve:
1. In the render settings, go to where the DR is enabled in the settings tab and when enabled, there will be a large button called setting. Click it to open the DR setttings and enter the slave’s IP. The default port is 20207.
- When I run a ipconfig in the CMD, I recieve four values regarding IP. DNS suffix, IPv4 address, Subnet Mask, and default Gateway. Which one do I use for the IP?
- The port number 20207, do I use this exact port (20207) for BOTH the main machine and the slave machine when editing the change license settings?
2. Check if a vray.exe process is running. If there is one but you don’t see a vray standalone console, then it’s running as a service. If there isn’t one - you need to start it manually from Start menu > Chaos Group > V-Ray > Maya(version) > launch vray render slave.
If vray.exe does not run automatically, I will need to start this manually every time I wish to render, correct?
3. Get the vrayMayaSpawner log from your user’s temp directory on the slave machine. On windows, for quick access to it, you can open a windows explorer and in the path field above just type %temp%
How will “getting” the log help the slave machine obtain a license? Can you please explain this to me?
Sorry for all the questions, but I want to get up and running as well as have a understanding of how to add to the farm at a later date. You have been very helpful so far. I am new to networking different machines. 