XGrid Question.

[Gav]

Say I've got a few Macs, and I get a Mac Server Running XGrid, could I use the computing Power of those computers using the Normal Mac OS Interface?

So I have the normal Mac OS Desktop, then say I launch Firefox (or Photoshop?), the processing power is split between all the machines?

Gav.

 

[Killyp]

No, it's only for larger things such as video processing. The time it takes to split up a the processing means for shorter tasks such as opening up Firefox, it's simply not worth it...

 

[Gav]

Okay, thats basically what I was after (video editing), is the interface the same as the normal OS X one?

 

[robbieduncan]

You need special software specifically developed for XGrid. It's not for interactive use. If you want to render a load of video having made all your edits, setup all the effects etc then you could offload the renders to the other machines.

I don't think that even Final Cut Pro does this yet, probably because the amount of data that would have to be sent over the network would make the saving minimal.

XGrid is not really designed for consumer apps at all: it's for distributed scientific computing using specialised, custom written apps.

 

[Gav]

Okay, thanks.

That'll probably be a feature in Final Cut Server or whatever its called?

Thanks.

 

[robbieduncan]

Okay, thanks.

That'll probably be a feature in Final Cut Server or whatever its called?

Thanks.

I don't think so. Final Cut Server serves a very different purpose.

 

[simie]

QMaster

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Apple_Qmaster_2_User_Manual.pdf

 

[MacsRgr8]

XGrid is not really designed for consumer apps at all: it's for distributed scientific computing using specialised, custom written apps.

Well, Xgrid (as in Tiger, that is) is only for CLI driven apps at the moment. If you want you can use Xgrid to help calculate a "top" command, if you know how to upload a job.
I think we are all waiting for an Xgrid that can simply be GUI driven, to which you can "upload" a job simply by selecting an app like FCP.
Maybe Leopard's Xgrid will come closer to this...