Using 3rd party job scheduler to make a local high processing computer of multiple pcs

Hello,

I am trying to make an offline small cluster of 3 pcs to perform extensive simulations on parallel but I only have academic individual license. Is there anyway I can use a 3rd party job schdeuler to do so without Matlab Distributed Computing Server and if it is possible, if anyone can guide me I will greatly appreciate it.

Answer 1

[Raymond Norris]

Hi @Hasan Khanzada. Have you checked that your university doesn't (A) have MATLAB Parallel Server and (B) if so, already have a cluster running with it?

I'm asking because you'll need a scheduler (which one are you using?) and MATLAB Parallel Server to seamlessly submit jobs from a client to the three machines. The alternative is to manually run MATLAB on each machine and then collate the results. However, this assumes you have enough individual licenses to run MATLAB (and toolboxes) on each machine.

[Hasan Khanzada]

Thankyou @Raymond Norrisfor your reply. The University does not allow the students the parallel server license and I have my own personal 3 pcs which I want to use at home. I have license activated in all three pcs and I want an alternative in which I dont have to use MDCS or MJS. I want to know is it possible that one can use 3rd party schdeuler like LSF or PBS pro or HPC profile without parallel server and send commands from one headnode to other?

[Raymond Norris]

You can install LSF or PBS (or the free version TORQUE) on your three PCs and submit MATLAB jobs. For instance, you could write a PBS job script (call it matlab.pbs) as such

#!/bin/sh
#PBS -l nodes=1:ppn=8

/path/to/MATLAB/R2023a/bin/matlab -batch <my code.m>

Then, from the head node submit the job

% qsub matlab.pbs

[Hasan Khanzada]

Thanks for your guidance what is ppn=8 and where do I have to put the command you posted? Moreover I am using Windows and For torque is it same?

[Raymond Norris]

At the point, I would suggest reading through your scheduler's User Guide. Each scheduler operates slightly different and will explain their syntax (e.g., ppn) in greater detail. It will provide sample job scripts for you to get started with.

To the best of my knowledge, TORQUE is not supported on Windows. You'll need to look at LSF, PBS Pro, Microsoft HPC Pack, etc.

[Hasan Khanzada]

Thanks Do you know any user guide in which LSF or PBS Pro is explained for this purpose?

[Raymond Norris]

I would suggest starting with their Site, since you'll also need documentation to download, install, configure, and run their software. But, you ought to be able to find their User Guide's here

• IBM Spectrum LSF 10.1.0 - IBM Documentation
• PBS Professional 2022.1 User’s Guide (altair.com)