Differential Uploads via the Render Network Manager App

Guide to using Differential Uploads to accelerate your workflow

Overview

Differential Uploads (DU) in the Render Network Manager App are designed to dramatically reduce upload times when iterating on scenes.

Instead of re-uploading entire projects for every revision, the Manager App analyzes what has changed between versions and uploads only the deltas - new or modified files - while reusing everything already present on the Render Network.

This guide focuses specifically on using Differential Uploads through the Render Network Manager App, which is the recommended workflow today for most users.

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Requirements

Before using Differential Upload, make sure the following requirements are met:

• Render Network account with Render API access enabled

• Render Network Manager App (upload and job management unlocked)

  

• Latest version of the Manager App installed

• Differential Upload enabled in Manager settings

API access is required to enable upload and job management features in the Manager App.

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What Differential Uploads Actually Do

When you submit a scene through the Render Network Manager App, the system:

• Hashes scene files and referenced assets

• Identifies unchanged assets already stored on the Render Network

• Uploads only:

• New assets

• Modified assets

• Updated scene descriptions (camera changes, light tweaks, material edits, etc.)

This means iteration becomes faster with each pass.

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Supported DCC Workflows (Important Distinction)

Cinema 4D + Octane

Cinema 4D users have access to the Octane C4D Wizard, which integrates directly with the Manager App. The Wizard allows you to:

• Validate scenes before upload (preflight)

• Automatically collect and package dependencies

• Submit scenes directly to the Render Network Manager App

• Benefit from Differential Uploads automatically

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Blender (Current State)

Blender does not yet have a dedicated Wizard.

Blender users typically submit jobs by:

• Dragging a folder of assets into the Manager App, or

• Dragging a zipped archive into the Manager App

Once uploaded, Differential Upload behavior still applies exactly the same way - the Manager App compares assets across versions and only uploads changes.

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Case Study: Flower Scene Iteration

This real-world example demonstrates how Differential Uploads accelerate iteration.

Scene	Upload Type	What Changed	Data Uploaded	Processing	Upload Time	Notes
Flower Red	Initial upload (baseline)	All assets (geometry, Alembics, textures, HDRI, materials, animation)	~9 GB	Scene collection + preprocessing	~10 min	Establishes asset baseline on the Render Network
Flower Blue	Differential upload	Scene file only (camera + material color changes)	~2–3 MB	~3 sec local asset scan & comparison	~2 sec	Geometry, Alembics, textures, HDRI reused
Flower Green	Differential upload	Scene file only (lighting + color variation)	~2–3 MB	~3 sec local asset scan & comparison	~2 sec	Smooth iteration while previous versions render

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Why This Matters Beyond a Single Machine

Differential Uploads are Render Network-wide asset intelligence, not local caching.

Once assets are uploaded:

• They are available across:

• Different computers

• Fresh OS installs

• Different locations

• They persist across all supported render engines

• Octane

• Redshift

• Blender Cycles (where applicable)

As long as the same assets are referenced, the Render Network recognizes them and avoids re-uploading. This effectively turns the Render Network into a global asset cache.

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What Differential Uploads Are (and Are Not)

Differential Uploads ARE:

• Asset-aware

• Scene-version aware

• Ideal for iteration

• Automatic when using the Manager App

Differential Uploads are NOT:

• A local disk cache

• A per-machine feature

• A manual toggle

They happen automatically when using the Render Network Manager App.

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Best Practices for Fast Iteration

• Keep assets consistent across versions

• Avoid unnecessary renaming of files

• Reuse HDRIs and Alembics whenever possible

• Let the Manager App handle packaging and comparison

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Summary

Using Differential Uploads via the Render Network Manager App allows artists to:

• Iterate faster

• Upload less data

• Reduce friction during look-dev

• Treat the Render Network as a persistent asset layer

The Flower → Flower Blue → Flower Green sequence demonstrates how a heavy scene can evolve rapidly without repeated full uploads.

Once your assets are on the Render Network, iteration becomes lightweight.