• Adobe After Effects

  Drive Configuration for Optimal AE performance

  Posted by Wes Kennison on January 27, 2014 at 7:33 pm

  Hello all,

  Longtime lurker, first time poster here. I’ve been tasked with improving the performance of our aging Mac Pro and (among other things), I’m looking at adding some SSDs to the mix. I’ve put together a sample configuration and am hoping for some community feedback. Mainly just looking to make sure my plan of action makes sense and that I’m applying what I’ve learned from my recent web research correctly. Thanks in advance!

  Mac Pro SSD configuration

  Drive A: Startup SSD / 480 GB
  Applications, Library, Opt, System
  Render location for big renders

  Drive B: Cache SSD / 120 GB
  After Effects Disk Cache
  After Effects Conformed Media Cache: Cache

  Drive C:Source File SSD / 120 GB
  Source Files Folder for After Effects and Cinema 4D.

  Drive D: Hard Disc Drive / 500 GB
  “Users” folder (documents, pictures, movies, downloads, desktop, etc)
  After Effects Conformed Media Cache: Database folder

  External “Drive” : SAN Array
  Exports, Project Files, General Storage

  Walter Soyka replied 12 years, 6 months ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
• 1 Reply

• 

  Walter Soyka

  January 28, 2014 at 2:34 pm

  I don’t really see a benefit to storing the cache database separately from the cache files. An SSD should be plenty fast to support both.

  500 GB looks a bit small for a mechanical HDD today.

  Otherwise, I think this configuration looks lovely.

  Walter Soyka
  Principal & Designer at Keen Live
  Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
  RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
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