9.5. Creating and Editing Cluster Configurations in EKM

Engineering Knowledge Manager

Administration Guide | Chapter 9: Defining EKM Servers, Queues, and External Applications |

9.4.4. Deleting Batch Job Submission Queues |  | 9.6. Defining External Applications
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## 9.5. Creating and Editing Cluster Configurations in EKM

Cluster configurations are the key to batch job submission to a cluster via RSM. As described in RSM Configuration in the RSM User's Guide, a cluster configuration contains information about the cluster submit host, the system used for job scheduling, desired communication protocols, and the location of job directories. Normally cluster configurations are defined using the RSM Cluster Configuration application, but you can also create cluster configurations in EKM. When you create a cluster configuration in EKM, the configuration is validated, and a cluster configuration (.rsmcc) file is added to the cluster configuration directory in RSM. This file is also updated if you edit the cluster configuration in EKM.

Note: To be able to create and edit cluster configurations, the account that you have used to sign in to EKM must have read/write access on RSM's cluster configuration directory, where cluster configuration files are stored. Or, if you have chosen to Override credentials for RSM services in your personal EKM settings, as described in Specifying Credential Overrides for RSM Services, the account that you have specified in that setting must have read/write access on the cluster configuration directory. For more information about the location of this directory, see Setting the Cluster Configuration Directory in the Remote Solve Manager User's Guide.

To add, edit or delete cluster configurations:

1. Go to Administration/Servers/Master.

2. On the toolbar, click (Manage Cluster Configurations).

3. To create a cluster configuration, click Add. A `NewClusterConfig` entry is added to the list of cluster configurations in the Manage Cluster Configurations dialog box:

   You can also create a new cluster configuration by duplicating an existing cluster configuration. Simply select the cluster configuration in the Cluster Configurations list in the left pane, then click Duplicate.

   To edit an existing cluster configuration, select it in the list, and then edit its properties in the right pane.

   To delete an existing cluster configuration, select it in the list, and then click Remove below the list pane.

4. If you are adding or editing a cluster configuration, specify its properties:

   Name

     The name of the cluster configuration as it will appear in the cluster configuration list. Do not use the name of an existing cluster configuration. Click Rename to update the name in the list.

   Submit host

     Identify the machine that will serve as the cluster submit host. This is the machine that will handle job scheduling. In other words, it is the machine on which scheduling software is installed, or, in the case of an ANSYS RSM Cluster (ARC), the machine on which the ARC Master service has been installed. It is the machine on which the RSM launcher service will look for the scheduling software.

     - Assuming the RSM launcher service is installed on the cluster submit host (and not a different machine), you can specify `localhost` in this field.

     - If the RSM launcher service is installed on a different machine than the cluster submit host, then you must enter the submit host's full domain name (for example, `machineName.company.com`).

     Important: Correctly identifying the submit host is a crucial step, as this is the key piece of information that enables RSM to communicate with the cluster. The value that you enter here is where the RSM launcher service (that EKM is configured to use) will look for scheduling software. So if you enter `localhost` here, the service will look on the local machine (on which the service itself is installed).

   Cluster type

     The scheduling system used to submit jobs to the cluster. If you are integrating with an established third-party cluster, select either Windows HPC, LSF, PBS Pro, TORQUE with Moab, or UGE (SGE). If you are not using a third-party job scheduler, select ARC (ANSYS RSM Cluster) as your scheduling system.

     If UGE (SGE) is selected as the cluster type, settings become available to specify Parallel Environment (PE) names.

     Shared memory parallel processing enables you to distribute solve power over multiple processors on the same machine. Distributed parallel processing enables you to distribute solve power across multiple cores on a single node, or across multiple nodes. For information on configuring parallel environments, consult the documentation of the simulation product you are using.

     RSM integrates with Windows HPC, LSF, PBS Pro, TORQUE with Moab and UGE (SGE) without requiring job script customization. For custom cluster types, customization will likely be necessary to make job submission work. Refer to Customizing RSM in the RSM User's Guide.

   Platform

     The platform on which the cluster is running (Windows or Linux).

   In which directory does the cluster job run

     Cluster staging directory

     This option is recommended if one or both of the following is true:

     - There is a fast network connection between the execution nodes and the cluster staging directory.

     - You are using a solver that produces fewer, relatively small files as part of the solution and does not make heavy use of local scratch space (for example, the CFX or the Fluent solver).

     In a scratch directory local to the execution node

     If you choose to run jobs in a scratch directory on the execution node(s), all input files will be copied from the cluster staging directory into that local scratch directory. Then, when the job finishes running, the requested output files generated by the job will be copied back to the cluster staging directory.

     This option is recommended to optimize performance when one or both of the following is true:

     - There is a slower network connection between the execution nodes and the cluster staging directory.

     - You are using a solver that produces numerous, relatively large files as part of the solution and makes heavy use of local scratch space (for example, Mechanical solvers).

     In the Cluster scratch directory field, enter the local path of a scratch directory on the execution node (for example, `C:\Shares\Local_Share\ScratchDir` on Windows). You can enter the path of the scratch directory manually, or use an environment variable in the format %VAR%.

     If the cluster is running on Windows, a Share path for local scratch field is displayed. Enter the network share path of the local scratch directory. This path should start with an [ExecutionNode] variable, so that when a job is submitted, the variable will be replaced with the actual machine name of each execution node assigned to the job.

     Note: When jobs will be submitted from EKM, the use of a local scratch directory is supported for MAPDL/Mechanical solutions only. If using other solvers, you must use a shared cluster staging directory.

   Job submission arguments

     (Optional) Scheduler-specific arguments that will be added to the job submission command line of the job scheduler. For example, you can enter job submission arguments to specify the queue (LSF, PBS, SGE) or the nodegroup (MS HPC) name. For valid entries, see the documentation for your job scheduler.

   Use SSH protocol for inter and intra-node communication (Linux only)

     This setting is used for distributed computing with multiple nodes involved. It specifies that RSM and solvers use SSH for communications between Linux execution nodes, and within the nodes themselves. If left deselected, this indicates that RSH is used.

     This setting will be applied to all Linux cluster nodes, allowing for solvers to run in distributed parallel mode.

     When ANSYS Fluent, ANSYS CFX, ANSYS Mechanical, and ANSYS Mechanical APDL are configured to send solves to RSM, their solvers will use the same RSH/SSH settings as RSM.

   Delete job files in cluster staging directory

     If enabled, job files will be deleted from the cluster staging directory after the job has run. Choosing to keep files in the staging directory may be useful for troubleshooting failed jobs. However, retained job files will consume disk space, and require manual removal.

5. When you click OK in the Manage Cluster Configurations dialog box, the cluster configurations that you have defined are validated. If properties in any cluster configuration do not validate (for example, you have left fields blank), error messages will be displayed:

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