jiker
Jul 21, 2004, 12:52 AM
My boss approached me today and told me that he was looking to construct a computer lab at his studio. This would be mainly used for Photoshop and FCP.
He was looking for the most cost-effective solution, however, and I didn't know how to respond. I told him that I'd look into it and get back to him.
The lab must have (let's say 5) workstations. Now of course he can go buy 5 G5s with 20" monitors and 5 licenses for both FCP and Photoshop, network them together, and go. But is there another way? Is there some way to share CPUs by just having 5 monitors, keyboards, and mice connected to a couple of xServes? (I realize that there would be a lack of places to connect said monitors, etc, but you get the idea.) What about xGrid? (sorry, I'm not familiar with what it does exactly.) Would that allow a workstation to use the processor of another machine on a network? Does FCP and Photoshop have a "family pack" (for lack of a better term) license, like OS X does?
How would you build the most cost-effective lab?
He was looking for the most cost-effective solution, however, and I didn't know how to respond. I told him that I'd look into it and get back to him.
The lab must have (let's say 5) workstations. Now of course he can go buy 5 G5s with 20" monitors and 5 licenses for both FCP and Photoshop, network them together, and go. But is there another way? Is there some way to share CPUs by just having 5 monitors, keyboards, and mice connected to a couple of xServes? (I realize that there would be a lack of places to connect said monitors, etc, but you get the idea.) What about xGrid? (sorry, I'm not familiar with what it does exactly.) Would that allow a workstation to use the processor of another machine on a network? Does FCP and Photoshop have a "family pack" (for lack of a better term) license, like OS X does?
How would you build the most cost-effective lab?
