Shifting Nodes Between Jobs
 
 
 

When a job is submitted by a creative application to Backburner for processing, the Backburner Manager automatically sends it as sub-jobs, called tasks, to render nodes for processing. Visual Effects and Finishing render tasks are sent to nodes on which Burn has been installed, 3ds Max tasks are sent to nodes equipped with 3ds Max, and so on. A task can consist of a single frame, a set of frames, or an entire clip, depending on the creative application and the nature of the work required.

The initial choice of render nodes for each job is specified by the client application and applied automatically by Backburner, based on your Backburner settings. However, you can easily assign new nodes, or remove those currently assigned, as you see fit. For example, if a job has been sent to a particular server group, you can easily add nodes from outside the group to assist in the processing. When you add a node, Backburner sends the next task to the newly added node.

To shift a render node:

  1. On the Jobs tab, select the job of interest, and choose Settings from the Action menu, or double-click the job.

    The Job Details page appears.

  2. In the Job Details page, click on the Server Assignment tab.

    The following table explains the contents of the Server Assignment tab.

    Field Description
    Assigned Server Group Name of the server group, if any, to which the job was assigned. A server group is a named collection of servers. Only servers in the specified group will work on the job.

    See Working with Server Groups.

    Max Server Count The maximum number of render nodes made available for the job, as specified when the job was submitted. Set to 0 (zero) to assign the job to all servers.
    Assigned Servers A comma-separated list of servers currently assigned to the job. If you make changes, be sure to save them, then click the Refresh button to ensure the list is up to date.
    Filter on Job Type Select this checkbox to list only the servers on which the required adapter is installed.
    Name Name of the server.
    Assigned to Job A checkbox indicating whether or not the listed server is assigned to the job. To add a new server to the job, check a checkbox. Notice the Assigned Servers list is updated automatically. Nevertheless, click the Save button, then the Refresh button to ensure the list is up to date.
    Description A description of the server.
    Status The current activity of the server:
    • absent: Server is no longer seen by the manager, possibly down.
    • active: Server is currently working on a job.
    • suspended: Server has been put on hold.
    • idle: Server is inactive.
    • error: Problem on the server.
    Perf. Index A value in the range [0–1] indicating the performance level of the server, relative to other servers on the same job. A score of 1 indicates this is the best-performing server.
    Adapters The adapters installed on the server, for example:
    • Burn: The Burn renderer.
    • Command Line Tool: The Backburner cmdjob command-line plug-in allows you to submit batch, executable, or script files to Backburner as “custom” jobs. See Submitting Jobs from a Command Line or Script.
    • mio: The MIO adapter engine is responsible for transcoding some streaming media formats (such as R3D and OpenEXR).
    • Wire: Installed with Stone and Wire. Can be used to import/export media, perform Wire transfers, etc. Used internally by Autodesk Visual Effects and Finishing applications.
  3. Assign and/or remove servers, as desired, using the checkboxes.

    For information on using the Assigned Server Group pull-down menu, see Working with Server Groups.

  4. Apply your changes.

    The selected render nodes are assigned to the job. If a render node is already occupied, it completes its current task first.

  5. Verify your changes by clicking the Refresh button. This queries the Backburner Manager for the most up-to-date information.

    The Assigned Servers list is updated to reflect your changes.

  6. Click Close to return to the list of all servers.