For all cluster applications, you must distinguish between the master and client renderers. You must always have a single master but can have as many clients as you like. Typically, the master and clients make up the image generators driving each of the display surfaces. However, the master can be an external machine and only "clients" actually used for the final display apparatus.
On the client machine, launch the Vizard Cluster Client program (Tools -> Cluster Client). This application should remain running as long as this client machine is expected work in conjunction with the master. This utility allows the client machine to receive signals to launch worlds and maintain synchronization.
When started, you will see a screen as follows:
In the window, you will see status information about it's connection to the master. Connection messages will appear after the master refreshes its client list and after sending a signal to all clients to begin executing a simulation.
Capture Output
Output of client processes will be captured and displayed in the output window.
Clear
Clear the output window.
On the master machine, launch the Vizard Cluster Master program (Tools -> Cluster Master). This application should remain running as long as this master machine is expected work in conjunction with the clients. This utility allows the master machine to send signals to launch worlds and maintain synchronization amongst the clients.
When started, you will see a screen as follows:
Client List
The list displays the computer name and IP address of all computers on the local network that are running the cluster client utility. To add the client to the cluster, click the check box next to the client name. You can click the value in the "Count" column to change the number of instances to launch on the specified client.
Refresh
Forces a refresh of the client list.
Enable clustering
This controls whether clustering is enabled on the master machine. This is useful for temporarily disabling clustering without shutting down the cluster master utility.
Sync frames
If enabled, the machines will block at the end of each frame until all other machines have finished processing the updates for that frame. This synchronization is performed before swapping buffers.
Sync draw
If enabled and frame sync is also enabled, in addition to blocking until all updates are complete, the machines will also block until all other machines have finished rendering the frame. This ensures more reliable synchronization of the video output.
NOTE: Modern GPUs will perform rendering in parallel with CPU processing, so enabling draw sync may decrease the performance of your cluster, since it will cause the CPU to block until the GPU is finished.
Transmit mouse navigation
If using the default mouse navigation, this ensures the viewpoint is updated amongst all the clients.
Port
The port number the cluster master/clients will use to establish a TCP connection with each other.
Connect Timeout
The number of milliseconds the cluster master/clients will wait to establish a TCP connection with each other.
Frame Timeout
The number of milliseconds the cluster master/clients will wait to finish sending/receiving messages for each frame.
Sync Timeout
The number milliseconds the cluster master/clients will wait for synchronization at the end of each frame.
Since clustering requires network communication, the computer's firewall will have to be disabled or configured to handle the communication. To use clustering with windows firewall one must allow exceptions for Vizard Cluster Master and winviz on the master computer and Vizard Cluster Client and winviz on the client computers.