Network Rendering
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      Network Rendering - Troubleshooting Guide

      A comprehensive network rendering troubleshooting guide.

      Network Rendering - Troubleshooting Guide


      This troubleshooting guide assumes that you have already set up your KeyShot Network Rendering software according to the Getting Started Setup Guide. If not, please follow the step-by-step setup guide before you continue. You may also follow along with the KeyShot Network Rendering Installation video.

      Possible Issues

      • The Monitor application on the end user's computer cannot connect to the Manager service

      • The Worker nodes cannot connect to the Manager service

      • Rendering jobs/requests are getting stuck or they are failing.

      Solution

      Step 1: Check that the Manager is properly licensed.

      1. Log into the computer acting as the network’s Manager.

      (According to the software manual, the Manager is in charge of receiving rendering requests, delegating rendering tasks, and making sure that renderings are processed in the order received.)

      2. Launch the Keyshot Network Configurator application and go to the Manager tab. Make sure that "Enable master/manager mode" is checked.

      3. At the bottom of the section titled “Manager License” you should see the following message:

      The current floating license can utilize X cores and will expire in Y days.

      Here, X is the maximum core allowance and Y is the number of days before your license expires.

      • If you see this message, then your license is properly set up and you can continue to the next step.

      • If you don’t see this message, then your license has expired or is not properly set up. Find, request, or purchase a new KeyShot Network Rendering product key and register it according to the license registration instructions. 

      You can always request a copy of your most recent KeyShot Floating license from your software administrator, reseller, sales representative, or our fulfillment team at sales@keyshot.com.

       

      Step 2: Enable the Worker service on your Manager and your Worker nodes.

      Enabling the Worker service on your Manager is a quick way to check if the Worker-to-Manager connection is set up properly. After all, the worker service should be able to see the manager service running on the same computer.

      1. Stay logged into the Manager and keep the KeyShot Network Configurator open. Click the Worker tab on the left and check the Enable Worker mode checkbox.


      2. Enter the Manager’s IP Address in the field labeled Manager hostname (empty for auto-detection).

      3.       Make sure that the Worker port value in the Worker tab matches the Worker port value in the manager’s configuration. This should be 4848 by default.


      4. Click Close and restart services (bottom left). Save service changes if prompted.


      5. Repeat this process on all your Worker nodes (these are computers that will be processing your rendering requests). Please note that there can only be one Manager service in your entire network. Do NOT enable the manager service on any other computer.

       

      Step 3: Disable Monitor auto-detection on the Manager and all of your designers' computers


      1. Staying logged into the Manager computer, launch the KeyShot Network Monitor application.

      2. Go to File > Connection Settings. The Connection Settings dialog appears.

      3. Disable “Auto detect manager” and type in the Manager’s IP Address in the field labeled Manager hostname.

      4. Make sure that the Monitor port value is the same as on your Manager configuration. This is your Monitor-to-Manager connection. This port should be set to 4847 by default.


      5. Click Apply and your Monitor will connect to your Manager computer.


      6. Disable auto-detection and set the Manager’s IP Address for KeyShot Network Monitor on all of your designers’ computers.

       

      Step 4: Make sure that Worker nodes are listed in the Worker Status window.

      1. With KeyShot Network Monitor open on your Manager (or any other computer, really), click Worker Status.

      2. Make sure that your Worker nodes appear under the Worker Status list. They should be listed by their hostname and/or IP Address.

      • As long as your Worker Status window contains at least one Worker node then your network is properly set up and should process your requests. 

      • If the Worker Status window is empty, then go back to Step 2 and Step 3. Make sure the worker service has been set up properly and that your monitors are pointing to your manager's IP address.

      • If the Worker Status window contains Worker nodes and you are still experiencing trouble, continue to the next step.

       

      Step 5: Clear the queue and restart the manager.

      1. Access the computer acting as the network manager.


      2. Launch KeyShot Network Configurator and go to the Manager tab. Then, click Stop to stop the Manager service.


      3. Open your file browser and browse to KeyShot Network Resources > Manager. On Windows, the resources folder is found here: C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\KeyShot Network Resources.

      On a Mac, it would be under Macintosh HD\Library\Application Support\KeyShot Network Resources.

      4. Delete all subfolders and files under the Manager folder except for the manager.db file. These are all the jobs in the queue (done and in progress).


      5. Go back to the KeyShot Network Configurator application and click Close and restart services.


      6. Try to render once more.

      • Clearing the queue should allow you to render without a problem.

      • If the problem continues please contact support. Please be sure to attach the problem scene, saved as a KSP file (File > Save Package), to your email.


      Step 6: Enable Ports in Windows Defender Firewall  

      1. Access the computer acting as the Network Manager
      2. Press the Windows key and search for Windows Defender Firewall 
      3. Go to Advanced Settings -> Inbound Rules
      4. Search for the KeyShot Network Manager and double-click to open the KeyShot Network Manager Properties
      5. Select Protocols and Ports and in the Local Port field confirm the ports assigned to the Manager and Monitor are listed.
        1. If not, add them to the Specific Ports, Press Apply and OK to save the changes

      Common Misconceptions

      Below you will find the most common misconceptions associated with KeyShot Network Rendering.

      • Users often confuse the Worker-to-Manager connection with the Monitor-to-Manager connection. These are two separate connection channels. The diagram on the About page better illustrates this concept. Click here to view this diagram. 
      • Users also confuse the KeyShot Network Monitor application with the Manager or the Worker services. While the KeyShot Network Monitor does show you your job queue and allows to control certain aspects of your network, it is not the Manager service itself. Instead, you should think of the Monitor application as a window that allows you to check on what your network is doing.
      • Connecting the Monitor to your Manager is not the same as connecting your Worker nodes to your manager. The Monitor-to-Manager connection is set within KeyShot Network Monitor while the Worker-to-Manager connection is set within KeyShot Network Configurator.

      If you are still confused about the different nodes within KeyShot Network Rendering, we suggest reading the "Install" section within the Getting Started Guide.