Here are my results:
Setup:
2 computers (1 workstation, 1 render node)
Workstation - Ryzen 3900X, 32 GB RAM.
Node - i7-6700, 64 GB RAM.
WIFI router
USB network adapters plugged into each of the PCs.
3ds Max 2020, Corona 6 HF1
DR Server 6 HF1
Windows 10
Teapot scene - a simple scene with one teapot and one cylinder. No bitmaps. Only enviro lighting.
Interior scene - a random interior scene - multiple objects, textures, many lights. The Max file is 275 MB. The assets are 500 MB.
The first number (e.g. 11.2 / 64) is taken from the Task Manager > Performance > Memory. It means 11.2 GB out of 64 GB available.
The second number (e.g. 3dsmax.exe 1 523 MB) is taken from the Task Manager > Details > Memory (active private working set) for the 3dsmax.exe or drserver.exe process. It means that the process is using 1 523 MB of RAM.
Stats from the workstation:
- No rendering RAM usage (just max running) - 7 / 32, 3dsmax.exe 1 365 MB
- Rendering a simple teapot scene RAM usage - 7.2 / 32, 3dsmax.exe 1 523 MB
- Interior scene just opened in 3ds max - 9 / 32, 3dsmax.exe 3 406 MB
- Rendering the interior scene locally - 11.9 /32 , 3dsmax.exe 6 504 MB
- DR rendering the interior scene - node RAM usage reported in the VFB - 12 GB
Stats from the render node:
- No rendering ram usage (just max running) - 6 / 64 , 3dsmax.exe 780 MB
- Rendering a simple teapot scene RAM usage - 6 / 64, 3dsmax.exe 946 MB
- Interior scene just opened in 3ds max - 8 / 64, 3dsmax.exe 2 773 MB
- Rendering the interior scene locally - 11.2 / 64, 3dsmax.exe 5 967 MB
- DR server just launched, no rendering, RAM usage - 6/64, 3dsmax.exe 730 MB, drserver.exe 20 MB
- DR rendering the interior scene - 10.6 / 64, 3dsmax.exe 5 500 MB, drserver.exe 29 MB
- DR server reported RAM usage - 12 GB
I can repeat this test and get some other measurements, if needed.
You can send me any problematic scene and I can render it with DR and take measurements.