3

5
Preface
Introduction to
Distributed Processing
Rendering a series of large files on one desktop computer is
processing intensive and time consuming. You can increase
speed and productivity by distributing processing across
multiple computers.
High-volume processing is sometimes addressed by carefully managing multiple
computers; technicians set up batches of processing tasks for each computer, and then
monitor their progress, collect and route the processed files, and start over again with
new batches. While this is an improvement over the single-computer method, the
resource and process management can be laborious and slow.
The Apple Qmaster distributed processing engine provides a more efficient solution,
handling all the work distribution and processing for you, behind the scenes.
Apple Qmaster and the Apple Qmaster features of Compressor manage the processing
across designated computers. They subdivide the work for speed, route the work to the
computers with the most available computing power, and direct the processing.
Using Distributed Processing to Increase Speed and Efficiency
Distributed processing accelerates processing by distributing the work to multiple
computers that have been chosen to provide more processing power. You can submit
batches of processing jobs to Apple Qmaster, which allocates those jobs to other
computers in the most efficient way (described in more detail in “How the
Apple Qmaster System Distributes Batches” on page 9).