[messire]

Hello guys,

Long time no see!
I've just ordered a new machine, and intend to upgrade to V3.0 with SU13..been working with MR since alpha version, and I guess it's time for me to reset all known habits and organise workflow / materials in a better way, since I've been struggling with the materials since version 2.0 silverlight panel, not able to fully achieve simple workflow.

I'd like if any of you could recommend how they work their files on their machines.
My setup is going to be a Dell 7610 Workstation with Win 7/64. Machine has a boot 256 GB SSD and a 1x500GB HD on which I intended to install main softwares ( acad, cs, MR,SU basically). ( but maybe its not the good thing to do and all software should be on SSD?)

What would you recommend doing:

- with the MR materials ( default install folder or not?)
- with the work files ( mxs, mxi..) ( local?/network?)
- where to put the massive arroway collections. What size files are you handling > the full res non compressed, or smaller jpegs?
- how to organise the mxm files and their related textures> I find it always becomes stack with files having the same names especially when adding download textures from the nextlimit material portal...how do you organize them materials? Are they over your network or locally stored etc..?

Thnx! I know some of you ( François for example) are long time SU/MR user but did not get lost in the various upgrades! I am!
Nils

[messire]

anyone able to help...? thnx

[polynurb]

hey Nils

I'll quickly outline how i am running things here:

i am in a studio with 6 other people, not all render, but we have a centralized infrastructure, meaning there is a good managed switch (linksys) handling the network, and a quad core server w.8gb/ram running win essentials 2012 with two dedicated areca raid cards holding two raid 6 arrays for data.

data security is prime, so all files are opened and saved from/to the server. with Gbit networking that is totally fine, even for files 1GB+. the server is also the machine i license maxwell from (runs the rlm service) and it also runs the maxwell network manager. rendernodes run in a separate VLAN.
I have one dedicated SSD in that server just for merging the final mxi files. that should not be done on the system or data drive IMHO as the merging process can be a nasty thing for big mxi files, and mechanical HDDs don't like these kind of read-write patterns.

if your dell workstation supports it (and your switch and your server too), you can look into "link aggregation" gives you a 2Gbit link to your server files.(uses both lan ports as one connection)

all materials are in a Library folder on the network so are all texture files. but that is a, so to say, "read only" folder.

for each project I copy the reference materials and textures into the projects directory (also on the server)
as these materials and textures are most likely going to be modified for a certain project.
If i create some good materials i want to keep in the reference library, i copy them there back from the projects directory.

By working like that i can make sure all files are still there in case of follow ups on a certain job and also if I want to archive a project on an external drive/backup media.

so i am rather generous with disk space.. anyways maxwell behaves pretty "bad" in that respect, creating tons of data if you don't keep an eye on it!

btw. i have for a long time not installed progs anywhere else than default path on C:\ it is likely to mess things up sooner or later. For software and OS 256gb ssd should be fine though!

cheers,
daniel

[JDHill]

btw. i have for a long time not installed progs anywhere else than default path on C:\

The best policy, imho. Unless none of your programs use the registry, installing them on another drive effectively sets up a permanent dependency between the two drives. Besides, backup-wise, it's just nice to have all your tools on one drive, and your data elsewhere.

[messire]

Thnx much Daniel, and JD..
It seems I need to uprgrade network to GB speeds...will not be that simple for most cables are 100mb certified only..damn..

I'm going to install things like that which seems wise enough!

As for inside the material folder, last question would be: how do you structure the folders so it does not turn into a mess quickly..
mxm's stored independently from the images they use?
I use to work with a mxm folder and a textures folder which had subfolders organised by themes ( aka arroway, downloaded mxm's etc) but quick the downloaded mxm's would have file name conflicts such as bump.jpg found in most files...)
Would love to see a screen shot on your explorer folders!

Thnx!
Nils