Computers

What should I get?

How should I upgrade?

Will my computer work with point cloud data?

The following VoiceThread presentation will guide you in the most updated specifications for computers for point cloud processing. Two general systems are outlined:

LGS Computers for Point Cloud Processing - Recommended ConfigurationHDS Training and Support makes recommendations for optimal computer hardware for post processing computers.

VIDEO CARD SETTINGS REQUIRED TO BE MANUALLY SET

Graphic cards are either integrated to the CPU (not supported) or are assigned to a discrete card like NVIDIA AMD etc. In the BIOS of the computer the graphics card will sometimes be delivered in an OFF state. Users should validate in the BIOS that the Graphic Card is set to discrete.

After software is installed two settings are required:
1. Graphic Settings in Windows must have each program set for the dedicated graphics card to be forced to use it.

2. Your Video Graphics card will have a control panel and this is where OpenGL should be set to be forced to use the graphics card.

Additional settings are outlined in the image following. Know that your battery life will be substantially dimninusted but your graphical interface and import times will be far superior.

General Computer Requirements

Cyclone utilizes large swap file space on the primary C: drive of a computer. When selecting or servicing your computer make sure your primary C drive has free space to accommodate 250GB or more space for small to normal and 500GB to 1TB when working with large data sets. If you are experiencing slow processing a C drive lacking swap space is a common cause.

2024 Computer Recommendation Configurations

Large Category and Small / Medium Category user configurations shared:

https://voicethread.com/share/25869364/

This link is a voicethread presentation
- Guided online with interactive audio commentary embedded.

Recommended Computer Purchase Configurations

Laptops

Desktops

Dual Monitors

3D Connexion CAD / CADMouse

The computer technology is rapidly changing with new processors and graphic cards released frequently. Once a system is posted in a matter of weeks something is released that can be better or faster. This information is to guide users on new hardware selection and offer ways to take a current computer and make it more functional with large point cloud data sets.

HARD DRIVES

The best way to ensure higher speed performance when working with Cyclone data is your throughput speed to your hard drives. There are two areas to look at: Size and Speed.

Cyclone software can function with a single drive but this is not a recommended setup for normal forensic scenes. A desired setup for point cloud computer post processing it is desired to configure it to have three high speed NVME m.2 hard drives connected to the motherboard.
C Drive Operating System
D Drive Reg360 Vault
E Drive set as a dedicated TEMP swap space

Additional slower drives can allow for data storage and cold vault storage for finished point cloud projects. Not all budgets can be configured to accommodate a dedicated Temp Drive so the next best thing would be to have a very large C Drive and set the extra space to be used as swap file space.

C Drive -

SIZE: Increase speed and the size of this drive to NvME m.2 - 1TB at a minimum. 2TB and 4TB are desired.
A 2TB Drive is superior and can serve as the TEMP swap space drive described below.

Commonly computers are configured with a 250GB SATA drive in the C Drive. This free space on the C drive takes on a function of temporary memory or SWAP space for many programs to operate. The free area used for temporary memory shrinks when the C Drive gets full.

What does full mean?

Leica HDS Support generally defines full as 60%-75% of the total hard drive space is occupied with files. To many people full is when the drive warns you. This is not the case for point cloud data. By increasing the size to 1TB - after program installation there is plenty of open space to be used to work with large point cloud data sets.

What can you do if a larger C drive cannot be obtained?

Leave it be.

Program settings in Cyclone allow for mapping your temporary swap space to a different drive that has space and has higher transfer speeds. Do what many ultra high end point cloud computer systems do and internally install a 1TB to 4TB NVMe M.2 drive on the motherboard. HDS users that routinely work with very large data sets configure their processing computers with a dedicate NVMe M.2 drive and strictly use it as swap space.

SPEED: Obtain the fastest SSD drive possible. 3500mb/sec was common. 6000mb/sec can be found now.

NVMe M.2 Internal SSD Drives are recommended.

See the linked video for an explanation why they are faster.

Side by side comparisons of standard SATA SSD internal drives to newer M.2 NVMe high speed hard drives have shown a ~40% faster import / processing time using Cyclone. The investment in the faster hard drive will quickly pay for itself.

Please advise your IT and computer purchasing department the less expensive 1TB 7200 speed rotating hard drive may be large enough, but due to the slow transfer speed its just is not going to work. Keep the slower and less expensive drive in mind for archiving data.

D Drive

In a standard laptop configuration its advisable to get at a minimum two hard drives. Both should be NVMe M.2 drives for speed. The D Drive is where a VAULT is placed and data is written to and accessed rapidly when assembling / processing data using Cyclone software.

At a minimum a second 1TB NVMe M.2 drive should be setup as the D Drive and your Register 360 Vault should be mapped to a folder on this second drive. As projects are finished and they need to be cleared from the computer to make space a decision must be made. Does the data in the project need to simply be deleted, relocated to an mapped archive vault, or exported as a .RAF and moved to cold storage.

E Drive

When internal space on a laptop or desktop configurations permit, the use of an E Drive for an archive space has become very popular. Install a SATA 2TB - 4TB SSD or a lower cost 7200 speed 16TB drive as an archive space holding projects that might need to be accessed.

When working with smaller hard drives with excellent speed (250GB / 500GB) they will fill quickly and individual projects must be removed to make space to process new data.

Using the Register 360 project manager, create a new vault on the slower E Drive and then 'relocate' projects to the slower drive. This keeps them handy if the project needs additional work. The larger drive can also simply hold the library of 'cold storage' .RAF exported data.

Budgeting not being a restriction:
C Drive 2TB NVME Operating System
D Drive 4TB NVME Data Vault Cyclone Reg360

E Drive 2TB NVME Dedicate Temp Drive
F Drive 18TB G Drive technology internal or external with optical Thunderbolt Cable connection or some other graphics high speed video streaming speed large data storage device or push data to a networked location for storage.

SSD DRIVES

SATA vs NVMe M.2

computer Options....

I must know more...

Charles Biretz outlines the general differences in general computer hardware options related to price of systems commonly purchased for HDS Point Cloud processing. 11:40 video

Computer Assembly:

Parts Pricing and Compatibility - Web Resource: pcpartpicker.com/

This site offers experienced IT professionals options to configure and price out customized computer.

Offered as a resource site for information.

Leica Knowledge Base Article -

Computer Selection Guidelines

This PDF document is an excellent overall guide for computer selection, data management.

https://hdsu-smartplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Computer-Recommendations_HDS.pdf

Computer Recommendations_HDS.pdf

Computer Performance TIPS

Configuring Video Card to operate with Cyclone -

Videos at SMART PLAN: New Users to HDS Tab

Cyclone Core / Edit Preferences / Point Cloud Tab / Set Display / Load points to match your video card memory size.

CLM License Delay at Start Up: Services / CLM & FlexNet Settings: / Change from Delayed Start to Automatic.

MOVing Reg360 Data

RAF

The RAF export is a packaged (ZIPPED) file that is all the data in the Register 360 program and is the recommended archive method to move a single project from computer to computer. Place the xxx.raf file into the mapped ... Archive folder set on the Storage Tab then select IMPORT. To open the project select Open Projects and Select All Projects to select it.

Manage Data - Move a Vault from Computer A to Computer B

Identify all old never to be needed cases in the near future (Year) and export an RAF file for each. RAF files are exported into the designated Archive Folder location. The Archive Folder is an In / Out Folder to Register 360. Move each project .RAF file to a COLD STORAGE Hard Drive and/or network location. I recommend an .RAF file be kept with the RAW scan data of that investigation in its own parent folder. PSG Data Template Designates folder 2_Cyclone .raf as the location to store this Cyclone data and will facilitate discovery requests. Note: Ensure these files are using back up file protocols so they are not lost in a hard drive failure.
Remove the exported .RAF files from the primary Register 360 Vault. You have two options here:
1. DELETE IT.
2. Relocate the Reg360 Project to a COLD STORAGE VAULT setup on a large lower cost 4-8TB internal or external drive. This can serve as a back up of the data and allows for access to the data if needed preventing having to locate and then import the .raf file. Use the “RELOCATE” command in the Projects Tab to move one or multiple file to this cold storage vault. If a new LGS file is required to be published, or additional data is to be imported to the project, it is recommended to Relocate the project back to Register 360 Vault setup on the higher speed hard drive.

Note:

When data is critical to preserve it is recommended to export an RAF File for each project prior to moving a vault from one computer to another.

Keeping Current Cases in the Active Register 360 High Speed Vault:

MOVE A VAULT FROM COMPUTER A TO COMPUTER B:

A. Configure an external hard drive that can be connected to both computers (USB C best or USB 3.1)

The faster the drive the better- use a SSD but a 7200 Speed Rotating Drive can work.
Do not use thumb drives or slower 5400 speed drives if possible since they slow.
Recommended Drives like: Samsung T5 or T7 SSD.
Review total exporting data size and ensure the transfer hard drive can fit the data to prevent needing to move EID license multiple times.

B. Configure a Register 360 Vault on this external drive then select all the cases in the Project Tab: Use the command Folder to relocate to: and Select this new Vault on the external transfer drive then use the RELOCATE... command. This will move the data off of the hard drives on Computer A to the transport drive.

Caution:

Do not move computer when transferring data to an external drive. USB Ports can wear out and a loss of data could take place.

Do not allow computer to go to sleep or run out of power. Export can take a significate amount of time.

Always eject drives when disconnecting them from a computer.

C. Move the Register 360 EID License from Computer A to Computer B using the CLM Program.

Copy the EID Numbers.
Re-host the EID Numbers
Install CLM and Register 360 on Computer B
Open CLM and Activate New EID numbers

Note: Cyclone EID licenses can be moved 5 times before HDS support will need to be contacted reset the EID moves allowed.

D. Connect the Transport Drive to Computer B – Open Register 360 and configure Vaults on Computer B (Storage Folder: …) Connect to the vault on the transport drive.

Use the Command RECONNECT to re-map the path to a connected hard drive when it is unplugged and reconnected and is given a new drive letter.

E. Use the same command in B above to RELOCATE the files from the Vault on the Transport Drive to the Internal Setup Primary Vault on Computer B.

Note:

The primary Reg360 Vault should be a very large D / E drive connected to the motherboard.

It is recommended it be a NvME M.2 drive with higher data transfer speeds ~3500mb/s or better rather than a normal SSD drive at 540mb/s to obtain optimal processing speed in Cyclone Software.

F. Open Project command in Register 360 then select All Projects at the top to see your project and select it.

AEC Magazine 2020 Article

Comparison testing of various computers for Cyclone Register 360 post processing:

aecmag.com/hardware-mainmenu-34/2009-workstations-for-point-cloud-processing-leica-cyclone

CLM on Virtual Machine

Cyclone licensing software called Client License Manager or CLM can be installed on a virtual machine and multiple computers can access the available licenses as needed. An important step for installing the CLM on Virtual Machines is to ensure the EID codes are:

Enabled to be installed on a Virtual Machine. Contact HDS Support and ask your EID be virtually enabled.
Install the CLM on the Master Image of the VM and not just copy that can be written over as new software is added to the VM.

See Quick Guides configuring CLM: https://hdsu-smartplan.com/faqs/

Sample Computer Setup with NAS Drive:

This setup is in use by a Washington Police Department and they elected to accept the slower transfer speeds working with the NAS drive setup as a RAID 1 for data back up protection.

Email Response -

What should I look for in a computer to last me 3 years?

Dear X Sent - September 11 2023

Computers 101 for Point Cloud Processing.

We have a white paper that divides scanning into three areas. Light / Medium / Heavy data. Public Safety qualifies for Heavy meaning RTC360 data with 5K Images and the total number of scans used require massive swap space and ram. The Graphics cards are being fully used as well.

To accommodate a new computer for 3-4 years of solid life I recommend the following:

1. I7 / I9 - Save money here if you have to. The processor is less important than RAM and the Graphics Card. Mulit Thread is important. Needs to be a modern CPU.
2. RAM do not skimp. 64GB if that is max on a laptop. Better to get a laptop that can accommodate 128GB RAM. HP Fury 19 does as well as up to 4 m.2 NvME drives.

3. Graphics Card. Stick with NVIDIA. RTX 4500 etc or better with 16GB Ram on the card are recommended. There are newer more fancy gaming cards. Do not skimp here. Software is using smart learning to categorize data in the point cloud and the processing for this is done on the graphics card.

4. Hard Drives: :: This is important: Do not skimp on FAST and LARGE hard drive space. My recommended configuration:
C Drive = 2 TB M.2 NvME HIGH Speed 6000mb/sec drive – (We need 500GB in Swap Space on a high speed drive.) C can do this. If you use a 500GB C drive plan on adding a drive to get an independent path from mother board to a high speed drive vs mapping the swap TEMP files to the D Drive that is used for the vault. (Can be done but not as fast.)

D Drive = 2 TB Same – High Speed (Vault Goes Here)

E Drive = 4 TB M.2 NvME Data Drive for storing raw files etc while working with them.

F Drive = 8TB Slower 7200 Speed Commercial Quality BLACK RED Massive Back Up or COLD Storage location for clearing the Data off the High Speed Drives.

5. External Drives are limited to ~540 Mb/Sec transfer speeds. Fast ones. Cheep hard drives are in the 78mb / sec and can’t be used. Faster USB 3.1 drives spinning can get abou 250 mb/sec and can work but its best internal if possible on desktops.

6. Monitors. 4K are best. We capture graphics from the screen resolution in our deliverables. Two monitors is superior. If you are brining people in for case preparation get a 4K TV to push the display to in your working space to discuss trial preparation etc.

7. Mice: Connextions 3D Space and CAD Mouse - These provide improved navigation and 3D videos.

https://3dconnexion.com/us/product/spacemouse-wireless-kit-2/

8. Room to do this: The future involves teaching / learning remotely. Get a camera, microphone and desktops that support WiFi to connect to scanners. Headsets for gaming can aid in students talking to the online class while in Cubical Land if not able to be in a private space. Ergonomics are import. Avoid setting the computer up in a Forensic Lab on counter tops that do not support comfortable safe seated work. Neck, arm, wrist, elbow issues can be avoided from long use during post processing.

X Agency is a big department. Pushing back up data to the servers is desired. If data can be pushed to a server and share .lgs deliverables this is superior to distribution via Media like USB or small hard drives.
Even with a server back up. I still recommend the above hard drive settings for a post processing computer. The amazing thing about hard drives I’m seeing is that a ½ full hard drive is twice as fast as a 3/4 full one. When they are 80% full the transfer speed is SIGNIFICANTLY diminished.

REF MATERIAL LINKS - SET YOUR GRAPHICS CARD ! Instructions HERE!

https://sites.google.com/lgspsg.com/leica-geosystems-reality-captu/computers?authuser=0

Ken Jones

Leica Geosystems

DATA LOSS PREVENTION -

Backup Method When Clearing RTC360 USB Drives

A RTC360 USB is generally not cleared of each job after scanning and saving to the computer. General practice is to leave the JOB on the USB pending a successful import of the data into Register 360. Sensitive data that cannot be lost should have a preventative procedure implemented to ensure or minimize a human error in erasing, formating, or altering file names.

This method should be done using a low cost large hard drive and a structured file format so if data is missing it can be found.

BLK Devices -
Replicate Monthly Clearning or as needed by month by device.

Use the same the folder structure and clear whole hard drive of jobs as a backup of data that can be accessed if needed.

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