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Is there a way to cap CPU usage on render nodes?

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:27 pm
by gehany
Hello,

As indicated by a thread below, I wasn't successful in converting some of our older computers into dedicated render nodes. My next idea was to use our current computers to assist in rendering. However, by default Maxwell will use 100% of CPU to process the render. Clearly, this is going to affect people's ability to work on their machines while the computer is running render node. Is it possible to cap the CPU usage on the render node? I apologize in advance if this has been covered in another thread -- I did search before posting. Thanks.

Re: Is there a way to cap CPU usage on render nodes?

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:49 pm
by Bubbaloo
Image

Set the option for each node.

Re: Is there a way to cap CPU usage on render nodes?

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 11:01 pm
by gehany
Setting it to low - automatic, still seems to use 100% of the CPU. Do you recommend a particular thread number? The computers in questions are quad core i7-2600s and i7-3770s. Thanks

Re: Is there a way to cap CPU usage on render nodes?

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 11:09 pm
by Bubbaloo
I would try Low priority and 4 threads. That should use 50% of CPU, but don't quote me on that.

Re: Is there a way to cap CPU usage on render nodes?

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 11:13 pm
by JDHill
4? I'd use 7 and only lower it if people complain. Probably they're mostly just cruising facebook, anyway. :P



@gehany: Automatic means automatically detect and use all available threads.

Re: Is there a way to cap CPU usage on render nodes?

Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 12:42 am
by gehany
Hey guys,

Setting it to 2 threads capped the cpu usage at 50%, exactly what I wanted. Thank you.

Now here's another question (perhaps I should open new thread), is it possible to push out these settings using GPO?

Re: Is there a way to cap CPU usage on render nodes?

Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 3:22 am
by JDHill
I don't see how, unless you can use it to have the OS restrict the physical resources (CPU) accessible to the maxwell.exe process. Every MXS file has a CPU threads setting written into it; that value will be used by maxwell.exe, unless overridden by command-line flags, which I assume would be how Maxwell Network does it.