Blackmagic Forum

Is there any downside to caching to a network location. I'm starting to see the real potential with an all in one editing/VFX/color/audio workflow... if there is a way to network render and cache to a shared location on a network. With this logic, a team could work from cached files with processing always being done in the background with a series of render nodes.

If this is the case, a real use of "smart" rendering would allow for multiple machines being used to create cached files in the background, one node per clip. So, for example: A demanding edit with multiple large color correcting processes and multiple VFX being applied through the Fusion page, each node would be "smart" about what process was processing would be assigned one node to each process.

Anyway, I guess the real questions is there any downside to caching to a network location for multiple users?

I think that once DR caching/optim media becomes 100% rock solid, it should definitely be possible at some point in the futire with some restrictions and proper workflow.
Obviously you need a sick fast low latency network , so 10G minimum otherwise it wont be fun.

I use it currently where I share a cached location between an OSX render node (VM) that has more cpu cores power and my main workstation that has more GPU power. They share a small SSD raid connected over 10G as cache and works most of the time pretty good.
I even sometimes acces the cached data when doing quick checks on my laptop.

But as mentioned it does require for caching to become really rock solid for full dependability, which atm is work in progress. But i am sure BM is working hard at it.

thanks Glen, hopefully they get the caching sorted