Creating a workstation among multiple computers
Creating a workstation among multiple computers
I intended to link the onboard network interface (which they should already have) to the internet-connected router. If the configuration follows X<->Y and Y<->Z, then Y must be active for the two networks to exchange data. Unless a server feature enables operation over the PCIE bus while Y’s main processor is idle.
I have a network interface card linked between each PC, which is useful since data flow between two machines can run at maximum capacity. A second machine can retrieve files from another device without causing disruption. It's not 4Gbps either—it doesn't operate that way. My configuration needs high-speed storage to match the gigabit NIC performance.
I’m not sure about the reasoning behind needing a central main PC. What I mean is that every device should have its own dedicated network connection, with a direct link to it.
We're students and freelancers, so the workspace might not seem very professional. Since I have a regular PC, my flatmates are using Dell Precision M6800, making ExpressCard the likely choice for expanding their network. I was wondering if it's feasible to quickly view someone's screen or share power for tasks like rendering. In my mind, we mainly work with 3D software such as Maya for modeling and game environments. For rendering, it probably isn't possible on the system side, though that might change depending on the engine used.
For me this feels really rough, but my roommate says it's fine. With a workstation laptop it doesn’t bother me at all—it handles PS, AI, Maya, Unreal, and browsers even when RAM is maxed. As a level designer I don’t need huge long renders; most of it runs in real time. The CPU is the only thing that slows me down, but everything else works just fine for me (i7-4940MX, 32 GB RAM, Quadro 5100M). For bigger tasks I’d probably want a server instead.